Student
AI
Basics
Timeless Joy: A Short Film
May 14, 2025
COURSE:
CT380 AI-Assisted Design
STUDENT:
Tanishi Garg
PROFESSOR:
Christie Shin
PROJECT
Create a short film
Various AI tools were used throughout the process to support storytelling, visual development, and audio production. AI assisted with brainstorming, generating imagery, creating narration, and enhancing the overall creative process.
WORKFLOW
1
Concept Brainstorming
• Concept development
• Planning with ChatGPT
• Script writing
2
Generate static visuals using Adobe Firefly
3
Convert images to video using Kling AI
Generate voiceover with ElevenLabs and background music via Artlist
4
Edit and compile videos using After Effects
PLAN OUT A STORY
Concept
A story about a firefly with the themes of kindness and bravery
Developing Stories with ChatGPT
“I want to create a short children’s animation, like a short story, where the main character is a firefly. The story will incorporate the firefly’s glow as an important motif—perhaps symbolizing confidence, letting go of fear, embracing your true self, and showing kindness to yourself and others.”
PROCESS: SKETCH FRAMES + ILLUSTRATOR ⥬ GENERATE ASSETS USING AI
FINAL OUTCOME
TAKEAWAYS
[What I Learned]
AI unlocked new creative possibilities—it allowed me to visualize abstract ideas that would otherwise require a full crew or expensive equipment.
Tasks like scriptwriting, shot planning, and voiceovers that used to take days were completed in hours. AI dramatically compressed the timeline for both pre-production and execution.
You don’t need to be a trained filmmaker or animator—AI made storytelling accessible to anyone with an idea, regardless of technical skill or budget.
By streamlining repetitive tasks, AI let me focus more on creative direction, saving both time and mental energy.
While there’s still room for improvement, AI significantly enhanced both efficiency and creative flexibility.
[Limitations]
Although AI can generate content quickly, achieving a specific tone, expression, or emotional nuance often required multiple attempts. Fine control remains limited compared to manual filmmaking.
Maintaining character continuity, background coherence, and consistent lighting across scenes was challenging. Subtle variations between outputs made it difficult to build a seamless narrative.
AI-generated narration can sound flat or overly polished. The emotional range, natural pauses, and imperfections that make human voiceovers engaging are often missing.