Visual Development with Midjourney

To conceptualize the surreal imagery, I used Midjourney to generate AI-based stills. The prompts aimed to capture a Man Ray-inspired aesthetic while adapting it to an open Californian landscape from the 1890s.

Example Prompts:

• An artistic black-and-white photoshoot of a close-up doll and mannequin, surreal props in an open 1890s California landscape, Man Ray photography style.
• A vintage black-and-white top-view photograph of a dead man lying in a coffin, surrounded by surreal objects in a Californian landscape, 1890s, Man Ray style.

These AI-generated images informed the overall visual direction and acted as references for video generation.

Music, Narrative & Sound Design

For the soundtrack, I used Suno to generate an eerie, atmospheric composition that set the tone for the film. Instead of just looping a general ambient sound, I fine-tuned prompts to create a psychedelic, experimental score that evolved dynamically with the visuals.

For sound effects, 11 Labs played a critical role beyond just ambient sounds. I generated scene-specific SFX using prompts tailored for each moment—whispers in the wind, distorted engine noises, distant echoes, and unsettling mechanical hums. This AI-driven approach allowed for precise audio design that seamlessly matched the film’s surreal aesthetic.

Video Generation with Sora & Runway

The biggest challenge in video generation was Sora’s limitation on human faces. While I used Sora (via a $20/month GPT subscription) for landscape and object-based footage, I had to turn to Runway (basic paid tier) for shots requiring human figures.

Challenges & Workarounds:

• Sora worked well for abstract environments but restricted human elements.
• Runway allowed for more flexibility in character-based shots.
• Combining outputs from both tools ensured a seamless blend of surreal landscapes and human interaction.
  

  Post-Production: Premiere & After Effects

  The AI-generated assets were brought together in Premiere Pro and After Effects, where I refined:

  • Color grading to enhance the vintage black-and-white aesthetic.
  • Transitions and effects to smooth out AI artifacts.
  • Additional motion effects to unify the AI-generated clips.This case study is a testament to the evolving role of AI in filmmaking. While the tools still have limitations, their potential for surreal and experimental storytelling is undeniable. The future of AI cinema is unfolding—and this is just the beginning.