A tool, not a replacement
We’ve started playing with a new toy over the last couple of years: AI. It’s fast, it’s clever, and sometimes… well, sometimes it’s a total mess (six-fingered hands, anyone?).
There’s no denying that AI has become a seriously useful tool in the video and animation industry (and everywhere else). But here, we have a golden rule: we keep it in its place.
AI is fantastic for speeding up production and expanding creative possibilities, but we make sure it never does the majority of the work. Why? Because people can tell.When you rely entirely on an algorithm to generate your content, you lose the soul of the story. Audiences are smart. They have a built-in radar for the generic, the uncanny, and the overly automated.
Short attention spans need sharp, engaging storytelling, and that requires a human touch. The handcrafted care we’ve built our studio on is what makes a video truly connect with a viewer.
So, how do we actually use AI without losing our marbles?
Three ways to make AI work for you
1. Foundational ideas and brainstorming
Staring at a blank page is daunting. We use AI as a sounding board in the very early stages of pre-production. It’s great for bouncing ideas around, generating initial mood boards, or breaking through writer’s block when scripting. It gives us a starting point—a lump of clay that our human team then sculpts, refines, and infuses with real creativity and brand personality.
2. Composition and layout
When we’re storyboarding or figuring out the visual flow of an explainer video, AI can help us quickly generate composition references. It allows us to visualize different angles, color palettes, and lighting setups in a fraction of the time. But the final frames? Those are always built by us, ensuring every single choice serves the narrative rather than just looking “cool.”
3. Editing and refining compositions
Once we’ve poured hours of our craft and creativity into producing a scene, we occasionally look at the final rendered frame and realize the visual balance isn’t quite right. Animation is a meticulous process, and sometimes it isn’t until all the elements are brought together that you spot a minor compositional issue. Maybe the shot feels a little too tight, or the framing needs a delicate adjustment to make the animation really pop. In the past, fixing these issues would mean going back to the drawing board—literally—and spending valuable time redrawing a background from scratch.
Now, instead of completely starting over, we utilize AI during the post-production and editing process to intelligently tweak the composition of what we’ve already painstakingly built. This allows us to be agile without derailing the production timeline.
Whether it’s using generative tools to subtly extend the edges of a canvas to give our characters more breathing room, or quickly shifting background elements to create a better visual flow, AI handles the tedious touch-up work. Ultimately, the core artwork, the design, and the soul of the animation are entirely ours. AI simply steps in to act as a high-tech eraser and an intelligent canvas-stretcher, helping us polish the scene to absolute perfection while keeping our focus firmly on the storytelling.
Ready to make something brilliant?
Bringing an idea to life shouldn’t be a headache, so don’t lose your marbles trying to tell your story all by yourself. Whether you have a fully formed concept or just a rough idea scribbled on a napkin, we want to hear about it. Reach out to our team today, and together let’s craft an engaging, handcrafted animation with real heart.
