First week back! I worked on and submitted my Assignment #2 work this week (late) and it was quite the process. Initially I was actually really demotivated after trying out so many of my ideas in Runway. Nothing was coming out the way I envisioned it and I tried so many times with so many different story ideas I had. I gave up for a while feeling burnt out that nothing was fulfilling my vision. This is sort of where generative AI can be great but also lacking. I wouldn’t be able to create these pieces without it since I don’t have the art skills but then again it doesn’t follow what I see in my mind’s eye which is really important to me. I have strong visions and a sense of what I want my media project to look like, feel like and sound like but oh my god can it be a tough cookie to get the right output.

Eventually I stuck down with one of my ideas, something I never tried before, a sort of mini anime episode. Honestly after getting past the initial turmoil I started really getting into it. Sometimes the slow speed of Runway did ruin my steam though but it was also an anticipating wait to see what comes out. I began enjoying creating my media piece, seeing the pieces and vision come together was so satisfying. I did have to cut some corners where the output was lacking. I used black screen moments with sound which I thought still worked as it kind of added a what will happen / tension moment through out (when it wasn’t used as a transition that is). I could’ve rushed my project at the end to get it in by the submission time but I wanted to feel proud of my work so I decided to eat the late penalty and keep toiling on until the early hours of the morning and finish off the next day. Putting the finishing touches really made me feel like I put together something really entertaining that I would watch for fun, and I did watch it over about ten times after finishing it. Overall while it initially was tough to get through the hard parts, the payoff was so worth it and it showed me working with AI really can be a process too and aids in media making especially where I couldn’t do it myself.

This week we also had Kate Geck as a guest lecturer in our class and I found it very inspiring. A lot of her work resonated with me and it was really new for me to see how AI can be implemented into physical forms. To me when I think about AI works, I only think about like digital art and video, but seeing her tapestries and art exhibitions was so eye opening. I also love the colourful nature of her work. I have to create a portfolio soon and it definitely gave me inspiration for new ways I can create art. Art doesn’t have to fit into a category and it doesn’t have to portray a certain characteristic to be seen as true art as long as it means something to you!