Beyond Stock Footage: The Brave New World of Book Trailers utilizing A.I.
In this blog, we're opening up about the honest pros and cons of working with AI when developing Cinematic Book Trailers. As we explore our journey, we highlight where we've come from and where we're headed, whether we like it or not.
In 2023, we faced the challenge of creating custom characters for author Margie Seaman's book "Someday Belongs to Us," published by Stoney Creek Publishing Group. Join us as we peel back the curtain and outline the many hurdles we overcame to produce the captivating Cinematic Trailer with AI for "Someday Belongs to Us."
Before we begin, first we would like to invite you to celebrate our anniversary this month with us. At the time of this posting, Market Your Industry is offering up to 25% off your first Cinematic Book Trailer! For more details and to sign up for this limited time special offer and much more, visit our website at: MarketYourIndustry.com
Let’s begin. Our recent exploration, the cinematic book trailer for "Someday Belongs to Us", a romance novel written by Margie Seaman, showcases not only the immense possibilities that AI generative art opens up but also reveals the various obstacles that creators may face in this rapidly emerging field.
On February 1, 2024, the AVA Digital Awards proudly recognized the “Someday Belongs to Us” Cinematic Book Trailer with the prestigious “Gold Award” in the category of “Best Cinematic Book Trailer 2024.” The accolade was earned for surpassing industry benchmarks. Below we outline the comprehensive strategies employed to attain this remarkable outcome:
Merging Tech and Creativity
The intertwining of AI and creativity is more than a mere fusion of functionality and art; it's a dive into crafting and recrafting the unimaginable. AI generative art, for instance, emerges as a fresh field in video creation, bypassing the limits of stock footage and budget constraints.
By utilizing a variety of AI tools, such as Midjourney, Kaiber.ai, D-ID, Runway.ML, and the generative fill feature within Adobe Photoshop beta, we aimed to translate textual character descriptions and abstract ideas into coherent and visually impressive narratives. Subsequent editing was accomplished via reliable platforms like After Effects and Premiere Pro.
AI’s Double-Edged Sword: Possibilities and Challenges
AI stands out as a spark for boundless creative pathways, yet it isn't without its own set of challenges. It exists in a subtle duality - serving as both an enhancer and, at times, a hindrance.
(Example of custom Midjourney character generation prompt used to create this image: Half painted photorealistic illustration of a 72 year old woman in white dress looking out from the railing of a 1980s cruise ship at sunset, tall, slim, stylish white dress. Her thick silver hair is cut in a wedge that accentuates her long slim neck. She is about 5’7” and physically fit. She has brilliant blue eyes, a full mouth and crow’s feet around her eyes from the happiness she has within. She is of Irish and Swedish descent, 32mm film stock, kodak 4K --ar 16:10)
Take Midjourney for example, a versatile text-to-image service that enables you to generate compelling images from textual descriptions. While it excels at converting text descriptions into visual components, it struggles with:
Consistency in facial features and wardrobes from various perspectives.
Maintaining a stable art style and lighting across different shots.
Accidentally adding unexpected elements into its creations.
Likewise, while Kaiber.ai can produce eye-catching visuals, it sometimes sacrifices consistency and detail, flirting with the "uncanny valley”, an eerie feeling where characters feel almost, but not quite human.
Harnessing the AI: Our Workflow Unveiled
The process behind the "Someday Belongs to Us" cinematic book trailer involved a strategic coordination of various AI tools and manual editing platforms. We began with feeding character descriptions and imagery into Midjourney, leading the charge in character visualization and scene creation. Then, live actor voiceovers were integrated using D-ID, a video creation platform that helps make photo realistic videos using generative AI, followed by compositing, sound design, color correction, and editing through After Effects and Premiere Pro, respectively.
Marrying AI-generated imagery with stock elements, optimizing keyword usage in Midjourney, and fine-tuning compositions in Photoshop and After Effects were key to addressing some of the inconsistencies and challenges presented by AI tools.
Moving Ahead: AI Tools in Continuous Evolution
Ongoing advancements and improvements in tools like Midjourney and Runway.ML are gradually amplifying user control over final outcomes. With new features such as inpainting and reframing compositions, creators are finding more authority, despite occasional frustrations and missteps.
Despite the limitations of AI, its value is evident in situations where budget meets unbridled creativity, particularly in genres like Sci-fi, Horror, Fantasy and Historical Fiction that appreciate the distinctive qualities of AI art.
Looking to the Future: A New Era in Book Trailer Creation
"At 'Market Your Industry', we're more than just a company. We’re a team dedicated to exploring new tech horizons to uncover fresh, innovative forms of creativity. Our trailer for 'Someday Belongs to Us' is a straightforward example of this commitment. It’s our genuine effort to use AI in crafting lively, visual stories, seamlessly merging technology and imagination to make something truly special."
While AI tools introduce new creative hurdles, they also open up a world of infinite possibilities, signaling that the future of book trailer creation, and visual storytelling as a whole, is bright with potential. Join us as we explore this fascinating new terrain, ensuring that the innovative application of AI in creative industries becomes not just a transient trend but a lasting, enriching change.
When you acquire a customized video from Market Your Industry, you’re investing in much more than what meets the eye. You’re procuring countless hours of practiced skills and exploratory trials. You’re purchasing years of challenges, along with instances of sheer elation. It’s far from just obtaining a singular item; you’re securing a segment of someone’s passion, ability, a fragment of their spirit… a snippet of another’s existence.
Before you watch the full cinematic book trailer located below, until March 29th, 2024, Market Your Industry is offering up to 25% off your first Cinematic Book Trailer in celebration of our anniversary month! For more details and to sign up for this limited time special offer and much more, visit our website at: MarketYourIndustry.com
Please enjoy the full Cinematic Book Trailer of “Someday Belongs to Us” below:
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL:
“Market Your Industry created a phenomenal cinematic trailer for my book. Their use of AI brought my characters to life and the video accurately portrayed the heart of my story. The trailer has brought me many compliments and has helped increase interest in the book. I recommend Market Your Industry for anyone looking for a highly professional book trailer.”
-Author Margie Seaman | “Someday Belongs to Us”
Special thanks and credit to:
Author: Margie Seaman | Click here
Publisher: Stoney Creek Publishing | Click here
Book Cover Design: TLC Book Design | Click here
Blog Article and Asset Creation: Jeremy M. & Timothy Foster from Market Your Industry | Click here
