Casual Films Unleashes Creative Power in First-Ever Internal GenAI Clip Fest

Earlier this month, Casual announced the bold results of its first-ever GenAI Clip Fest - an internal creative challenge that tasked its global teams with producing original short videos using generative AI tools, from concept to final output.

The competition gave participants full creative freedom to explore AI platforms and techniques, with just one rule: no limits. Employees across Casual offices in the US, EMEA, and APAC region responded with short-form promos that were inventive, visually striking, and highly diverse in style. The winning submissions have been featured on the company’s YouTube channel and social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram as part of a limited showcase series.

The GenAI Clip Fest is part of Casual’s broader commitment to exploring emerging tools through hands-on experimentation. In a recent edition of his Beyond Casual newsletter, What I Learned Making a GenAI Video, Nick Francis, CEO and founder of Casual, shared reflections on participating in the challenge himself:

“AI is a member of the team,” Nick writes. “Not the team - a member of the team. In some ways, a great member… in others, a flawed one. Just like all of us.”
In the article, Francis stresses that while AI unlocks new creative possibilities, it’s the professional instinct and collaboration that ensures the final output meets a high standard.

“Throughout the process, I wanted to be able to pass what I had done to an animator, a sound engineer, or a VO artist - to just do it properly,” he notes. “If you can imagine a shot, then you can do it. No more line producers shaking their heads and rolling their eyes. But you do need to have that vision.”

GenAI’s future in filmmaking is promising, but only when guided by people who understand craft, clarity, and the creative process.

The initiative underscores Casual’s belief that while GenAI tools are evolving rapidly, they’re most effective in the hands of experienced creatives. The company sees the Clip Fest as an opportunity to better understand where generative tools fit into the storytelling process and where human instinct remains irreplaceable.

The winning entries span genres and techniques, from experimental motion to stylised product-driven storytelling, offering a glimpse into how teams are thinking about the next wave of creative production.

To watch the winning clips or read Nick Francis’ full article, visit here.