Explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for making movies. This half-day workshop introduces people to a process Stephen Quinn has developed, which people are free to modify (or reject). Updated 31 May 2023.

Albert Einstein said: “Creativity is intelligence having fun”. Perhaps we can modify that phrase to “Creativity is [artificial] intelligence having fun”.

The workshop will demonstrate a range of mostly free tools though you will need fast wifi, which can be supplied. I say mostly free because the basic options of these tools are free but you might find yourself paying for the advanced options.

We will also consider Unreal Engine as a tool for creating films.

Scripting: It all begins with the idea and the script. How to use ChatGPT to create scripts. Your choice of text sequence is very important and this is highlighted in the class.

Still images: Using DALL.E and NightCafe to create single images to put into editing tools.

Narration: Using tools like Murf to read and record scripts that employ stills as the images.

Voice: Using voice-based tools like Alexa to generate ideas and things like jokes.

Editing: Until recently these tools were very basic. But Fliki and Runway are impressive.

Music: Adding music to your videos with tools like Beatoven.

Distribution: That part is your responsibility. Some suggestions are offered at lesson 12 here.

What you need to bring: Smartphone or laptop or tablet. An open mind. I’m aiming to show what’s possible and what is already available. We will have time to debate/discuss.

Location: I can come to you. Or you come to central Brighton, a seven-minute walk from Brighton station.

Next face-to-face course: A day in July 2023 from 11am to 4pm, with lunch from 1-2pm.

Cost: £50 per person. Please email Stephen Quinn with questions. Maximum of eight people.

Stephen Quinn’s web site: https://sraquinn.org/2017/05/18/movie-making/  

Bio of teacher: Stephen Quinn retired as a professor of smartphone video making at Kristiania University in Norway in March 2023 but continues to teach around the world. His main research interest at the moment is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the movie-making process. Dr Quinn runs MOJO Media Insights (MMI) which teaches people how to make broadcast-quality videos with only an iOS device. Since 2010 he has taught these skills in 20 countries. From 1975-95 Stephen Quinn was a journalist in five countries with some of the world’s premier media companies (The Guardian, ABC, BBC, ITN, TVNZ, the Bangkok Post, Newcastle Herald, Australia). Between 1996 and 2011 Dr Quinn was a journalism educator in Australia, the UAE, the US and China. He returned to journalism full time from 2011-13 with the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, as digital development editor. He has been based in Brighton in the UK running MMI since 2014 and makes films when he’s not teaching or writing. Dr Quinn has published 30 books. In the past two decades he has given more than 200 presentations on the future of journalism in 38 countries. He writes about wine as a hobby. He has three children and two grand-children.