production

My Take on Sora: It’s More Than Just “Sorta” Impressive

The buzz around OpenAI’s Sora, their text-to-video generator, has definitely caught my attention. The idea of creating videos from simple text prompts is genuinely exciting, and I can see the huge potential this technology holds. However, from my perspective, it’s important to temper that excitement with a dose of reality. While the pre-release demos were visually stunning and showcased some incredible creative possibilities, I think it’s crucial to understand the full picture.

SORA offers a REMIX, where you can “replace, remove, or re-imagine” elements in your video.

What I’ve noticed is that, much like the early days of text-to-image generators like DALL-E, Sora seems to require a lot more than just a simple text prompt to produce truly compelling results. The videos shared by filmmakers weren’t just magically generated from a single sentence. From my understanding, they involved a significant amount of pre-production planning, careful crafting of prompts (what some are calling “prompt engineering”), likely iterative refinement of generated clips, and almost certainly a good deal of post-production work – very much like a traditional film production. This reminds me of the “shot on iPhone” campaigns. While the iPhone camera is undoubtedly capable, those commercials benefit from professional lighting, sound design, editing, and direction—elements that are often overlooked when we see the final product. We tend to focus on the “point-and-shoot” aspect and forget about the expertise and effort that goes into making something truly polished. It’s this “quick jump to the end” mentality that I think needs to be addressed.

Sora, in its current state, is more “sorta” capable than fully realized. It’s a very impressive starting point, no doubt, but I believe achieving truly innovative and creative outcomes will require much more than just a basic prompt. It will demand a deep understanding of visual storytelling, composition, and all the nuances of filmmaking. It’s a tool with immense potential, but it’s not a magic bullet.

That said, I don’t want to diminish Sora’s potential. I understand that the model is expected to improve dramatically as more people use it and provide feedback, which contributes to its ongoing training. This is a key aspect of these large language models and generative AI in general. The more data they are exposed to, the better they become at understanding and responding to user input. I also know that access is currently granted through OpenAI’s subscription plans, with the Plus plan at $20/month and the Pro plan at $200/month, which I assume allows OpenAI to gather data and refine the model based on user interactions. This iterative process is crucial for Sora to evolve from where it is now to a more refined and controllable creative tool.

The future of AI video generation is very promising, but it’s important to be realistic about the current capabilities and the work required to fully unlock its potential. I think the real magic will happen when human creativity and AI capabilities work together in a collaborative way.

No, we aren’t talking about the country Egypt, rather the incredibly talented television, radio personality, author, speaker and home space expert, Egypt Sherrod.

Nothing like a trip to Hot-lanta in the middle of winter to keep you warm and fuzzy. Chris Valentino directed Egypt in a series of new promo materials for HGTV and the Cider Company. Once again shot by long-time collaborator, DP Mike Falasco, the promo campaign was a delight to work on.

Egypt is a passionate professional who always brings her a-game to the set. It was a fun time working with Egypt (she has some serious dance moves). Check out her show on HGTV!

Jason Cameron knows a thing or two about landscaping. This Licensed Home Improvement Contractor, Finish Carpenter, Personal Trainer, Writer, Actor, TV Personality and Fitness Model was a joy to work with and brought a lot of laughs to the set. (Thankfully, he left the sledgehammer at home).

Director Chris Valentino wrapped a promo shoot for DIY network and The Cider Company.

Catch Jason on DIY’s Desperate Landscapes and America’s Most Desperate Landscapes.

It goes without saying that the incredible talent at DIY knows how to have fun. We worked with DIY, The Cider Company and super-nice, award-winning host Scott McGillivray on some new promo campaigns. Chris Valentino directed the shoot for the Cider Company and DIY alongside the DIY design team. This shoot was a blast as it reunited many of our old crew people together at one of our favorite NY area locations. The shoot went incredibly well and we accomplished everything we hoped to. It was a memorable day. Our favorite highlight has to be Scott tossing a sledgehammer to Director, Chris Valentino while he wasn’t looking. Thankfully, Chris’ panther-like reflexes were on point. Lastly, we have to mention the shoot was shot by our talented and lovely DP, Mike Falasco. Kudos and thanks to Kim Bratt and team Cider for another fun assignment.

Producer Director Chris Valentino Scott Property Virgins

Recently Chris Valentino once again collaborated with The Cider Company to direct promos for a fan favorite, HGTV’s Fixer Upper. Having the opportunity to spend a few August Summer days in Waco, TX should be on everyone’s to-do list.

Working with Chip and Joanna Gaines was full of fun and laughter. The HGTV team is a great, collaborative group of creatives who love what they do.

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ChrisValentino, director chris valentino, chip gaines, joanna gaines

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Recently Chris Valentino collaborated with The Cider Company to direct promos for Lara Spencer’s Flea Market Flip. The HGTV show has found its new home as the flagship program for Great America Country, the Scripps family’s latest network addition.

A great time was had by all on location at the Brimfield Antique Show and The Elephant’s Trunk. Both venues offered a look into the past and some truly amazing textures.

Lara is a pro and proved why she is so great at her job. She is passionate, driven and artistic.

Many thanks to The Cider Company and Kim Bratt for the opportunity.

Producer Director Chris Valentino Sunny Anderson, Michael Falaso

We recently wrapped production on a new project that is sure to wet the appetite. The program to be released this fall focuses on diet and nutrition and features some amazing talent. Directed by Chris Valentino with photography by Michael Falasco and Chong Pak, more info to come as we get closer to launch.

>update<<

Here’s the official Press Release for Get Your Full Course. We had a blast working with Sunny Anderson on this campaign.

Janssen Biotech, Inc. and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) announced today the launch of Get Your Full Course, an educational campaign designed to provide resources for people living with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) on the paired role of nutrition and appropriate therapy in managing IBD.

IBD includes the chronic digestive diseases ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease, and affects 1.4 million Americans combined. Get Your Full Course features television host and celebrity cook Sunny Anderson, who is speaking publicly for the first time about her journey with UC.“Having lived with UC for more than 20 years, I recognize the importance of talking more openly about the disease and educating people with IBD that we don’t have to shy away from food because of our disease,” said Sunny. “Food is a big part of my life. I am excited about Get Your Full Course and its focus on helping the IBD community learn about foods we can enjoy that are also rich in the nutrients we sometimes lack due to the way the disease affects the intestines.”Sunny’s recipes and exclusive cooking demonstrations are featured on www.GetYourFullCourse.com. Alongside Sunny, Dr. Lindsey Albenberg, a gastroenterologist from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, lends her expert advice and answers common questions for those living with IBD. In addition, visitors to Get Your Full Course are invited to submit a recipe for, or a photo of, a favorite meal as part of a sweepstakes. All entries will be eligible to receive one of several prizes, including a grand prize to meet Sunny at a local CCFA event.

Researchers are working diligently to improve their knowledge of the relationship between diet, nutrition and IBD. They are specifically focused on examining the effect of bacteria in the gut for patients with IBD. Until these studies are complete, Dr. Albenberg encourages patients to have an open, honest conversation with their doctors to identify foods that could trigger flares and identify a diet and treatment plan to best manage their disease.

“IBD is a condition that varies greatly from patient to patient, but the goals of treatment remain consistent – to achieve remission, and once that is accomplished, to maintain remission,” said Dr. Albenberg. “When IBD is under control, a patient’s diet can be less restricted, so it’s important for patients to work closely with their healthcare team to accomplish symptom control and disease remission. Then, patients can slowly reintroduce foods into their diet to ensure a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients.”

“CCFA is proud to partner with Janssen Biotech, Inc. on Get Your Full Course to help educate the IBD community on the importance of working closely with your doctor to not only get your symptoms under control with appropriate therapy, but also learn how to make nutritious food choices and maintain a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet,” said Laura Wingate, Vice President, Patient & Professional Services for CCFA. “We hope this initiative helps the IBD community learn that while diet does not cause or cure IBD, it can influence symptoms. By working with a healthcare professional, you can determine the individual diet and treatment approach that is right for you.”

Visit www.GetYourFullCourse.com for more information about the campaign.

Bean Creative Labs recently wrapped production on a spot for our friends at JCP. Taking advantage of the warmest day in months here in the NYC area. We headed out to Sheepshead Bay NY to take over (once again) local institution Jordan’s Clam Bar. A little movie magic and the place became our cafe setting for the piece.

Kudos to Team Bean’s Brian Jordan for making the day run smooth.

by Chris Valentino, Partner/ECD

I have had the fortune of working on a number of rewarding film and video projects from independent features to documentaries, talk shows and consumer campaigns. Each project has been its own reward and offered creative and technological challenges that have thankfully proved successful. As a result, I am approached by various industries to produce and direct projects for just about every screen. With each project I am often given a creative objective or marketing task. As with any medium there is no easy answer for execution and rarely do I make the decision alone. There are talented cinematographers and technologists who understand the emerging formats and the advancing post process who I am fortunate to collaborate with. More often than not the process involves me designing a desired result wherein my invaluable crew helps determine the best way to execute it. From a video standpoint there has never been a better time to work in the medium. The technology is within reach of anyone (for better and worse) and you can push creative boundaries to new limits. Unfortunately, as technology is evolving at an ever increasing pace clients are requesting to do more and more for less and less.

Video as a technology offers a specific way to tell a story and spread a message. As it becomes easier and more readily available to produce it creates a very specific problem. I call it the “my nephew can shoot this on his iphone” syndrome. Sure mobile cameras have killed the Flip camera (thankfully), but it doesn’t mean anyone can “point and shoot”. As an artist, (and someone who handed NYU film school a small fortune) I feel a dedication to the craft. Beyond that dedication I carry a weighted responsibility and understanding of the importance of producing video correctly. I could easily discuss the number of clients who have asked to produce videos with flip cameras, over skype or on iphones, however, I still cannot figure out why. Sure it may be perceived as being cheaper, but really? Isn’t audio a major concern in an interview? Isn’t exposure a necessity for capturing the essence of your subject or is silhouette shooting the new art form? There are no shortcuts; there are no cheap avenues without sacrifice. I wish I could call every other vendor and ask them what they are thinking when they say “yes” to these requests. I wish I could speak with every client who is soon saddled with extravagant post expenses to fix their skype or flip footage. The truth is YouTube and our acceptance of America’s Funniest Home Videos has contributed to the breakdown of quality in our industry. (In March Google purchased a tech company to improve quality of YouTube videos which is hopefully a sign of good things to come for consumer quality acceptance.)

I have been asked to meet with companies to talk on this subject. I have been asked to outline my opinions on how to produce a strong video and how to capture a subject in a way that will reach and engage an audience. Each time I have the same response. Do it right, or not at all. If a client is going to spend a dollar on a video they should understand where that dollar is going to go, how it will affect future dollars and how it will impact results.

If a client is looking to shoot video, I ask two questions. The first is “what is the story you want to tell?”. The second is “what else can you capture in that time?”. For example how will still photography enhance the project? How may additional audio extend your campaign? and how will the video be used (not just tomorrow, but a year from now)? It is important to think about not just your desired results, but the greater possibilities for it. There are certain a
spects of video that you can control and it is important that before you begin a project, whether as a vendor or client, that you plan accordingly. Think big, and then allow yourself to proceed with small steps. The problems with many projects result from small thinking and shortcutting expenses without analyzing the impact.

As you embark on your next project take a moment to think objectively. Examine your costs and your desired results, and then think about what else you can accomplish. Lastly, before you unplug the USB charger on your Flip, remember your efforts need results. So, Think Big Picture. In the end tell your story and do it right or not at all.

Captured along the production path.
These are images stolen in the process of finding story.

We are all part of the process; our footsteps marking time.

-cv