Exploring Dynamic Cinematic Techniques with AI

DNEG’s work on the movie Here, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Robert Zemeckis, has utilized AI to create environmental transitions seen throughout the film. The subtle effect required an intensive period of research and development.

AI-Driven Transitions

Martine Bertrand, Senior Researcher in Artificial Intelligence (AI) at DNEG, reflects on the use of AI in creating the period transitions within the frame throughout the film. Bertrand recalls: "When the work started, visual effects supervisor Johnny Gibson reached out to me and said ‘We have these transitions and they’ll allow you to move from one era to another and lots of those transitions happen inside the living room. We want to do something new.’"

Latent Diffusion Models

Bertrand looked at what Latent Diffusion Models might offer DNEG and recalls that "It was the very early days of so-called Latent Diffusion Models – an example of those was Stable Diffusion. I thought, ‘What if we take one of those pre-trained LDMs, trained on millions of images, and it understands the semantics of the world.’"

Script-Like Tool

The creative challenge was not entirely over, and Bertrand explains how they had arrived at working with "an interesting tool" and how, in turn, a fourth challenge presented itself. "The fourth challenge was to get this script-like tool into Nuke and into the hands of artists and that was done by my colleague E.J.Rowe collaborating with Devina (the leader compositor for the film)," she tells me, before explaining: "They worked together for weeks to build that tool and make it so that it would do what the artists wanted it to do."

Conclusion

The work achieved by Bertrand and her team provide a series of visual grace notes that possess a real sense of elegance and invention. Inspired by the work on Here? Then read our interview with three leading VFX supervisors from DNEG, Framestore and MPC share advice for getting into the industry. Already keen? The read our guides to the best 3D modelling software to start experimenting for yourself.

FAQs

Q: What is the purpose of using AI in film production?
A: AI is used in film production to create innovative and dynamic cinematic techniques that enhance the storytelling and visual effects of a film.

Q: How did DNEG utilize AI in the movie Here?
A: DNEG used AI to create environmental transitions seen throughout the film, which required an intensive period of research and development.

Q: What are Latent Diffusion Models?
A: Latent Diffusion Models are a type of AI technology that can generate images and videos by learning from large datasets of images and understanding the semantics of the world.

Q: What is the script-like tool used in the film production?
A: The script-like tool is a software that allows artists to create and manipulate visual effects in a script-like fashion, making it easier to achieve complex and dynamic effects.

Q: Who was involved in the development of the script-like tool?
A: The script-like tool was developed by Martine Bertrand’s colleague E.J.Rowe and Devina, the leader compositor for the film.

1. Embrace Universal Sensory Language

By tapping into a universal sensory language that transcends cultural boundaries, you can transcend cultural and geographical boundaries, allowing consumers from different backgrounds to understand and appreciate the flavours being offered. Start with basic taste descriptors – sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami – that are universally recognised. These fundamental descriptors form the backbone of a language that resonates with a broad audience, so get comfortable with them.

You’ll also want to tap into common sensory experiences, like the crispness of an apple or the creaminess of chocolate – both things most of us have experienced firsthand, and can therefore recall quickly and often, fondly. These universally relatable experiences bridge cultural gaps, enabling consumers of nearly every background to envision both flavours and textures, which in turn makes products more appealing and also accessible. For example, by describing a beverage as having a "refreshing citrus zing", a brand can immediately conjure a familiar and enticing taste experience – anywhere on earth.

Who’s doing it right? Poppi exemplifies this approach with its vibrant brand identity that leans into everything #nextgen. For example, by using abstract fruit iconography, they tap into digital culture while nodding to bold sweet familiar flavours, which consumers can quickly visualise and therefore interpret before even trying the product.

1. Have a Solid Narrative

You can’t make product compelling across cultures and continents unless you’ve built a solid narrative. Why? Because stories matter to all of us, thanks to their distinctive ability to evoke emotions and create connections. By weaving a narrative around your product, a brand can create an emotional bond with consumers – therefore making their product both more memorable and desirable. Win-win.

Crafting narratives that highlight the origin of ingredients, the craftsmanship behind the product, and the experiences that inspired its creation are equally essential. For example, sharing the story of a family’s traditional recipe passed down through generations adds a layer of authenticity and nostalgia, which often resonates with consumers on a personal level.

Furthermore, by describing the sequence of flavours that unfolds with each sip, bite or nibble creates anticipation and excitement, engaging the senses and elevating the overall consumption experience.

Who’s doing it right? Jeni’s Ice Cream uses a playful, connected hand crafted drip-like font that immediately reminds consumers of the creamy, indulgent experience of whipped ice cream. The logo itself sets the stage for a taste experience, while the vibrant colors of the packaging reinforce this sensory message.

1. Use Design and Language to Suggest Taste

The visual elements of packaging – colours, typography, imagery and copy – play a significant role in shaping consumers’ perceptions. Now don’t get me wrong: colour theory is complex, influenced by culture, location, memory, and generation. By understanding these influences, brands can strategically use colour to evoke specific taste associations.

For example, Diet Coke uses the colour silver to evoke a cool, slimming perception, which is particularly effective in the beverage sector. While silver suggests modernity and technical sophistication in other industries, in food, it can sometimes cue a metallic cold taste.

Who’s doing it right? Chomps uses a vibrant, youthful color palette and a simple, engaging tone of voice, paired with a rustic-style typeface, to suggest a crafted versus mass-produced experience. By using evocative words and phrases that describe the experience, brands can create a vivid taste picture in the consumer’s mind. Consider phrases like "velvety smooth", "bursting with freshness", or "rich and decadent", which all paint a sensory-rich image that entices consumers to try the product.

1. Weave in Cultural Differences

   Preferences vary widely across cultures, influenced by everything from tradition to lifestyle and geography. What’s considered a delicacy in one region might be unfamiliar or unappealing in another – which is why brands must conduct thorough research to understand cultural influences over taste preferences before developing profiles, packaging design and strategies.

A product targeted at Asian markets might emphasis flavours like matcha or lychee, which are culturally familiar. But this can work in reverse also, as certain ingredients or combinations can be considered offensive or undesirable.

Who’s doing it right? Walkers is a great example of a brand that understands the importance of cultural differences. The brand uses colour to suggest flavour, but this colour is not globally agnostic – Salt and Vinegar in the UK is green, representing a sharp, sourness cue, whereas in the U.S., blue is used to indicate the same flavour.

Conclusion:

While crafting a product that resonates with consumers on a global scale is a significant challenge, by embracing a universal sensory language, using design and language to suggest taste, having a solid narrative, and weaving in cultural differences, food and beverage brands can increase the chances of success.

By following these principles, your brand can create an irresistible taste experience that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries – ultimately driving business growth, customer loyalty, and engagement.

FAQs:

1. What is a universal sensory language?

A: A universal sensory language refers to the use of terms and descriptions that are common across cultures and regions.

1. Why is color theory important in packaging?

A: Color theory can influence consumer perceptions, emotion, and memory. However, color preferences can differ across cultures, regions and individuals.

1. Why is it important to build a solid narrative?

A: A solid narrative adds authenticity, nostalgia, and emotional connection to your brand and product, making them more memorable and desirable.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership’s Edgy Origins

Released for Nintendo Switch last month, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, the sixth installment in the Mario & Luigi series, has generally been well received by fans. The role-playing game innovates in terms of animation and mechanics but sits comfortably in the Mario canon in terms of our favourite hero plumber’s look. But that could have been very different.

The Edgier Look

When the developer Acquire first began exploring character designs for the game, it wanted to do something entirely new. That included making Mario and Luigi looked ‘edgier’ and more ‘rugged’. In the end, Nintendo reined the developer in because it was concerned that altering the iconic characters too much would alienate fans.

Early Sketches

Early character explorations for this edgier look show a grittier Mario and Luigi with stubble and dirt on their faces. Producer Akira Otani said the radical new look caused Nintendo to call a meeting to reassess the direction. "It’s like we’d unleashed Acquire into the wild…only to go chasing after them again," he says, adding: "While we wanted Acquire to have their own unique style, we also wanted them to preserve what defines Mario. I think it was a period when we were experimenting with how those two things could coexist."

The Decision

I think Nintendo’s decision was probably wise. While some fans would have been intrigued to see a new interpretation of the iconic characters, the a wrecked-looking Mario may have been too much of a departure for many, and it might not have resonated with long-standing Mario fans who grew up with the characters.

Balancing Innovation and Nostalgia

In the end, Acquire created a style of animation that’s unique to this game but one that also stays faithful to the Mario & Luigi series. They say they used Super Mario Odyssey as a reference, studying the feel of the controls closely. The result is the best of both worlds, preserving Mario’s recognisable aesthetic for a visual consistency with other games while expanding in terms of animation and hardware capabilities, ultimately balancing innovation and nostalgia.

Conclusion

Mario & Luigi: Brothership’s development was a challenging but ultimately successful journey. Acquire’s willingness to experiment and push boundaries was met with a wise decision from Nintendo to preserve the iconic characters’ look. The result is a game that innovates while staying true to the Mario & Luigi series’ spirit.

FAQs

Q: What was the initial direction for Mario & Luigi: Brothership’s character designs?
A: The developer Acquire wanted to make Mario and Luigi look ‘edgier’ and more ‘rugged’.

Q: Why did Nintendo intervene?
A: Nintendo was concerned that altering the iconic characters too much would alienate fans.

Q: What was the outcome of the character design process?
A: Acquire created a style of animation that’s unique to this game but one that also stays faithful to the Mario & Luigi series.

Q: How did Acquire balance innovation and nostalgia?
A: Acquire used Super Mario Odyssey as a reference and studied the feel of the controls closely, ultimately creating a game that innovates while staying true to the Mario & Luigi series’ spirit.

We’ve seen generative AI embraced by countless big brands, often with controversial results. From Adobe to Disney, corporations have been keen to be seen adopting the tech. The design community itself has met the tech with much more scepticism – so Pentagram’s recent foray into flagrant AI use came as something of a surprise within the industry.

Pentagram’s Use of AI: A Surprise to the Industry

Pentagram, the world’s largest independent design consultancy, last week launched a new website for Perforamance.gov, a platform designed to help the public track the strategies and performance of the Federal Government. But while the use of Midjourney to aid the design has provoked a heated response, Pentagram partner Paula Scher has openly stood by the decision.

A Plan, Not a Job for an Illustrator

The project involved creating over 1,500 icons, which was where generative AI came in. As Paula Scher explained to Fast Company, “My argument about this, and where the differential is, is that the definition of design in the dictionary is ‘a plan,’” says Scher. “We created a plan, and it was based around the fact this would be self-sustaining, and therefore was not a job for an illustrator. If someone else wants to draw 1,500 icons every other week, they can do that.” She adds, “The whole notion of the site was to correct (government bureaucracy) by creating a site that could run all by itself.”

The Design Community Responds

But for some, the use of the tech by a renowned agency such as Pentagram signals a shift towards a world where generative AI and traditional artistic craft can co-exist. As Mia Blume writes on Substack, “Yes, AI can replicate certain aspects of craft—textures, shapes, even styles—but it can’t replace the nuanced decision-making, conceptual depth, or emotional resonance that human designers bring to their work. Instead, it offers a new way to engage with creativity, one that challenges us to rethink our processes and redefine what it means to be a designer in a world where tools like Midjourney exist… [Pentagram is] showing us how a tool often dismissed as a shortcut can, in the hands of skilled practitioners, enhance rather than diminish the craft.”

A New Era of AI Discourse?

Judging by the overall tone of the response to Pentagram’s project, it’s far too early to suggest we’ve reached a ‘new normal’ whereby AI can happily supplement a designer’s standard workflow. But while the outrage is there, the very fact that an agency with the heritage of Pentagram has opted to openly use MidJourney demonstrates that we’re entering a new era of AI discourse. Whether history will judge Pentagram’s move as pioneering or pathetic remains to be seen, but it’s certainly moved the needle on the great AI art debate.

Conclusion

Pentagram’s use of generative AI in their latest project has sparked a heated debate within the design community. While some see it as a bold move that challenges the status quo, others see it as a betrayal of artistic principles. Only time will tell if this marks a turning point in the AI art debate.

FAQs

Q: Why did Pentagram use AI in their latest project?
A: According to Paula Scher, the goal was to create a plan that would be self-sustaining, and not a job for an illustrator.

Q: How will this affect the design industry?
A: It remains to be seen, but it’s clear that this move has sparked a conversation about the role of AI in design.

Q: Is this the beginning of a new era of AI discourse?
A: While it’s too early to say, the fact that a renowned agency like Pentagram has openly used MidJourney suggests that we’re entering a new phase of AI adoption in design.