The Making of 404

Creating 404 was both an experiment and a labor of love. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to use generative AI video not just as a tool, but as a storytelling partner—pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in short-form cinema while exploring deeply human themes of empathy and acceptance.

I began by conceiving the original story, then co-wrote the script with ChatGPT. The collaboration gave me a foundation, but much of the magic came from improvisation. While generating shots, I found myself tweaking dialogue and jokes on-the-fly, leaning heavily into timing—because in satiric comedy, timing is everything. The moments where a digital actor unexpectedly “nailed” a line or delivered the perfect expression left me laughing harder than anything else during production.

The heart of the project was Google’s new Veo 3, which I used for all generative video sequences. Achieving the right look was a process of relentless iteration. I spent countless hours refining my text-to-video cinematic prompts, working to achieve not only high levels of realism but also character continuity from scene to scene. In total, I generated over 500 unique shots before I had the footage I needed.

Once the visuals were complete, I brought everything into Final Cut Pro X for editing and sound mixing. This stage was as much about rhythm as it was about structure—building moments of levity and resonance while honoring the emotional weight of the story. To craft the score, I turned to Suno, an AI music app that allowed me to blend prompts with the emotional context of each scene. The result was a musical landscape that elevated every moment without overpowering it.

In the end, 404 became more than just a short film—it was a true hybrid of human creativity and emerging AI tools. Every shot, every joke, and every beat of music was built through this collaboration, proving that even in a digital space, storytelling can remain deeply, unmistakably human.