A New Frontier for Animation

The animation industry is currently navigating a period of significant uncertainty. With the rapid evolution of generative AI and shifting industry priorities, many professionals are feeling a sense of instability regarding their creative futures. While the public response to AI-assisted projects has often been skeptical or hostile, some creatives are choosing a different path—actively engaging with AI development to ensure artists remain at the heart of the process.

Connie He, whose background includes work on Netflix projects and as a story artist for Pixar’s Inside Out 2, has transitioned into a new role at Google DeepMind. Her recent short film, Dear Upstairs Neighbor, serves as a proof of concept for a pipeline that uses AI not to automate creation, but to elevate human-led artistic expression.


Moving Beyond Simple Prompts

Unlike projects that rely on standard text-to-video generation, He’s approach centers on a hybrid image-to-video workflow. Every frame is built upon a foundation of human expertise:

  • Original Concept Art: All character designs and storyboards were created entirely by hand.
  • Custom Models: He utilized her own abstract acrylic paintings to train specialized machine learning models (LoRAs).
  • Hybrid Integration: The process combined traditional 2D artistry with 3D software like Maya to achieve a unique, textured aesthetic that feels like a "living painting."

As He explains, "In computer graphics, it's always hard because everything will look CG... But the machine learning model is able to pick up the design rules we give it, something you cannot get with computer graphics. Could you do it with traditional 2D painting? Technically yes, but it would probably take you 10 years."


Collaboration Over Automation

At DeepMind, He works directly with software engineers to develop tools that emphasize artistic precision. When the team encountered issues with visual flickering, they didn't just accept the AI's default output. Instead, they collaborated to build a custom system using masks from Maya to stabilize character faces while deliberately allowing backgrounds to retain a fluid, painterly quality to match the protagonist's emotional state.

He views the research team as essential partners, noting:

"I couldn't even imagine this could be possible, but they understood my intention and built a system to make it possible. Now I can see this type of effect is possible, how can we use that to maximise our storytelling?"


The Future of Creative Ethics

Despite her enthusiasm for these new capabilities, He remains acutely aware of the ethical concerns surrounding AI, particularly regarding copyright and foundational model training. She advocates for clear legal frameworks to ensure the industry evolves in a respectful and sustainable manner. Regarding the potential for major studios to adopt these technologies, she suggests a period of transition is inevitable:

"It will take time for both the technology tool side and the people running the studios to figure out what's coming. It will be chaotic for a while, but eventually, there will be good people working to make it less chaotic."

For He, AI is simply a new medium—a "fresh box of paint" that is still being filled. By providing artistic guidance, she believes animators can unlock creative possibilities that were previously impossible, effectively expanding the boundaries of what animation can look and feel like.