Project Direction Development
During the first week, our group had several discussions with our tutor and my teammate Bingru. After a strong and detailed discussion, we decided to change the main focus of our project. Instead of creating a complex story, we will focus more on exploring AI and how it can be used in animation production.
At the beginning, we considered developing a larger narrative with more characters and events. However, we realised that our main interest is not only telling a story, but also understanding how AI can participate in the creative process. Therefore, we decided to simplify the story and place more attention on visual presentation, artistic style, and the collaboration between human creators and AI tools.
Project Aim
This project combines traditional animation workflows with AI technology to explore both the possibilities and limitations of AI in animation production.
Our workflow will begin with hand-drawn character designs and storyboard sketches. After that, we will use Maya for modelling, rigging, camera layout, and rough animation. AI tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Seedance will be used to assist with environment design, style frame generation, and final visual outputs.
Rather than using AI only as a tool, we want to treat it as a “third member” of our creative team. We are interested in understanding how AI can influence artistic decisions and contribute to the production process.
Initial Research
This week, we started researching different AI tools and their strengths.
ChatGPT can help with idea generation, script development, and production planning. Midjourney is useful for concept art and visual exploration, while Seedance can generate moving images and animation results.
We also discussed comparing the outputs of different AI systems. For example, we can give the same prompt to different AI tools and analyse the differences in composition, style, colour, and atmosphere. This comparison will help us understand how different AI models interpret creative instructions.
Another important area of research is animation performance. We plan to compare traditional hand-keyed animation with AI-generated animation. We want to investigate whether AI can create convincing movement, emotional expression, and storytelling through character performance. This will allow us to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of AI animation compared to traditional animation methods.
Critical Exploration
One of the most interesting ideas that emerged from our discussion is allowing different AI systems to evaluate each other’s work. For example, one AI tool may generate an image, while another AI tool provides feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Through this process, we hope to explore AI in three different roles:
- AI as a creator
- AI as a collaborator
- AI as a critic
This research may help us better understand the current capabilities of AI and its future role in creative industries.
Reflection
This week helped us establish a clearer direction for the project. Simplifying the story allows us to spend more time experimenting with AI and analysing the creative process. Although AI technology is developing rapidly, we are already noticing some limitations, especially in consistency, character performance, and understanding narrative intention.
In the following weeks, we will continue testing different AI tools and documenting our findings. Our final outcome will not only be an animation piece, but also a record of how humans and AI work together in the creative process, including both the opportunities and the challenges that emerge from this collaboration.