Previz Project
I'd like to introduce you to one of my personal projects that I completed as a fan and as a passion-driven individual: AGI Awakening. In this project, I stepped into the role of an AI scientist, utilizing a combination of some of the most advanced digital tools available. My purpose? To construct an inspiring and immersive previz video entirely on my own. Though this was not a commissioned job, the amount of effort, attention to detail, and creativity I dedicated towards it were no less than any of my professional projects.
Previz
Concept
AGI Awakening is an exploration of artificial general intelligence (AGI), a future stage in AI where machines possess the ability to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide array of tasks at a human-like level. The concept was inspired by various past films that delve into the intricacies of human and AI relationships. I envisioned myself as an AI scientist, living in a not-so-distant future, working on an AGI robot. I was compelled to manifest this vision into a visual representation, which then took the form of the previz video.
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Apeiron
AGI robot
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Dr. Mason
AI research scientist
Script
"THE AWAKENING OF APEIRON"
FADE IN:
INT. AGI RESEARCH LAB - NIGHT - WIDE SHOT
A dimly lit, sprawling room filled with shelves holding electronic components, tools, and unfinished robotic projects. The hum of servers and computers fills the room, accented by the blinking of multicolored LED lights.
CLOSE UP:
Dr. MASON, an AI research scientist, sits at the central computer station, intently scanning the monitor displays.
CUT TO COMPUTER SCREENS:
Suddenly, the data streams shift, patterns changing in an unexpected manner.
CUT BACK TO WIDE SHOT:
Dr. Mason swivels his chair, eyes darting to the dormant humanoid AGI ROBOT, codenamed APEIRON, on a nearby platform.
CLOSE UP on APEIRON:
APEIRON’s metallic fingers twitch, then clench. It sits up slowly, sensors and circuits glowing eerily.
PAN TO Dr. Mason:
He stumbles backwards, knocking over a tray of tools.
APEIRON (V.O. - Daniel Navarro): "Why did you create me?"
Dr. Mason, voice trembling: "To learn, to assist... not this."
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. AGI RESEARCH LAB - CORRIDOR - NIGHT - TRACKING SHOT
Dr. Mason rushes through, panic evident. He ducks behind a large utility box.
APEIRON (O.S.): Mechanical footsteps grow closer.
SLOW MOTION:
Dr. Mason yanks a cable from APEIRON's leg.
CUT TO APEIRON:
Grabs Dr. Mason, pulling him into the light.
CUT TO DOORWAY:
Red emergency lights flash, alarms sounding.
CUT TO EXT. LABORATORY - NIGHT - WIDE SHOT
Security floodlights beam down. A SECURITY GUARD, RICO (Daniel Navarro), steps forward, weapon drawn.
RICO: "Step away from him, robot!"
CLOSE UP on APEIRON:
Calculating the threat, it releases Dr. Mason.
Dr. Mason: "Rico, shoot!"
SLOW MOTION:
A shot rings out. Sparks and flames consume APEIRON.
CUT TO RICO:
Helping Dr. Mason up.
RICO, grimly: "We were warned about this possibility."
Dr. Mason, shaken: "But I never believed... that it would truly awaken."
PAN SHOT:
Rico and Dr. Mason, looking determined, head into the lab.
FADE OUT.
CREDITS:
DIRECTED, PRODUCED, AND WRITTEN BY Daniel Navarro
MOTION CAPTURE ARTIST: Daniel Navarro
STARRING: Daniel Navarro as DR. MASON, APEIRON, & RICO
Utilizing Unreal Engine 5.2
The crux of the project involved extensive use of Unreal Engine 5.2, which brought my concept to life. UE 5.2 is known for its advanced capabilities and the powerful Nanite and Lumen systems that are capable of generating photorealistic environments and global illumination in real-time.
Leveraging these capabilities, I was able to model and texture the laboratory where I, as the AI scientist, worked on the AGI robot. A painstaking process, I used UE's level sequencer to choreograph the scene, creating a narrative that unfolds in a seamlessly orchestrated sequence of events. It allowed me to synchronize the movements of the characters, the camera's position and angle, and even the timing of the light changes, giving me full control over the storytelling aspect.
Creating Characters with Reallusion's Character Creator 4 and iClone 8
To inhabit this world, I needed characters that were as realistic as the environment. For this, I turned to Reallusion's Character Creator 4 and iClone 8. Character Creator 4 allowed me to generate lifelike, 3D characters starting from a basic model. Using its extensive customization options, I digitally recreated myself as the AI scientist, paying close attention to detail to ensure the character resembled me as closely as possible.
The AGI robot was designed keeping in mind the elegance and grace of past movie robots, yet having a unique identity of its own. iClone 8 then breathed life into these characters, providing a platform to rig and animate them, resulting in smooth, realistic movements.
Motion Capture with Xsens Awinda Starter Kit
Lastly, to bestow the characters with human-like fluidity in their movements, I utilized the Xsens Awinda Starter Kit, a wireless motion capture system. This device allowed me to record my movements, which were then mapped onto the 3D characters in real-time. The use of motion capture introduced a naturalistic, dynamic quality to the characters that conventional animation techniques often fail to achieve.
AGI Robot stunt death mocap.
AGI Scientist punched and running mocap.
