Substack Re-Stack

I detailed the process of using AI to create audio podcasts and video content from written articles. I begin by outlining the steps to convert articles into audio podcasts using NotebookLM and Descript. I then focus on transforming the podcast audio into video content, using tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Audition, and Runway to edit images, separate audio tracks, and generate lip-synced video segments. Finally, I suggest compiling the individual video segments and synchronizing them with the original podcast audio in a preferred video editor.

AI - From Article > Podcast > Video?

A Multi-Part Case Study

AI - from Article > Podcast > Video? (Part 1)

• From Text to Audio: Details my process of converting a series of written articles into a conversational podcast using a combination of Google's NotebookLM and Descript.
• Crafting Visual Personas: Explores the creation of AI-generated images of podcast hosts based on descriptions crafted using ChatGPT and Midjourney, setting the stage for future video production.

• YouTube Learning with NoteGPT: This section outlines a workflow for using NoteGPT to generate transcripts from YouTube videos, enabling efficient summarization and analysis of learning material.

Midjourney - Back to Basics: A Beginner's Guide: Book Review & Author Reflections

• Accessibility and Depth: This section features a book review by Margarida Barreto, highlighting the book's effectiveness in making Midjourney accessible to both beginners and experienced users.
• Simplifying Complex Concepts: Barreto praises the author's ability to explain complex concepts in a clear and concise manner, emphasizing the book's value for understanding the nuances of prompt creation.
• The "Incansable Professor": Shares Barreto's description of the author as a "tireless professor," reflecting his dedication to educating the creative community about AI.
• Author's Reflections on Feedback: Includes the author's personal reflections on Barreto's review, expressing gratitude for her feedback and emphasizing the importance of simplifying complex topics.

AI - From Article > Podcast > Video (Part 2)

• Image Refinement: This section outlines my workflow for cleaning up AI-generated images using Adobe Photoshop's generative fill to remove artifacts and ensure consistency.
• Audio Segmentation: Explains the process of splitting the podcast audio into individual sound bites for male and female speakers using Adobe Audition, preparing them for use in AI video generation.
• Runway Integration: Introduces the use of Runway's Gen-3 AI model to generate video clips based on the segmented audio, keyframes from prepared images, and basic camera movement instructions.
• Lip-Syncing & Compilation: Explains the use of Runway's lip-sync feature to synchronize the AI-generated video clips with the provided audio and mentions the plan to assemble these clips into a complete video in a future installment.

Depth in AI Renders - Comes from Richer Word Choices

• The Power of Descriptive Language: This section advocates for using more evocative and detailed language in AI image prompts to achieve greater depth and personality in the generated results.
• Prompt Comparison: Contrasts a basic image prompt with a more detailed version, highlighting the improved results obtained through richer vocabulary and specific details.
• Fine-Tuning and Personalization: Discusses techniques for refining prompts and leveraging Midjourney's personalization features to further customize the generated images.

Embracing GenAI: A Creative Director's Guide to Leading Change

I. The Challenge of Integrating GenAI

• The Current Landscape: This section outlines the challenges faced by Creative Directors in the age of generative AI, highlighting the need to balance daily demands with the integration of new technology.
• The Opportunity: Emphasizes the potential of AI to revolutionize creative workflows and the importance of adapting to thrive in this evolving landscape.

II. Leading Change With Confidence: A Six-Step Approach

• Step 1: Create a Sense of Urgency: This section emphasizes the importance of conveying the need for AI adoption, using data and real-world examples to showcase the competitive advantages of integrating AI.
• Step 2: Build a Guiding Coalition: Focuses on identifying and empowering key team members who are enthusiastic about AI to champion its adoption within the agency.
• Step 3: Form a Strategic Vision: Details the importance of crafting a clear vision that outlines how AI will enhance the creative process, ensuring it aligns with the agency's overall values and goals.
• Step 4: Enlist a Volunteer Army: This section encourages wider team involvement through hands-on experimentation with AI tools in a low-stakes environment, fostering excitement and familiarization with the technology.
• Step 5: Remove Obstacles: Addresses potential resistance to change by proactively addressing fears about job displacement, emphasizing AI as a tool to augment creativity, and providing support through training and open communication.
• Step 6: Generate Short-Term Wins: Highlights the importance of recognizing and celebrating early successes to maintain momentum and demonstrate the tangible benefits of AI integration.

III. Maintaining Momentum & Sustaining Change

• Sustaining the Momentum: This section advises against complacency after initial successes, urging continued expansion of AI applications within the agency to fully realize its potential.
• Collaboration for Success: Emphasizes the value of seeking external expertise and guidance to navigate the complexities of AI integration, offering the author's own consulting services as an example.

RAMP - Using AI to Learn Faster

• AMP and RAMP: Introduces the concepts of "AMP" (amplifying existing skills using AI) and "RAMP" (accelerating learning through personalized information intake), focusing on the latter.

AI - From Article > Podcast > Video (Part 3)

• Reflection on Creative Tools: This section opens with a philosophical reflection on the inherent strengths and weaknesses of different creative tools, emphasizing the time, expense, and capabilities involved in AI integration.
• Runway Workflow Deep Dive: Provides a more in-depth walkthrough of the Runway video generation process, including image selection, camera movement settings, and lip-sync generation.
• Final Video Assembly: Briefly mentions the next step of compiling the individual video clips in a preferred video editing software (Adobe Premiere, CapCut, etc.) and synchronizing them with the original podcast audio.

RAMP - Using AI to Personalize Learning

• Timestamp Integration: This section builds on the previous post, detailing the use of timestamps in NoteGPT transcripts to create clickable links that jump to specific points in the YouTube video.
• Manual Timestamp Creation: Explains how to manually create timestamp links for YouTube videos by converting the desired time to seconds and adding it to the URL.
• Benefits for Learners and Educators: Highlights the advantages of timestamp integration for both learning and teaching, enabling quick access to relevant content and enhancing the value of video resources.

AI's Role in the Future of Design

• Design as Outcome, Not Just Aesthetic: This section summarizes key takeaways from a conversation between Brian Collins, a design leader, and Chris Do, emphasizing the shift from aesthetics-driven design to outcome-focused solutions.
• Transformation Over Branding: Highlights Collins's perspective on the transition from traditional branding to transformation design, helping companies adapt to cultural shifts and stay ahead of the curve.
• Community, AI, and Business: Touches upon the importance of fostering community through dialogue, acknowledging the transformative impact of AI on design, and the need for designers to develop business fluency.

Adobe Illustrator > Adobe Firefly for Image Mockups [ Tennis! ]

• Generative Vectors in Adobe Illustrator: This section demonstrates the use of Adobe Illustrator's Generative Vectors feature to create basic shapes and compositions for a tennis-themed image mockup.
• Structure References in Adobe Firefly: Explains the use of exported PNG files from Illustrator as Structure References in Adobe Firefly to guide the AI image generation process.
• Prompt Engineering and Iteration: Shows how refining the image prompt and incorporating specific details, such as camera angles and lighting, can lead to more compelling and desired results.