Exploring the future of AI in VFX with MyWorld

AI VFX could be the next big thing, with tools based on Artificial Intelligence gradually making their way into the visual effects industry. 

As part of our R&D at Lux Aeterna, we work with the University of Bristol’s MyWorld programme, which aims to support innovation in the VFX and creative production industries in the South West of England.

Working with partners like the BBC and Aardman, the programme’s overall goal is to embed a culture of R&D innovation across the region, by funding a series of collaborative projects between local industry and academic partners. 

Our Creative Technologist, James Pollock, contributes to MyWorld as Research Producer. Having worked on real-time, interactive and immersive projects at our Bristol-based studio, James was the ideal candidate to represent Lux Aeterna on MyWorld. James helps the programme’s academic and industry partners to understand the research that MyWorld is undertaking, while learning about their research, to identify opportunities for collaboration.

“The two key research areas right now are real-time rendering and AI tools,” says James. “We’ve worked with real-time rendering on many of our VR and AR projects at Lux Aeterna, but we’re now seeing it more in VFX, especially in virtual production volumes. AI’s potential to make VFX workflows more agile, and reduce render loads, is particularly interesting and something that we’re actively investigating. Based on this research, we’re currently planning the production of a sci-fi film created using AI and real-time tools.

Named RENO, the short film explores themes of belief, agency, and humanity’s relationship with machines in a post-apocalyptic megacity. The film’s plot was developed based on current AI research, while multiple AI technologies were used throughout its creation. For example, all concept imagery for the film was generated using AI.

“While the results from many generative AI tools are still fairly basic, we expect these to improve rapidly,” says James. “Having already experimented with AI tools like Midjourney and Disco Diffusion, it’s clear to us that this kind of technology needs to be taken seriously. AI-based will increasingly become part of the creative process, whether that’s helping us to explore multiple approaches to a visual idea, rework existing assets, or create entirely new assets, in a matter of minutes.”

AI VFX is a rapidly evolving area, and we’ll continue to work with the MyWorld programme to figure out how AI and other emerging technologies can augment our visual effects work, and benefit the wider creative community. 

Find out more about the services we offer at Lux Aeterna, and take a closer look at some of our recent work.