IN BLOOM

An experimental fantasy short

The film began with a hand-drawn character created to explore AI-assisted visual development. As the character evolved through different visual interpretations, a story began to emerge.

I developed this into a short sequence using storyboards as the foundation, combining traditional visual storytelling with emerging technologies to direct and shape the final film.

Story

A hand-drawn comic story on graph paper, featuring nine panels with sketchy illustrations of human figures, landscapes, and objects, including an angel with wings, a sunset scene, and a woman with long hair.
Handwritten notes on blue grid paper, numbered steps, with a black pen resting on the paper, and a circled word 'Noise' included in the notes.
A hand-drawn comic strip on graph paper with six panels depicting a character running, flying, and emoting in various scenes.

Visual development

It begins with traditional sketching:

Sketches are combined with AI for exploration

A woman dressed in a fantasy costume, featuring metallic gold armor on her chest, large gold wings on her back, and a purple skirt, standing outdoors against a modern architectural structure and a cloudy sky.
A woman dressed in a fantasy costume, featuring metallic gold armor on her chest, large gold wings on her back, and a purple skirt, standing outdoors against a modern architectural structure and a cloudy sky.
An animated or painted depiction of a woman walking through a forest, wearing a purple skirt, yellow cape, and armor on her legs and arms.
An animated or painted depiction of a woman walking through a forest, wearing a purple skirt, yellow cape, and armor on her legs and arms.

Character turnaround - traditional sketching:

Character clothing design featuring a woman in armor with gold wings, purple skirt, and knee-high boots, shown from three angles.
Character clothing design featuring a woman in armor with gold wings, purple skirt, and knee-high boots, shown from three angles.

Final turnaround style sheet created by combining sketches with AI

Three women in futuristic gold and purple armor with wing-like shoulder pieces and metallic boots, shown from back, front, and side profiles against a plain gray background.
Three women in futuristic gold and purple armor with wing-like shoulder pieces and metallic boots, shown from back, front, and side profiles against a plain gray background.

3D model created from turnaround using AI

Gray 3D digital model of two female characters with robotic wings, dressed in detailed futuristic armor, seen from an overhead angle.
Gray 3D digital model of two female characters with robotic wings, dressed in detailed futuristic armor, seen from an overhead angle.
Midjourney

Midjourney

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Storyboards

Traditional

Comic-style grayscale illustration of a female character with fairy-like wings discovering a glowing red flower in a forest, holding it gently as it emits light.

Keyframe visuals

Traditional + AI

A woman in gold and black armor with large golden wings running through a dense forest.
A person with wings and a golden helmet flying over a white building on a rocky island surrounded by blue ocean water.

Rendered storyboards

Traditional + AI

A woman dressed as a futuristic warrior with gold armor and wings in a forest, holding a glowing pink flower.