Our Final Invention’s New Music Video for Parasite Was Made Entirely in AI

Every day articles appear around how AI is either replacing or killing creativity. What if there’s a third way? What if AI could become creation without limitations?

David Ogilvy famously said “give me the freedom of a tight brief” because the challenge of creativity without constraints can overwhelm. AI has the potential to give us that, but it’s not there yet. Could AI find its home in a genre that’s historically been a great playground for directors; the music video.

Director Mark Gill from The Chase Films has once again teamed up with creative director and visual artist FIT Digital / Voltaine to produce the latest music video for Our Final Invention. Unlike their previous creation for the band’s single ‘A Smile to Remember’ - a live action film reinterpreted through AI, with ‘Parasite’, all the elements on screen were generated entirely by AI through Runway Ai Inc.'s innovative video software.

There is no doubt that AI is increasingly becoming a sophisticated tool we both fear could be threatening human creativity and at the same time we can’t deny the attraction to experimenting with its incredible capabilities.

AI both petrifies and fascinates any curious filmmaker, with its seemingly simplistic usability comes the common misconception that when making an AI generated film, “anyone can do it”. But the question is how much human creativity, skill and intervention is really required with such an advanced technological tool?

Nick, creative director and digital artist (FIT Digital/Voltaine) offers his insights into the journey of fashioning a music video generatively: "It’s no easy feat. AI is as much a tool, as a paintbrush is to an artist. You can't oversimplify its role in the creative process." He continues; “Working solely with AI meant we had to embark on a journey of experimentation, we tried a multitude of different shots, playing with how far we could push it, discerning what works and what doesn't."

As with any filmmaking endeavour, it all begins with a compelling creative concept and assembling the right team to help execute that vision. In this instance, the technical expertise provided by FIT digital proved to be integral from the outset.

Nick said, "I’d recommend anyone wanting to utilise this new technology to involve their AI specialist from the start. The technology evolves rapidly, and what's cutting-edge today can be outdated in just a few weeks. Collaborate with someone who consistently uses the software and stays up to date with the speed of change."

‘Parasite’ is underpinned by a narrative that draws inspiration from Greek mythology, specifically the tale of Hades. The video follows the story of a man who ventures to the underworld to reclaim his lost love, with both ultimately becoming trapped in its enigmatic depths. Exploring themes of love, loss, and the underworld.

With a total of 1000 clips generated, each of those clips had to be crafted using specific and detailed prompts, emphasising that the creative reins remained firmly in the hands of Nick and Mark.

Nick acknowledges that the AI's limitations were evident, particularly in its ability to render human faces accurately, especially with two people in shot. However, the peculiar effect played into the video's narrative, making the imagery intriguing and distorted. He says, "There's one shot in particular where the face rendering was remarkably good, and it really added an emotional depth at that point."

The end result is reminiscent of the enigmatic works of music video director Chris Cunningham.