‘MythOS’ and ‘Wink’ Filmmakers Debunk AI Myths at Sundance: ‘You Can’t Make a Great AI Film on Your Lunch Hour’

Two filmmakers demonstrated how generative AI tools are transforming the creative process while emphasizing that human artistry remains at the heart of storytelling during Adobe’s “Showtime! Park City: Gen AI Showcase” at the Sundance Film Festival.

Taryn O’Neill and Momo Wang presented their short films “MythOS” and “Wink,” respectively, both created with Adobe Firefly and other AI tools in remarkably compressed timeframes. The panel, moderated by Variety Co-Editor-in-Chief Cynthia Littleton, explored how filmmakers are experimenting with generative AI to expand creative expression.

O’Neill’s “MythOS,” a live-action hybrid featuring a distinctive whale sequence, was completed in one month — a timeline that would have been impossible with traditional animation techniques. Wang’s “Wink,” inspired by her rescue cat, took 28 days to produce five minutes of 3D animation rendered in a 2D style. By comparison, Wang noted, her 2023 film that qualified for Oscar consideration took two years to complete 10 minutes of traditional 2D animation.

“I would like to dispel the myth that somebody goes on their lunch hour and makes a great AI film,” O’Neill said. “The only way that ‘MythOS’ was made was by the collaboration of a lot of really talented, passionate people.”

Both filmmakers detailed technical challenges that required extensive iteration. Wang identified lip-syncing for animal characters as particularly difficult, with some shots requiring hundreds of attempts to achieve the desired result. O’Neill described using Adobe Stock images as starting points, then iterating through Firefly to create specific framings and emotional resonance.

The filmmakers employed different workflows adapted to AI tools. O’Neill’s team pre-visualized the entire film using Firefly boards before shooting with actors on green screen, then composited them into AI-generated backgrounds. They also created digital doubles of actors with full consent for wider shots. O’Neill, a former actor, said both performers were initially hesitant but became enthusiastic once they understood the process and protections in place.

Wang, who is in the Asian Animation Hall of Fame and had an AI film collected by China’s national film museum, took a primarily visual approach. “I’m an artist. I’m not an engineer. I can’t write a perfect amazing prompt,” she said. “So I only do image to image.”

Both emphasized the importance of documenting prompts and maintaining stylistic consistency across teams of freelance AI artists. O’Neill described using cinematic language in prompts, specifying camera angles and lenses to achieve desired visual effects.

The panel highlighted how AI tools have democratized certain aspects of filmmaking while raising new questions about copyright and attribution. Wang’s “Wink” drew from her personal experience dating over 300 people for material for a popular online comic series, ultimately telling a story about finding love and acceptance without pretense.

O’Neill, who holds an economics degree and spent 20 years as an actor, said her work aims to counter post-apocalyptic narratives with stories about potential positive futures. “If people can’t see what our potential futures are, how are we going to create it?” she said.

Both filmmakers pushed back against fears that AI would replace human creativity. “The tool is fixed, but people, we are flexible,” Wang said. “We can use a tool to help complete your dream.”

O’Neill urged filmmakers to embrace collaboration in the AI era. “Find your tribe, tell stories together,” she said. “Your personal story is incredible, but let’s do it all together.”