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ISSUE #26
JAN 26
THE ‘FILM’ ISSUE
MOI Global creatives are often asked where we get our inspiration. The answer is always the same: anywhere and everywhere.
Take a stroll through this set of head-turning art, copy, ads, literature, culture, and trends that inspire us. And some of our original work that proves we take notice of what we see, when we look around. Features images and articles from multiple online sources, shared for inspiration purposes only, not commercial use. © various owners (see URLs throughout for more information).
Creator of Afro Futcha, Diane is a multi-award-nominated AI filmmaker and creative technologist, pushing the boundaries of what's possible when AI meets artistic vision. We asked her about all things AI, film, and the future of cinematography...
MOI: What’s your secret to turning heads in the age of AI?
Diane: For me, the secret to turning heads in the age of AI is simply being authentic. I tell the stories I want to hear and create visuals I actually want to see. It’s very easy to chase clicks and views with viral content, celebrities, or cute animals. But I think the real power of AI is unlocked when you use it to tell real stories, with real emotion and real character arcs. That’s where it stops feeling gimmicky and starts to feel meaningful.
MOI: What’s a common misconception about AI filmmaking you’d like to clear up?
Diane: That it’s easy. It really isn’t. You still need a strong idea, which is one of the hardest parts. Then you have to figure out the scenes, the beats, the characters, how they look, how they dress, the emotions, and the themes you’re trying to communicate. After that, you need to find the right aesthetic using image generators, and then you have to work hard to maintain character consistency.
Once you’ve done that, you move into the labor-heavy stage: generating shots, animating scenes, designing sound, choosing music, and building atmosphere. And then, at the end of it all, you need to be a very good editor to make everything cohesive and meaningful.
That’s not a quick job, especially if the work has depth.
I also think there’s a big difference between AI influencers and AI filmmakers. Influencers are often trying to blur the line between reality and AI. Filmmakers are trying to sell a story. I wish more people saw AI through the filmmaker’s lens rather than the influencer’s.
Creator of Afro Futcha, Diane is a multi-award-nominated AI filmmaker and creative technologist, pushing the boundaries of what's possible when AI meets artistic vision. We asked her about all things AI, film, and the future of cinematography...
MOI: What’s your secret to turning heads in the age of AI?
Diane: For me, the secret to turning heads in the age of AI is simply being authentic. I tell the stories I want to hear and create visuals I actually want to see. It’s very easy to chase clicks and views with viral content, celebrities, or cute animals. But I think the real power of AI is unlocked when you use it to tell real stories, with real emotion and real character arcs. That’s where it stops feeling gimmicky and starts to feel meaningful.
MOI: What’s a common misconception about AI filmmaking you’d like to clear up?
Diane: That it’s easy. It really isn’t. You still need a strong idea, which is one of the hardest parts. Then you have to figure out the scenes, the beats, the characters, how they look, how they dress, the emotions, and the themes you’re trying to communicate. After that, you need to find the right aesthetic using image generators, and then you have to work hard to maintain character consistency.
Once you’ve done that, you move into the labor-heavy stage: generating shots, animating scenes, designing sound, choosing music, and building atmosphere. And then, at the end of it all, you need to be a very good editor to make everything cohesive and meaningful.
That’s not a quick job, especially if the work has depth.
I also think there’s a big difference between AI influencers and AI filmmakers. Influencers are often trying to blur the line between reality and AI. Filmmakers are trying to sell a story. I wish more people saw AI through the filmmaker’s lens rather than the influencer’s.
MOI: How do you balance technology with emotion-led storytelling?
Diane: I don’t like writing my stories with AI. That part is very important to me. When you hand over the reins too early, you often end up with familiar ideas and predictable storylines. A lot of originality gets lost.
I prefer to create the story myself first, then bring AI in to refine it, challenge it, or help me spot what I might have missed. I think editors especially will thrive in this space. AI often struggles to convey emotion properly, and a good editor knows when to cut, when to linger, and how to shape a moment so it actually lands.
Taste, timing, and emotional awareness are human skills. If you leave everything to the technology, you’ll struggle. But if you understand storytelling and emotion, AI becomes a powerful collaborator rather than a crutch.
MOI: What’s one project you’ve worked on that you’re most proud of and why?
Diane: The project I’m most proud of is WET. There are a lot of reasons for that. It’s probably my most emotional piece, and at the same time it was one of the fastest films I’ve ever made.
Back in the summer of last year, Runway held a competition called GEN-48, where you had to produce a film within 48 hours. At first, voice generation was available on the platform, but it was shut down partway through because people were abusing it. That meant I couldn’t rely on dialogue and had to lean into poetry and visual storytelling instead. Also, we can only use their platform for video, which was totally different for me as I was used to using lots of different video generators for all of my work and not one. This forced me to be more creative and also made me second guess whether I really do need all of those tools to make something.
At the time of the competition, I was thinking a lot about dating. Everyone around me seemed to be struggling, and a recurring theme was emotional unavailability. People wanted surface-level connections, not depth. That became the foundation for WET. The film works as a metaphor for relationships and the emotional distance between people. The initial image I had in my head was of a woman sitting at the bottom of the ocean, calm and serene while there was miles and miles of water above her.
Within that short piece, I touched on isolation, education, suicide, and mental health. Most of the scenes are set underwater, which would have cost hundreds of thousands to shoot traditionally. The entire film was made in 48 hours, and it was also the first time I really pushed myself with sound design.
Even though I didn’t get to finish it exactly how I imagined, I’m incredibly proud of it. It left a mark. I screened it at several festivals and later played it when I spoke at TED in Vienna. Seeing it on a big screen was deeply emotional for me.
MOI: How do you see vibe coding changing how creatives approach AI?
Diane: I was initially apprehensive about vibe coding, especially because I’ve been a web designer for 15 years. I still am to a degree. I think it really depends on what you’re building.
That said, it’s a great space for creatives. I built a filmmaker-focused app using Google AI Studio where you could type in a scene and generate images based on the story. From there, you could create B-roll, talking shots, landscapes, and establishing shots. It took about a month to build, and the feedback was incredibly positive.
I’ve since stepped away from maintaining my own app because I can now do most of what I need using newer tools. But if you’re a DIY creative, vibe coding can help you solve your own problems. If you don’t want to pay for a storyboard tool, build one. If you need something specific to your workflow, you can now create it.
If you’re hands-on and like control, it’s absolutely worth leaning into.
MOI: What excites you most about the future of creativity beyond AI?
Diane: Honestly, AI has been taking up most of my thinking because it’s touching everything. Whether you’re sewing, playing music, painting, coding, or singing, AI will likely become part of that process in some way.
What excites me is that creativity is becoming more accessible. Everyone now has a way in. I genuinely believe that when creatives aren’t creating, it damages the soul. If the future brings things like universal basic income or more free time due to automation, I hope people use that time to make things.
Right now, many people are overworked, disconnected, and miserable. I’d love to see a future where creativity isn’t a luxury, but a normal part of everyday life.
MOI: How do you balance technology with emotion-led storytelling?
Diane: I don’t like writing my stories with AI. That part is very important to me. When you hand over the reins too early, you often end up with familiar ideas and predictable storylines. A lot of originality gets lost.
I prefer to create the story myself first, then bring AI in to refine it, challenge it, or help me spot what I might have missed. I think editors especially will thrive in this space. AI often struggles to convey emotion properly, and a good editor knows when to cut, when to linger, and how to shape a moment so it actually lands.
Taste, timing, and emotional awareness are human skills. If you leave everything to the technology, you’ll struggle. But if you understand storytelling and emotion, AI becomes a powerful collaborator rather than a crutch.
MOI: What’s one project you’ve worked on that you’re most proud of and why?
Diane: The project I’m most proud of is WET. There are a lot of reasons for that. It’s probably my most emotional piece, and at the same time it was one of the fastest films I’ve ever made.
Back in the summer of last year, Runway held a competition called GEN-48, where you had to produce a film within 48 hours. At first, voice generation was available on the platform, but it was shut down partway through because people were abusing it. That meant I couldn’t rely on dialogue and had to lean into poetry and visual storytelling instead. Also, we can only use their platform for video, which was totally different for me as I was used to using lots of different video generators for all of my work and not one. This forced me to be more creative and also made me second guess whether I really do need all of those tools to make something.
At the time of the competition, I was thinking a lot about dating. Everyone around me seemed to be struggling, and a recurring theme was emotional unavailability. People wanted surface-level connections, not depth. That became the foundation for WET. The film works as a metaphor for relationships and the emotional distance between people. The initial image I had in my head was of a woman sitting at the bottom of the ocean, calm and serene while there was miles and miles of water above her.
Within that short piece, I touched on isolation, education, suicide, and mental health. Most of the scenes are set underwater, which would have cost hundreds of thousands to shoot traditionally. The entire film was made in 48 hours, and it was also the first time I really pushed myself with sound design.
Even though I didn’t get to finish it exactly how I imagined, I’m incredibly proud of it. It left a mark. I screened it at several festivals and later played it when I spoke at TED in Vienna. Seeing it on a big screen was deeply emotional for me.
MOI: How do you see vibe coding changing how creatives approach AI?
Diane: I was initially apprehensive about vibe coding, especially because I’ve been a web designer for 15 years. I still am to a degree. I think it really depends on what you’re building.
That said, it’s a great space for creatives. I built a filmmaker-focused app using Google AI Studio where you could type in a scene and generate images based on the story. From there, you could create B-roll, talking shots, landscapes, and establishing shots. It took about a month to build, and the feedback was incredibly positive.
I’ve since stepped away from maintaining my own app because I can now do most of what I need using newer tools. But if you’re a DIY creative, vibe coding can help you solve your own problems. If you don’t want to pay for a storyboard tool, build one. If you need something specific to your workflow, you can now create it.
If you’re hands-on and like control, it’s absolutely worth leaning into.
MOI: What excites you most about the future of creativity beyond AI?
Diane: Honestly, AI has been taking up most of my thinking because it’s touching everything. Whether you’re sewing, playing music, painting, coding, or singing, AI will likely become part of that process in some way.
What excites me is that creativity is becoming more accessible. Everyone now has a way in. I genuinely believe that when creatives aren’t creating, it damages the soul. If the future brings things like universal basic income or more free time due to automation, I hope people use that time to make things.
Right now, many people are overworked, disconnected, and miserable. I’d love to see a future where creativity isn’t a luxury, but a normal part of everyday life.
To celebrate 100 years of Publicis Groupe, the company launched their 'New Year. New century. New wishes' campaign, using AI to bring their "French Lion" to life through the ages. But instead of relying solely on AI, they seamlessly blend it with live action, solidifying their belief that "the future of AI is our people."
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Read & Watch here
Tilly Norwood, the world's first AI actress, has whipped up quite the storm online, with many people questioning the ethical implications of replacing human talent. It begs the question: can AI really be labelled an "actress" or is it merely a creation?
Image and article courtesy © Forbes
Read hereMeet Noah, Tommy Hilfiger's user-customized virtual idol. Created in partnership with Alibaba and Wavemaker, the fashion brand debuted their metaverse runway at New York Fashion Week to Chinese customers, accompanied by a real-time interactive livestream on Tmall which amassed more than 600,000 viewers.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Read here Watch here
To celebrate 100 years of Publicis Groupe, the company launched their 'New Year. New century. New wishes' campaign, using AI to bring their "French Lion" to life through the ages. But instead of relying solely on AI, they seamlessly blend it with live action, solidifying their belief that "the future of AI is our people."
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Meet Noah, Tommy Hilfiger's user-customized virtual idol. Created in partnership with Alibaba and Wavemaker, the fashion brand debuted their metaverse runway at New York Fashion Week to Chinese customers, accompanied by a real-time interactive livestream on Tmall which amassed more than 600,000 viewers.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Tilly Norwood, the world's first AI actress, has whipped up quite the storm online, with many people questioning the ethical implications of replacing human talent. It begs the question: can AI really be labelled an "actress" or is it merely a creation?
Image and article courtesy © Forbes
Gone are the days of formulaic movie posters with repetitive character collages. The theatrical movie poster is making a comeback, with studios increasingly partnering with up-and-coming artists to bring a new lease of life to their movie promos. Just take this James Jean masterpiece for the IMAX release of Frankenstein earlier this year.
Image and article courtesy © Gizmodo
Read here
For Thunderbolts, Marvel ditched the classic superhero hierarchy imagery and instead opted for this strikingly simple, mysterious illustration from artist Akiko Stehrenberger.
Image and article courtesy © Gizmodo
Read here
Unlike some artists, Vasilis Marmatakis doesn't go for the obvious, stating "if they don’t get it before the film, they might get it when they come out of the cinema.” His work for Bugonia is the perfect example of this in action.
Image and article courtesy © Los Angeles Times
Read here
Gone are the days of formulaic movie posters with repetitive character collages. The theatrical movie poster is making a comeback, with studios increasingly partnering with up-and-coming artists to bring a new lease of life to their movie promos. Just take this James Jean masterpiece for the IMAX release of Frankenstein earlier this year.
Image and article courtesy © Gizmodo
For Thunderbolts, Marvel ditched the classic superhero hierarchy imagery and instead opted for this strikingly simple, mysterious illustration from artist Akiko Stehrenberger.
Image and article courtesy © Gizmodo
Unlike some artists, Vasilis Marmatakis doesn't go for the obvious, stating "if they don’t get it before the film, they might get it when they come out of the cinema.” His work for Bugonia is the perfect example of this in action.
Image and article courtesy © Los Angeles Times
A great film isn't a great film without practical effects. Sure, AI and CGI have shown us whole new opportunities in filmmaking. But Mission Impossible's stunts? Jurassic Park's animatronics? Top Gun's real-life military-grade jets and flight sequences? Those are iconic moments of cinematography that special effects just can't replicate.
Image and article courtesy © Cinema Blend
Read here
If we're talking about memorable styles, we have to give a special mention to LEGO. This recent addition to their short film series sees their classic animated style brought to life with rich storytelling, light comedy and detailed visuals that perfectly embody the magic and imagination of childhood.
Image and article courtesy © Blocks
Read hereWes Anderson's style is so iconic, viewers can often recognize his films from just a single image. His bold use of color, symmetry, sunlight, and elaborate costumes and set designs all give his work a feeling of warmth and familiarity that few filmmakers can replicate.
Image and article courtesy © Curzon
Read here
A great film isn't a great film without practical effects. Sure, AI and CGI have shown us whole new opportunities in filmmaking. But Mission Impossible's stunts? Jurassic Park's animatronics? Top Gun's real-life military-grade jets and flight sequences? Those are iconic moments of cinematography that special effects just can't replicate.
Image and article courtesy © Cinema Blend
If we're talking about memorable styles, we have to give a special mention to LEGO. This recent addition to their short film series sees their classic animated style brought to life with rich storytelling, light comedy and detailed visuals that perfectly embody the magic and imagination of childhood.
Image and article courtesy © Blocks
Wes Anderson's style is so iconic, viewers can often recognize his films from just a single image. His bold use of color, symmetry, sunlight, and elaborate costumes and set designs all give his work a feeling of warmth and familiarity that few filmmakers can replicate.
Image and article courtesy © Curzon
Google's 'Learn with Steven Bartlett' campaign proves that upskilling doesn't have to be time-consuming. In the length of time it takes Bartlett to get a haircut, he shares his top tips for business success. The filming is punchy, brief, and shows Google's speed in real-time.
Image and article courtesy © YouTube
Watch hereThe Swedish Food Federation's 'Eat a Swede' 'mockumentary' poses an almost credible story of a Swedish entrepreneur growing and selling lab-grown meat made from human cells. Premiered at major film festivals, it sparked a much-needed global discussion on the future of food and the answers from the Swedish food industry.
Image and article courtesy © D&AD
Watch here
Swedish Brain Foundation sheds light on the reality of living with brain diseases – literally. In the short film, they use Christmas lights as a model for neurons, recreating what's happening inside the brains of patients struggling with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS. It's a powerful and visually engaging way of educating audiences on the importance of brain research.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Watch here
Google's 'Learn with Steven Bartlett' campaign proves that upskilling doesn't have to be time-consuming. In the length of time it takes Bartlett to get a haircut, he shares his top tips for business success. The filming is punchy, brief, and shows Google's speed in real-time.
Image and article courtesy © YouTube
The Swedish Food Federation's 'Eat a Swede' 'mockumentary' poses an almost credible story of a Swedish entrepreneur growing and selling lab-grown meat made from human cells. Premiered at major film festivals, it sparked a much-needed global discussion on the future of food and the answers from the Swedish food industry.
Image and article courtesy © D&AD
Swedish Brain Foundation sheds light on the reality of living with brain diseases – literally. In the short film, they use Christmas lights as a model for neurons, recreating what's happening inside the brains of patients struggling with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS. It's a powerful and visually engaging way of educating audiences on the importance of brain research.
Image and article courtesy © Little Black Book
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are leading the charge for more meaningful, in-person moments. So how will this change the world of film?
As audiences push back against digital saturation, we're seeing the theatrical experience come back into the spotlight, with more films offering specialist formats such as retro VistaVision. It's not nostalgic, but offering an exclusive and immersive experience that viewers can't get at home.
Image and article courtesy © The Wrap, The Conversation
Read hereImmersive, novelty screenings are bringing viewers into the story. Dystopian thriller, The Long Walk, ran a unique "treadmill screening" where viewers had to keep pace with the characters in the movie, or else be ejected from the theater, adding an exciting thrill to the viewing experience.
Image and article courtesy © The Wrap
Read here
As part of pre-release promotion, site-specific installations are becoming increasingly popular. The first Netflix House opened in Philadelphia, allowing fans to step into the worlds of their favorite shows. Lionsgate launched an immersive John Wick experience in Vegas. And Paramount has announced their own Vegas installation for Top Gun.
Image and article courtesy © John Wick Experience, Young Hollywood, Entertainment Weekly
Read here and here and here
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are leading the charge for more meaningful, in-person moments. So how will this change the world of film?
As audiences push back against digital saturation, we're seeing the theatrical experience come back into the spotlight, with more films offering specialist formats such as retro VistaVision. It's not nostalgic, but offering an exclusive and immersive experience that viewers can't get at home.
Image and article courtesy © The Wrap, The Conversation
Immersive, novelty screenings are bringing viewers into the story. Dystopian thriller, The Long Walk, ran a unique "treadmill screening" where viewers had to keep pace with the characters in the movie, or else be ejected from the theater, adding an exciting thrill to the viewing experience.
Image and article courtesy © The Wrap
As part of pre-release promotion, site-specific installations are becoming increasingly popular. The first Netflix House opened in Philadelphia, allowing fans to step into the worlds of their favorite shows. Lionsgate launched an immersive John Wick experience in Vegas. And Paramount has announced their own Vegas installation for Top Gun.
Image and article courtesy © John Wick Experience, Young Hollywood, Entertainment Weekly
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