I Spent 150h+ Making My Own Anime With AI

Till Musshoff
27 May 202313:49

TLDRThe video script details an ambitious project of creating an anime-style animation using AI and classical animation techniques. The creator explores rotoscoping, image diffusion, and various AI tools like Stable Diffusion and Dreambooth for character styling and consistency. Challenges such as maintaining consistency in animation and the complexities of realistic mouth movement and emotion portrayal are discussed. The script also touches on the impact of AI on the art world and the potential value of human-made art. The creator's personal journey, including their move to Thailand and the obstacles faced during the production, are candidly shared, culminating in a 60-second anime adaptation of a scene from The Matrix, highlighting the possibilities and challenges of AI in animation.

Takeaways

  • 🎨 The video creator embarked on a project to blend AI with classical animation techniques, investing significant time and effort into research and experimentation.
  • 🖌️ The creator learned from classical animation and chose rotoscoping as the AI technique to replicate, using image to image tools like Stable Diffusion for fine-tuning.
  • 🤖 The process of image diffusion involves a model as a reference and adding noise to an image for the AI to denoise according to the model and description provided.
  • 🎥 Maintaining consistency in animation is a major challenge when dealing with AI-generated frames, as slight differences can lead to visual inconsistencies.
  • 📖 The creator needed a compelling story and was inspired by 'The Matrix' to create an alternative scene with a significant plot twist.
  • 🎬 The video shoot was conducted in a limited space with minimal equipment, using AI tools to remove the background and achieve the desired effect.
  • 🚀 The creator trained their own models for character consistency using DreamBooth and Google Colab, enhancing the AI's ability to render the characters accurately.
  • 🔄 ControlNet was utilized to further refine the consistency between frames, allowing for more precise control over the AI's output.
  • 🎞 Post-processing was crucial in DaVinci Resolve to address flickering, remove dirt, and adjust other visual elements for a polished final product.
  • 🗣️ Voiceovers were recorded and processed using AI tools like Metavoice and Adobe's audio enhancer to achieve the desired vocal characteristics for the characters.
  • 🕒 The project culminated in a 60-second animation, showcasing the creator's ability to blend storytelling, AI, and animation despite not having prior experience in the field.

Q & A

  • What is the main focus of the video?

    -The main focus of the video is the process of creating an anime-style animation using AI image-to-image tools, specifically exploring techniques like rotoscoping and image diffusion.

  • Which AI tool was primarily used in this project?

    -Stable Diffusion was the primary AI tool used in this project for its fine-tuning abilities and capability to apply specific styles to images.

  • What is the challenge of using image diffusion for animation?

    -The challenge of using image diffusion for animation is achieving consistency across frames, as slight differences in each frame can lead to a flickering or inconsistent appearance in the final animation.

  • How did the creator address the issue of consistency in the animation?

    -The creator addressed the issue of consistency by training their own models using a technique called dreambooth, and utilizing control net for additional frame control, which helped in maintaining a more consistent style throughout the animation.

  • What is the significance of the red pill and blue pill scene in the creator's anime story?

    -In the creator's anime story, the red pill and blue pill scene is reimagined with an alternative ending where the protagonist, represented by the creator themselves, takes both pills and reveals they are the creator of The Matrix, adding a unique twist to the original narrative.

  • What role did the sponsor, Masterworks, play in the video?

    -Masterworks is mentioned as a platform for art investment, which has made high-end art accessible to a wider audience by allowing them to invest in art with smaller amounts of money, and the creator thanks them as a sponsor of the video.

  • What was the creator's initial setup for shooting the animation?

    -The creator's initial setup for shooting the animation included a simple desk, a single pancake lens, a single light source, and a wardrobe as a background, aiming to create a makeshift studio in their small apartment in Thailand.

  • How did the creator solve the problem of missing props?

    -The creator had to replace the missing blue pill prop and used the phrase 'fix it in post' to indicate that any issues with the props would be addressed during the post-production process.

  • What was the creator's approach to post-processing the animation?

    -The creator used DaVinci Resolve for post-processing, applying techniques like flicker reduction, dirt removal, green screen keying, frame rate adjustment, and other effects to enhance the visual quality and consistency of the animation.

  • What challenges did the creator face in terms of voice acting?

    -The creator faced discomfort and a lack of confidence in performing voice acting for the characters, using metavoice to modify the voice and combining it with Adobe's audio enhancer AI to improve the voice quality, although they encountered issues with replicating emotions effectively.

  • How long did it take the creator to produce the final 60-second animation?

    -It took the creator 150 hours of work to produce the final 60-second animation, highlighting the time-consuming and intricate process of animation creation, especially for someone without prior experience in animation.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Exploring AI in Animation: The Journey Begins

The creator embarks on a project to blend AI with classical animation techniques. After extensive research and experimentation, the decision to use rotoscoping is made, leveraging AI's image-to-image tools like Stable Diffusion for fine-tuning styling. The challenge lies in maintaining consistency across frames, which is crucial for visually appealing animations. The creator grapples with the intricacies of image diffusion, balancing noise levels to achieve the desired style while staying true to the original image. The discussion then shifts to the implications of AI on the art world, highlighting the growing presence of AI artists and the potential revaluation of human-made art in the emerging post-AI era. The creator also expresses gratitude to their sponsor, Masterworks, a platform democratizing access to high-end art investments.

05:02

🎬 Facing the Challenges of AI Animation

The creator discusses the challenges of applying AI to animation, particularly in maintaining consistency across frames. They share their initial approach using a wardrobe as a background and AI tools for background removal, but encounter issues with the chosen diffusion technique's inability to provide temporal consistency. The creator then details their efforts to shoot scenes with makeshift props and lighting, despite the limitations of their apartment in Thailand. After overcoming a minor setback with their props, they experiment with various setups and tools, aiming to achieve a balance between the AI's capabilities and the desired visual outcome.

10:03

🚀 Overcoming Obstacles: Refining the Workflow

The creator shares their breakthrough after watching an inspiring video by Corridor crew, which provides a blueprint for their workflow. They train their own models for character consistency, using Google Colab to rent computing power and train models with images of themselves in various lighting conditions. The creator also explores additional tools like Control Net for extra consistency and detail. Despite some issues with skin tone and other minor imperfections, they persist in refining their process. The creator then delves into post-processing in DaVinci Resolve to address flickering and other visual inconsistencies, ultimately achieving a more polished result. They also discuss the challenges of voice acting for their characters and the use of AI to enhance the voiceover quality. The culmination of their efforts is a 60-second animation, a testament to the potential of AI in animation.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Rotoscoping

Rotoscoping is an animation technique that involves tracing over live-action film movements, frame by frame, to create the illusion of fluid motion in animated characters. In the context of the video, the creator is researching classical animation methods and decides to use rotoscoping as a way to replicate the anime style in AI, specifically using image to image tools like stable diffusion for their project.

💡Image Diffusion

Image diffusion is a process used in AI-generated art where a model is trained to transform input images into a particular style by applying a series of noise and denoise steps based on the model's understanding of that style. The video discusses the use of image diffusion in the context of transforming a low-quality image of the creator into an anime style, highlighting the challenges of achieving consistency in the animation process.

💡Consistency

In the context of the video, consistency refers to the uniformity and coherence of visual elements throughout an animation, which is crucial for creating a visually pleasing final product. The creator faces challenges in maintaining consistency when applying AI techniques to animate frames, as slight differences in each frame can累积成显著的不连贯性.

💡AI Art

AI art involves the use of artificial intelligence to create or influence artistic works, such as paintings, music, or animations. In the video, the creator explores the intersection of AI and art by using AI tools to generate anime-style animations, reflecting on the implications of AI in the art world and its potential to redefine the value of human-made art.

💡Masterworks Art Investing

Masterworks Art Investing is a platform that allows individuals to invest in high-end art pieces without the need for millions of dollars, democratizing access to the高端艺术 market. The platform has seen significant success, even in a tough economic climate, indicating a growing interest in art as an investment.

💡Storyboards

Storyboards are visual representations of a story, typically used in film, animation, and video production to plan out scenes and sequences. In the video, the creator uses storyboards to visualize their anime adaptation of The Matrix's iconic red pill and blue pill scene, serving as a blueprint for the animation they intend to produce.

💡Background Removal

Background removal is the process of separating the subject of a video or image from its background, often used to replace the background with a different scene or to composite the subject into a new environment. In the video, the creator uses an AI tool called Runway ML's background remover to achieve this, allowing them to shoot their scenes in front of a simple wardrobe and still maintain a clean background for animation.

💡DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve is a professional video editing software used for color correction, visual effects, and audio post-production. In the video, the creator uses DaVinci Resolve for post-processing their animation, applying techniques to reduce flickering, remove noise, and adjust the overall visual quality.

💡Voiceover

Voiceover refers to the process of recording voice narration for use in various media, such as films, animations, or video games. In the video, the creator performs voiceovers for their two characters in the anime adaptation, using AI tools like Metavoice to modify the voice and Adobe's audio enhancer for better audio quality.

💡Final Cut

Final Cut is a professional video editing software used for editing and compositing video footage. In the video, the creator uses Final Cut to assemble their animation, add effects, and complete the final product. The software allows for advanced editing techniques such as moving backgrounds and color styling.

💡Digital Nomad

A digital nomad is a person who works remotely while traveling, often using digital tools and the internet to perform their job. In the video, the creator briefly mentions their journey as a digital nomad in Thailand, suggesting a lifestyle that combines work and travel.

Highlights

Extensive research and experimentation with classical animation and AI techniques.

Adoption of rotoscoping as the chosen technique for the project.

Utilization of stable diffusion for fine-tuning abilities in AI image to image tools.

Transformation of a low-quality image into an anime style using AI.

Understanding the challenge of maintaining consistency in image diffusion across frames.

The importance of story and character movement in anime.

The impact of AI artists on the art world and the potential future value of human-made art.

Masterworks art investing platform as an accessible way to engage with high-end art market.

The creative process of storyboarding and adapting The Matrix for an anime style.

Innovative use of AI tools for background removal and scene setup without a green screen.

The challenges of creating realistic mouth movement and emotions in animation.

Adapting to limited space and resources in Thailand for filming.

The discovery and implementation of control net for enhanced consistency in animation.

Post-processing in DaVinci Resolve to address flickering and enhance visual quality.

The use of metavoice and Adobe's audio enhancer AI for voiceover work.

The final assembly and editing process in Final Cut for the completion of the animation.