We're Back! - AIxC: 54

We're Back! - AIxC: 54

After a 4 month hiatus full of Ai + Creative work, we're back.

After close to four months of radio silence, we are back! If you're interested in checking out and catching up on everything else we've done previously check out our AIxCreative Newsletter! So, what has happened in that time frame?

The team grew. We scaled up and now have a team of designers and Ai specialists, as well as a stable of contractors, all focused on furthering our mission.

We tried, and somewhat succeeded, at keeping up with all the latest tools. This reminded me that if a team dedicated to Ai for creatives can’t keep up, then it’s a bit too crazy out there.

Our business transitioned from mostly Ai tool training to Ai R&D initiatives, where we tackle clients' real-world projects with Ai in an effort to provide real-world insights and actionable next steps towards Ai integration.

We did a lot of work in the entertainment industry.

We have a lot of catching up to do, so let’s go to what we’ll be covering today:

  • Crystal Ball: Communicating with Ai
  • Tools: Midjourney SREF Codes
  • Tools: LUMA Dream Machine for Product Animation
  • News: The Next Generation Pixar
01 / CRYSTAL BALL

Communicating with Ai

Talking to Ai has evolved since I started this newsletter.

It used to be that you communicated your intent via text and reference images, i.e., prompts. If you’ve followed along here or on LinkedIn, you’ll recall that I’m heavily skewed towards communicating with images.

Nowadays, Ai tools offer many more ways to communicate. In Midjourney, for example, you can now provide clues via text, reference images, style reference images, character reference images, and style reference codes.

My crystal ball predicts that in the coming year, we’ll continue to see an expansion in how we communicate with Ai tools—such as subject reference images, composition reference images, color reference images, and more.

02 / TOOLS

Midjourney SREF Codes

Midjourney's Style Reference Codes (SREF) are a great way to communicate with the platform. These codes are numerical sequences that convey a series of visual attributes to your prompt. I’ve read that there are billions of them, but there is no master list—you have to discover them on your own. So, how do you find them?
  • Type in --sref random into your prompt, and it will automatically generate a code.
  • Search for them online on various platforms; a quick Google search will do the trick.
  • Check back here at AIxC. We’ll be making some available soon.

    Here’s how we test out a promising code once we find one:

    1. Add the code to your prompt in this format: --sref XXXXXXXXX
    2. Set up a couple of --s settings (e.g., 50 and 500) to see how they affect the output.
    3. Add variations by testing different product categories.
    4. Analyze the results and look for commonalities to better understand the attributes of the SREF code.

       

      03 / TOOLS

      LUMA Dream Machine for Product Animation

      Using Luma’s Dream Machine, I quickly ran an animation test from an existing CAD file rendering. Here’s how I pulled off the animation:
      1. Took some KeyShot renderings and used them as the starting and ending keyframes.
      2. Entered simple prompts for camera movement.
      3. After 9 quick generations, I had 5 shots that I strung together in Premiere Rush.

        This approach requires imagery from different views, but if you already have those shots, animating with this tool is quick and simple.

        04 / NEWS

        The Next Generation Pixar

        Here’s an interesting write-up about how Ai might impact the way we are entertained. Times like these open up a lot of doors, and exploring them will require plenty of creativity.

        That’s it for today. Hopefully, the next one of these won’t be four months from now :)

        — Hector

         p.s. 

        Hi, I'm Hector, a seasoned industrial designer, brand builder, and entrepreneur, with 22+ years of diverse experience.

        With AIxCreative, we help individuals and organizations harness the power of AI.

        Our services are built on three foundational pillars: Advisory, Consultation, and Training, designed to provide confidence in your capabilities and help you thrive in the AI era. Contact us to learn more or set up a time to chat here.

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