Behind Golden Foster: When Bananas Audition for Glory
I have been asked more than once about how I create what you see. Story first certainly. And once the story is locked in, it’s time to dress it. Early iterations of Golden Foster concepts were fun and really stretched the imagination thinking how I might tell a story with them. It’s one of my favorite parts of the process.
For anyone unaware I create these shorts using generative AI. Gen AI is a beautiful Frankenstein of possibilities. Every generation opens the door to another possibility. The Blind Banana Boys could be jazzy, folk-inspired, and wearing sunglasses. The Carb Collective could be a duo. Every choice branches into fifty more choices.
A focus on emotion and aesthetic should yield an experience for the viewer. Without it, the experience bounces around. Bouncing is great for ideas. Terrible for viewer experience.
Maybe it’s less important with photorealism but with 3D animation and stylized work, you’re asking people to accept a world that doesn’t exist. That requires a more deliberate visual experience.
For Golden Foster, that meant locking into the Crumb Canvas aesthetic while being clear that it was a cautionary tale told with a hint of darkness.
The cautionary tale element expressed itself a little too starkly at first. Although I can imagine a whole other version of the story from these (and I love them too.)
I love that gen AI can help story tellers craft new tales. The sad part of using these tools is, you also see all the stories you don’t get to tell.
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