"In a world where memories are commodities, a brilliant but morally conflicted neuroscientist becomes entangled in a high-stakes game of Memory Trading, where the past can be bought, sold, and stolen, leading her on a perilous journey to uncover the dark secrets that lie within the human mind."
This animation all started from my love of cameras and photography. Styleframes were created using Midjourney AI, compositing in After Effects, and 3d models from CGTRADER and the asset browser in Cinema 4d. I was really excited to work on this piece and develop an idea using new technology. Although this piece started out as something completely different, creating a new and exciting idea was something I was super thrilled about doing.
THE CHALLENGE
Using the log line of the movie above, the idea was to create a title sequence for a movie that doesn't exist. In this challenge, I wanted to utilize as much AI as possible. to prove that it is not doing all of the work but rather an art-directable tool to be used. I am not simply taking imagery created by an AI system, I am coming up with the input and constructing the output to be what I want it to be so I can tell my proper story.
THE STYLEFRAMES
This was the image that started it all. A simple MidJourney search where I described a fantasy world where memories are used as currency, and the value of each memory is different. This is the shop where the memory trader houses their goods. A dystopian, yet familiar place. The exact MidJourney search was "interior, memory trading dystopian outpost."
THE RESEARCH
I came up with a few different ideas for title sequences I wanted to create, but none were as interesting as Memory Traders. I wanted to base my concept around the Polaroid XS70, a unique camera I saw in one of my professor's photography classes. I thought it was a unique object that not a lot of people would know about. So I researched the Polaroid, the relationships people have with the camera, and how memories may be created.
I knew my project would be technically difficult. I found my concept quickly, but the execution needed to be perfect. I asked several of my professors for their expertise. We originally decided to model the XS70, and used photogrammetry to scan it. The photogrammetry was a little rough, which made it unusable. Below is a few attempts at making some scans. I was delighted to find the XS70 Model online, which saved me a lot of time.
The next step was getting the MidJourney image to have depth, so the camera could pass through the image seamlessly. I found a website through one of my professors through Illuminae on Twitter, and the software they developed that creates passes of depth maps automatically.
I also learned a lot about ways that AI programs take your words into account. When searching in MidJourney, the results will often be more broad when you are less detailed. I got four different shop exteriors at first when I was developing this frame, and then had to reword what I was asking for. I knew I wanted a dystopian shop interior, so that is almost exactly what I searched. After a few more rounds of going back and fourth with the AI, the image you've been looking at is what I developed.
THE LOGO
Another important step in this project was creating a logo that told the message of the story, but still was subtle enough to allow for some mystery. I wanted to create a mood, and this would help enhance the story. I started out with logos that were a little too over the top, but refined to something much more simple and subtle. Number 4 in the third set of logos ended up being the final. Using AI was not possible for this step, as AI tends to butcher typography.
THE GREENSCREEN
Another step when it came to this project was adding the "Memory Trader" walking through the background of the scene. I have not done much official compositing, so this was a steep learning curve for me. Most of my composite was done in After Effects, sort of roughly keying things out, then color correcting, and then blurring to add depth to the shot.
THE NOTES AND PASSES
My first pass was essentially a slap-comp, just telling the story and trying to put images together in a sequence to make sure the concept worked. So, nothing is colored, or has depth to it, but it's starting to be built.
My second pass is working toward the composite of the piece. I need things to look like they all belong in the same reality, and I want to start keying things out soon so the lights can come on and illuminate the scene. This is still more testing, but potentially could be used in final.
This pass was another polishing pass, taking notes and applying them as needed from my art director. We decided that the grain and blur were a little heavy at the start, and obviously one of the original logos is at the end. The other part of the notes was making the motion more subtle, allowing the camera move to feel seamless. The depth in the scene feels wobbly, and just too heavy handed. Also, adding the lights coming on + computer screens will help sell the project.
This pass was a solidifying pass. There was a huge push in 3D, and adding in the Memory Trader figure in the background. Although there is progress that needs to be made still, this is nearing completion. The logo is set, and things are getting tightened up.
THE FINAL ANIMATION
