[3] Gathering your crew (tools). List of tools: 1. GPT-5 / Gemini Pro → ideation and project management. 2. Flux Kontext / Qwen / Nano Banana → image cleanup and editing. 3. Unreal Engine / Meshy / iClone8 (optional) → character consistency and camera control. 4. Suno → soundtrack and score. 5. Pixel Dojo / OpenArt / Dzine → multi-model image generation (GPT-4o, Flux, Dreamina, Qwen 2.2, etc). 6. Minimax Hailuo → action scenes (no dialogue — no lip sync support). 7. Veo 3 → dialogue scenes (strongest lip sync). 8. CapCut → lightweight video editing. 9. ElevenLabs → voice-to-voice conversion, text-to-voice, and SFX. 10. Fal.ai / Pixel Dojo / Topaz → upscaling and polish. 11. Ideogram → character in-painting and storyboarding with infinite canvas. 12. Photoshop beta - For editing images. Which tool first? I’m starting with Suno. Music is the part I control the least, while visuals we have a lot more tools to control the output. Once the soundtrack is locked, everything else can sync to it, rather than the other way around. The workflow: ask GPT-5 for a Suno prompt (I wanted cinematic inspirational synth with dark trap beat, world instruments, inspirational) → generate → check the result. If it works, move on. If not, iterate until it fits the vision. Here’s my first pick for the film’s soundtrack: trap beats layered with flute for a mystical, global feel. It’s not perfect, but we move on. Up Next: Gather assets and choose an art direction. UPDATE 8/25: Project on hold until Sept 8th, focusing on Inspiring Asia film contest.

[4] Edit/finalize film blueprint based on soundtrack. Determine main character/environments. *side note* Do not try to pivot out of project that you've already invested on, bc I pivoted to work on another contest, I unintentionally overwhelmed myself with 2 projects = almost burnout. So, now that we have a soundtrack, we use that as a guide for our film. I fed the soundtrack to gemini 2.5 pro on google ai studio, and I divided the song into different sections to create a blueprint: - 0:00 - 0:24 | Act 1: The Illusion (Ancient Rome) - 0:24 - 0:45 | Act 2: The Reality (The Theatre, present day) - 0:45 - 1:06 | Act 3: The Performance Begins (Rome) - 1:06 - 1:52 | Act 4: The Journey Continues (Sengoku Japan) - 1:52 - 2:34 | Act 5: The Climax (Cyberpunk Future) - 2:34 - 2:36 | Conlusion: Final Line. Act 1: We start in ancient rome, showcasing large gatherings of people. We see a leader, about to give a speech but then interrupted by a *phone ring* Act 2: Match cut to present day in an empty theatre, an actor is on stage rehearsing which (implied as the same character from act 1) then gets interrupted by phone call. This is our chance to do exposition work (explaining to audience through his phone dialogue). Act 3: Phone call ends, our actor will now "get into character", then we match cut to ancient rome AGAIN, this time he will begin his speech in ITALIAN. Act 4: We switch to edo period japan, a SHOGUN gives a speech to his clan, showcasing the power of his voice (speaks in JAPANESE). Act 5: Transition to a cyberpunk futuristic future, where we will eventually see a REBEL LEADER giving speech to his small group of rebels. They're fighting a war vs the machine? Idk might refine later. Conclude: We end with a match cut back to the empty theatre in the present day, where our actor will say a final last line. END. So, basically our message here is to convey that a single VOICE have the power to move nations/people, no matter the time period. (prob needs refining).

its a powerful message, good job!! i couldn't finish mine in time, after much work done on it :\ oh well that's life, we move on! which project are you working on next??

Time to try this out tonight, last time I tried those features like extend from last frame, it was very gimmicky

have you try doing start frame - end frame yet? ive seen cool transition works using that method

Story is king. Better to have a great story with bad visuals, than a better visuals but a terrible story. At least for me.