Umbra
Umbra is an experimental short film that won Best Overall Film at California State University, Long Beach AI Film Hackathon. The piece explores the relationship between human creativity and machine intelligence, using AI as a collaborator in generating abstract visuals, surreal environments, and haunting soundscapes. Umbra blurs the line between light and shadow, identity and memory, reality and dream / pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the age of artificial intelligence.
Client
CSULB – AI Film Hackathon Year
Year
2024
Category
Film / AI Art / Experimental
Live Project
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///The film’s concept centers on the “shadow of the self” / the hidden parts of human identity that emerge in moments of reflection and transformation. By combining AI-generated imagery with human-guided narrative flow, Umbra builds an immersive, dreamlike journey that feels at once deeply personal and universally resonant.
/// AI Integration: Generative models were used to produce abstract environments, characters, and transitions.
Human-AI Collaboration: Human artists crafted the narrative arc and edited sequences, while AI infused unexpected abstraction and visual layering.
Process: Rapid prototyping during the hackathon required quick iteration — storyboards and moodboards were used to guide AI outputs, while sound and pacing were refined in post-production.
/// Independent filmmakers often face major challenges: limited resources, constrained timelines, and high production costs. Traditional filmmaking tools require extensive crews, budgets, and infrastructure, making it difficult to experiment rapidly with new ideas.
/// Umbra demonstrated how AI can lower creative barriers in filmmaking. Within the short span of a hackathon, a complete film with striking visuals, sound design, and narrative depth was produced. By blending human intention with AI’s generative power, Umbra showcased a new model for storytelling / fast, resource-efficient, and artistically rich.
