AI-Assisted film series | Early exploration (2023)Centuries of Struggle
Building hybrid workflows for historically grounded, AI-assisted storytelling
Centuries of Struggle is a documentary series consisting of ten films created in collaboration with the Equal Justice Initiative, exploring the history of racial injustice in America.
The project required balancing emotional storytelling with historical accuracy — while also navigating how emerging tools could support the creation of imagery rooted in real people, places, and events.
Film 1 | The Kiss
Approach
A key challenge was representing historical figures and environments with a level of specificity and authenticity that traditional pipelines alone would struggle to achieve within the constraints of time and budget.
To address this, I developed a hybrid workflow that combined traditional animation, 3D design, and early AI-assisted image generation — using machine learning tools to help construct historically grounded visual material.
AI Orthographic Designs → 3D Build
AI-Assisted Workflow
AI was used as a supporting tool within the pipeline, not as a replacement for artists.
Models were trained on archival imagery sourced from the Library of Congress, ensuring that generated outputs were grounded in historically accurate references. These outputs were then integrated into the production in multiple ways:
As texture maps applied to 3D characters and environments
As background imagery supporting animated sequences
As reference material to guide design and composition
In certain moments, early generative video tools (including Runway) were explored as a way to extend motion and atmosphere — though at the time, these tools functioned primarily as experimental supplements rather than primary drivers of animation.