Flame in the Void
Year ⎯
2025
Client ⎯
American University of Europe
The film features a straightforward, serene dialogue between a young man and his older mentor. I chose to represent the protagonist’s life journey through the use of two primary props: a candle and a mirror. I filmed the video myself using my Sony A7III camera, which provided a natural lighting effect and authentic performances from the actors. However, the true challenge began after capturing the footage, as I dedicated weeks to alternating between After Effects and AI tools such as ComfyUI, Runway, and Stable Diffusion. It felt difficult to piecing together a puzzle to achieve the seamless integration of real actors with the fantastical realm of AI-generated backgrounds, which was the essence of the video.
Goals and Challenges
Idea
The core idea was to combine the imaginative power of AI with live-action footage and VFX. By blending these styles, I wanted to seamlessly show the relationship between a person's 'shadow self' and their current self. It was an experiment in using technology to make internal, hidden emotions feel visible and real.
Challenges
In 2025, mixing AI with live-action and animation was a major challenge. While I was able to recreate my lead character across different AI systems, keeping his look consistent from frame to frame was difficult. I had to focus heavily on refining the visuals to make sure the character stayed the same throughout the film.
Outcome
Transforming a storyboard into a finished product requires a constant refinement of the original idea. Navigating the challenges of the creative process led to a polished final result—one that was meticulously adjusted to ensure every frame met a high-level standard.
Next work