Australia-Wide, Four-Location Shoot Completed in One Day Using AI

Sydney-based full-service content studio Sure Studios turned to AI to streamline its workflow and deliver a suite of original OOH in a fraction of the time it would usually take for Australian Unity's 'Worth Doing Well'.

Led by creative agency The Royals, the campaign featuring scenes from regional Australian locations. Sure Studios partner Justin Solomons told LBB the backgrounds were made entirely with AI, while real people were snapped in-studio and added into the scene.

“We used AI to get a strong base, then stepped in to refine details so every scene felt authentic and captured the regional essence,” Justin said.

Normally, a four-location shoot across regional Australia would mean weeks of planning, scouting, travel, and setup. With AI, Sure Studios built the scenes in days, not weeks. That meant less time scouting, securing permits, or waiting on weather.

The biggest shift was how quickly the studio could test options, generate, review, and refine, without leaving the studio.

“We were able to shoot this in eight hours instead of two or more days.”

The Royals’ founder and managing partner, Andrew Siwka, added that the use of AI presented a practical solution with real value.

“From a brand perspective, staying authentic was non-negotiable -- especially in healthcare,” he said.

“We made a clear decision not to use AI to generate any hero human imagery. The AI was used to help build the broader visual world around the campaign. It was about enhancing the process, not replacing human connection.

“We saved about 10–20% of the total production time, including time in pre-production. We did spend more time in post-production iterating and fine-tuning the AI outputs and maintained a final ‘craft’ layer through retouching and colour grading.”

Sure Studios partner executive producer Steven Farrer said the hybrid approach ensured a level of warmth and connection “you only get from real people” for a brand that’s “all about” health, care, and trust.

“We treated it like any other composite shoot,” Justin told LBB.

“Talent was photographed in controlled studio conditions with matching lighting setups. AI plates were generated separately, then refined and retouched. Our post team blended the two, adjusting perspective, shadows, and colour so the final images felt like they were captured in one frame.”

Steven added there were plenty of hurdles integrating AI into the creative process.

“Getting the camera angle and settings right so the AI backgrounds felt real was trickier than expected,” he explained.

“Even a slight tilt could throw the whole thing off. And if you tried to tweak one detail, like removing a cow, AI might replace it with something odd. Often, it was quicker to start fresh. It also became clear AI struggles more with strict art direction than with creating something from scratch.”

Once a background was approved, an image would be retouched “like any other high-end production image,” Steven added, which smoothed textures, fixed glitches, and ensured lighting matched with the foreground.

“That human touch was essential,” he said.

“The process was a back and forth between AI experimentation and craftsmanship, not just pressing a button.”

Hybrid productions like this, Steven believes, are here to stay.

“AI is not replacing shoots, but it gives new flexibility,” he said.

“For some briefs, it can cut out costly travel or set builds while still delivering striking visuals.

“It works best when paired with traditional craft from directors, photographers, and retouchers who bring the nuance AI cannot yet match. It is another tool in the production toolkit, not a replacement.”

Justin agreed, adding, “AI changed how we worked, not who we needed.

“We see AI as additive, not subtractive. It sped up background generation, but every step still needed human direction, photography, retouching, wardrobe, some props, and client sign-off. The campaign would not exist without traditional skills at its core.

“For OOH, where scale and speed matter, hybrid AI is a powerful option. But not every campaign suits it, sometimes you need the depth and unpredictability of a real location. We expect to see AI become a standard option in the production mix, used when it makes creative and practical sense.”