A Talk with Erik Knobl
We sit down with the creator of "theaivideocreator.ai" for a brief chat
We’re joined this week by Erik Knobl, creator of theaivideocreator.ai newsletter focused on AI-Generated and enhanced video creation. He’s been gracious enough to agree to be our first interview subject and talk with us about he views on AI, its impact on the arts, and how it has changed his own working processes.
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Nick Bronson: Thanks for agreeing to have this conversation with me Erik. To start off, your focus (or current interest at least) appears to be primarily on video - is this an area you were interested in prior to the rise of A.I. tools and how have these tools changed your own creative processes?
Erik Knobl: In the days where AI was just a thing in the movies, I was a Graphic Designer, doing Editorial Design, Illustration and Motion. Then the Pandemic changed everything, and I was able to discover the tech industry, switch careers and become an UX Designer. I was happy designing mockups when I discovered Midjourney. And it was just magic. I soon realized that while these tools simplify the process of making a single piece of art, they also open the door for greater work be able to be done by a single person, like films. And that realization began a process of discovery: what can be actually be done with these tools.
That includes the workflows, they have been evolving as the technology and my experience changes.
NB: As someone who worked as a traditional graphic designer, and in UX design, what are your thoughts on the potential for A.I. to change the way we work in those fields? Is this something that excites you, or worries you?
EK: Both. I'm venturing in AI with both a sense of wonder, and to see if I can save myself from the changes that I'm sure are coming. The creative industry is going to be totally changed in a few years, and I urge everyone to prepare themselves, learn, and brace for impact.
NB: That's definitely the pragmatically sensible approach. How do you respond to those in the art world who are viewing this more as an existential, or even moral, issue? I've seen A.I. often compared quite broadly to theft, and those using it as accomplices to a crime.
EK: I agree. It's an existential issue: our jobs, our survival is on the line. That's why it has become a personal issue for many. And I get that may push people to claim it's theft. But it's not. Artists have been taking from other artists since the beginning of art, that's a fact. Every artist I know will gladly recite its influences. Why is AI banned from that? Just because now it affects you personally? Should all artists pay a share of their income to their artistic influences?
But it's worse. Let's say we agree it is theft. And the Courts rule that (they won't). Still Generative AI will find a way. It will go on. Adobe claims that Firefly is trained only on licensed or public domain content. Others will do it too. What would be your excuse then to not use it?
NB: That does seem to be the point that people seem to miss; most every classical art course has always included exercises like copying the works of the masters in order to learn brushstrokes and techniques. One of the early exercises in the famous "Drawing on the right side of the brain" is copying out a Picasso sketch.
EK: Art is Theft, said Picasso.
NB: All of human culture is built on top of everything that has come before.
As you have experimented with these tools, from the perspective of a traditional designer, do you see them as artistic tools? Similar to a paint brush, or a camera perhaps? Or as something else?
EK: Yes, of course. There are different layers to this nascent craft. Sure, you can just prompt "Beautiful woman" and the tool will deliver something good. But that gets old fast. The challenge is to push the tool to deliver something amazing every time.
The more you use these tools, the more your taste and your skills will grow.
Gen AI lets you paint with words, textures, and art styles. Your only limit now is your imagination.
NB: Like a camera then, clicking the "take photo" button is only the first step, the Art is in learning how to manipulate the tool further?
EK: Yeah, what elements to add, how they work together, and add the factor that all the tools are growing and adding features very fast. It's a full time job to keep up with all the changes in all the tools.
NB: Which tools are you using at the moment and has this changed much since you started?
EK: I started with Midjourney, and still use it today. The possibilities still feel endless to me, and there are still a lot of features I don't master. I use Flux too, think it's an amazing model, and Freepik is one of the most complete platforms out there, offering a lot of AI Art/Video tools.
Picking AI Video models, on the other side, is a complicated thing. On the positive side, there are a lot of advancements in each one of them. On the bad side, it's hard to keep up. Just today, Freepik released access to Veo2, and I think I will be testing it for a while.
NB: As I discussed in a previous article, some big Hollywood movies have begun experimenting with AI tools in small and bigger ways. The Brutalist, for instance, used it to alter voices to make accents of the actors sound more native. This is obviously an exciting development for people interested in the field, do you think this is where we're going to see the focus for AI in video and films - or are we heading towards a place where a single person might be able to feasibly create a small, or even feature-length, piece of work? (Much as occurred a few times with Machinima before it's allure wore off).
EK: I think both scenarios will be developing at the same time, and that will impact the media a lot. On one hand, Hollywood will be able to add those effects, and will be able to reduce costs. But the workflow for creators to create and launch their own work is already there, and I expect a giant wave of new series and movies released on Youtube. In five years there will be star directors from Youtube.
NB: Is the public going to be willing to embrace content of this sort? Created and curated by a single person through the use of A.I. tools?
EK: That is the Big Question, isn't?
Based on that factor, there are two possible scenarios: The public doesn't care, as long as the story is good; or there is a public backlash, and no matter how good the story is, if it's AI, it will be shut down. So far, I have seen both: A backlash against big studios using AI, and lone creators releasing work on Youtube and getting a lot of views.
NB: That might be the interesting part. Though there are definitely those people who would lash out against any use of A.I. in creative fields, there is a dichotomy of reaction there depending on who is doing it. When Wizards of the Coast, for instance, was using some A.I. generated art in one of its books the reaction was loud and unequivocal; they were hurting artists and huge corporate scumbags. (The way they had been acting to their fanbase in the months leading up to that probably hadn't helped much though).
A lone creator however seems more likely to be given that leeway, that "she's using the tools to lift her creativity and achieve something she couldn't otherwise" messaging rather than just a blanket negative one.
EK: Agreed. My feeling is the public will be willing initially to support lone creators and small teams with new ideas. But this is a live process, and while the technology is still developing at great speed, it's still very niche, so it will be interesting to see how everything unfolds.
NB: It definitely isn't going to be boring!
Is there any advice you'd like to give other creatives who might be just beginning to experiment with AI, or looking at it slightly bewildered by the somewhat chaotic landscape that we have at the moment?
EK: My advice would be to take it slowly. There is too much information, too much noise, it may seem for a starting creative that there is a long way to go, and you may feel like you need to rush. Just start. Start experimenting with Midjourney or Flux, pick one AI video tool, and take it easy. There is still a long road ahead for AI, and a lot of new developments to come. And above all, enjoy the process.
NB: If we ever were to get to a point where a single person (or a small team) could put together a movie using AI tools, there is quite a number of different sorts to learn. Image generation, video generation, voice and music; it's definitely going to take more than a couple of days. Someone who could bring it all together with the help of AI though... it would be an incredible accomplishment.
EK: indeed. It's not an easy task, even with AI.
NB: We've talked a bit about the different uses of AI in the creative media, what do you think is the most exciting use that hasn't been fully realised yet? What is the killer application that you're waiting for right now?
EK: I think a future workflow including 3d will arrive, and it will solve character consistency and open all new paths for AI Video. We have seen some glimpses of it on Krea, and Midjourney is rumored to be working on something like that. Really looking forward to it.
NB: I had heard that generative 3d was something that was being worked on. What sort of possibilities do you think that will add to our creative toolboxes?
EK: At the very least, if we can transform an image into a 3d scene, then we are all set for wonderful scenes from multiple points of view. From there, turning characters into 3d, modify positioning of elements in a scene, directing step by step movements in a fight scene. A lot of possibilities.
NB: Sounds like it would have a great deal of possibility for work on video games as well.
EK: Sounds like it. I would expect some game developers are already toying with these possibilities.
NB: We've spoken about the additional opportunities that this technology is giving to the individual artist, but how has AI influenced your approach to collaboration? Does it make you less likely to collaborate in general, or has it opened up more opportunities?
EK: I think AI opens the door for everyone to become a creator: You generate an image, and want to share it with the world. And once you start walking that path, it's easy to find others doing the same, sharing their learnings, and you start collaborating with others, sharing a style, doing your version of a prompt, and so on. That's a basic level of collaboration open to everyone toying with AI. I actually expect Midjourney and others to start building collaborative features soon. And people are starting to assemble into small creative teams to make films. I believe this is one of the next steps.
NB: I have seen some of this in the generative image community, prompt sharing and challenges, a little limited discussion of techniques.
Is collaboration something you are considering for future projects? Working with a team perhaps on a video project?
EK: Totally. The chance to learn and share what I know with a team is something I look forward in the future.
NB: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me Erik. I've always been more interested in the static visual arts than film but you've got me excited now to see what's going to come next! The idea of single-person or small-team feature films is extremely exciting to me.
EK: It was a pleasure. See you around.
In film and art we’ve always been fascinated with the figure of the Auteur, whether it’s George Lucas endlessly tinkering with his old films or Stanley Kubrick demanding another take until it’s perfect, but regardless of a director’s strength of personality a modern film is the work of hundreds of hands and carried out under the risk-averse gaze of the money-men. It’s going to be fascinating what can be created with these new tools bringing the power of the medium to smaller groups of artists. Erik has given us a lot to think about!
Remember you can find more of Erik and his work at his newsletter, The AI Video Creator, or by following him on substack! Thanks for sitting down with us Erik!
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