Welcome! This month we’re introducing one of the world’s most popular generative AI toolsets, runway.ml, and using it to generate a set of short video clips to create a promotional video for a conference. The series continues below.
Project overview
As generative AI develops at speed, we’re delving into the apps and tools currently available to help with ‘real’ creative projects. In this case, we’re using the video generation tools available at runway.ml to create short video clips to edit together to create a short promotional video for an upcoming conference. We’ll use chatGPT to suggest a script, then use runway’s text-to-speech tool to create a realistic-sounding voiceover.
Note that this is not an explainer series, though we do detail the main steps to follow at runway.ml.
The video brief / treatment
Here are the key points for the video as determined at the outset. AI was not used to help create these!
Video Max duration: 90 seconds
Style keywords: Modern, warm, corporate, clean, attractive
Pacing: Moderate. Jump cuts will be used throughout.
Central messages to convey:
Visit our conference!
Nice place to visit
Opportunities for large demos, small seminars and one-to-ones
Lots of opportunities to get hands-on with new products
Network with your colleagues and make new friends
High quality food and drink available
Using chatGPT to suggest shots for the video
Let’s get some inspiration from chatGPT for the actual shots to include in our promotional video. Here’s the first prompt we entered into ChatGPT (3.5) in January 2024:
Here’s ChatGPT’s original response in full:
Creating a promotional video for a conference with the theme “the future of education technology” requires a thoughtful selection of shots to highlight the key features of a modern conference center. Here are some suggested shots to include:
- Exterior Shots:
- Grand entrance: Showcase the impressive exterior of the conference center to create a positive first impression.
- Signage: Capture shots of clear and well-lit signage displaying the conference theme and details.
- Interior Shots:
- Spacious lobby: Highlight the welcoming and modern lobby area with comfortable seating and futuristic design elements.
- Registration desk: Showcase an organized registration area with staff ready to assist participants.
- Technologically equipped rooms: Feature shots of conference rooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and interactive displays.
- Conference Facilities:
- Lecture halls: Capture footage of lecture halls with tiered seating, ensuring good visibility of screens and presentation areas.
- Workshop rooms: Showcase smaller rooms suitable for interactive workshops and group activities.
- Networking areas: Highlight spaces designed for networking, collaboration, and informal discussions among attendees.
- Technology Integration:
- Close-ups of AV equipment: Showcase high-quality visuals of projectors, sound systems, and interactive displays to emphasize the tech-savvy nature of the conference center.
- Charging stations: Display convenient charging stations equipped with various charging options for electronic devices.
- Interactive Experiences:
- Virtual and augmented reality setups: If applicable, showcase any VR or AR experiences that may be part of the conference.
- Interactive touchscreen displays: Highlight any innovative and interactive technology that enhances the learning and networking experience.
- Catering and Hospitality:
- Shots of catering services: Feature shots of a well-equipped dining area, emphasizing the variety and quality of food and beverages available.
- Hospitality suites: Showcase comfortable and inviting spaces for VIPs or special guests.
- Participant Engagement:
- Shots of engaged participants: Capture the energy and enthusiasm of attendees during presentations, discussions, and networking sessions.
- Testimonials: Include short clips of participants expressing their excitement about the conference and its relevance to the future of education technology.
- Overall Atmosphere:
- Dynamic shots: Use dynamic camera movements and angles to create a sense of excitement and energy throughout the video.
- Time-lapse sequences: Capture the ebb and flow of the conference, highlighting the vibrant atmosphere.
This is a helpful initial response from ChatGPT, and we can definitely use the suggestions as a guide. Let’s see if we can hone in on a shorter list…
Here’s ChatGPT’s revised answer in full:
Certainly! Here’s a condensed version with one example shot per section:
- Entrance and Signage:
- Example Shot: A sweeping drone shot capturing the grand entrance of the conference center with futuristic signage prominently displayed.
- Technologically Equipped Rooms:
- Example Shot: A close-up of an interactive touchscreen display in a conference room, showcasing the cutting-edge AV technology available.
- Networking Spaces:
- Example Shot: Attendees engaged in a lively discussion in a modern networking area, highlighting collaboration spaces within the conference center.
- Interactive Experiences:
- Example Shot: Participants experiencing a virtual reality demo at a dedicated VR booth, showcasing the integration of innovative technology.
- Catering and Hospitality:
- Example Shot: A time-lapse sequence of the catering area, showcasing the diverse food options and inviting hospitality spaces for conference participants.
- Participant Engagement:
- Example Shot: A dynamic shot capturing the energy of a packed lecture hall, with participants actively participating in a presentation and expressing enthusiasm.
Remember to use compelling visuals, music, and narration to create an engaging and impactful promotional video.
Our chosen shots
After some deliberation, we’ve decided on the shotlist below. Of course, we’ll adjust this during the build. The text is written below as prompts to use in runway in the next entry in this series to generate the clips. The video clips are numbered from 1 through 10, with the stills to be incorporated not numbered:
1: A drone shot flying slowly over a large, warehouse-like city conference centre on a sunny day. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
2: First person view of walking inside a large, glassy conference centre and approaching a welcome desk. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: Food and drink outlets with white and blue accents inside a modern conference centre. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
3: An expo floor with white and blue accents and demonstration stands inside a modern conference centre. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
4: A darkened auditorium with warm colors. a large central screen displays a modern technology logo. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: A small, modern breakout classroom with five people interacting around a white table. a presenter is demonstrating a virtual book. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: A question and answer session with experts on a stage in front of a medium size audience. the room is modern, mostly white and with accents of red and blue. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
5: Four people interacting positively over coffee and bagels. there are other tables of people in the background. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
6: Two people smiling and handling a new tech product that looks like a futuristic glass laptop in shiny, reflective white. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: Two people on a conference stage demonstrating a hologram of a virtual teacher. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: People eating lunch on wooden benches in a grassy area outside a modern conference centre. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
7: A modern train station on a sunny day with a train with red, white and blue accents approaching the platform. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: A modern bus station on a sunny day with a bus with red, white and blue accents arriving. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
8: A large posh sandwich and a steaming hot coffee on a wooden table in a modern room with white and blue accents. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
9: A smiling person wearing a modern vr headset in front of a white modern expo stand. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: a conceptual illustration of 8 people networking. illustration with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: a conceptual illustration of a team having a brilliant idea. the illustration has bright white and green accents. illustration with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: a teacher inspiring a small group of university students with an impressive demonstration of chemical bonding. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: a small group of university students wearing mortar boards and smiling in front of a modern university building. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
IMAGE: a traditional small university classroom with bored students and no technology. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
10: A modern small university classroom with happy students interacting around their modern technology and holograms. photoreal with muted cinematic tones.
Join us in part three of this series when we use runway.ml to generate the first video clips for our promotional video!
