Modern Workflow: How We’re Embracing AI as a Studio
3 minute read…
The use of AI has become somewhat of a controversial topic, but as a studio of curious creatives we couldn’t help but try it out ourselves. This year we’ve been exploring the ways it can be a useful tool in our work flows across all areas of our practice; design, business development, photography and copywriting.
Me (Lauren), Designer:
I’ve been using Midjourney to explore image creation; primarily looking at architectural and interior concepts inspired by modernist principles and philosophies. I made an instagram account called Fake Houses which doesn’t shy away from the fact that the images are not human-made and are often flawed. I also pair the images with nonsense human thoughts (that probably only I find funny) to further make light of it all. AI is a huge technological advancement and of course a serious topic in the creative industries; but it can also serve as a fun creative outlet that enables us to execute ideas we otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
I’ve also explored the creation of portraits and editorial imagery as well as created custom brand mock ups to showcase concepts. Additionally, I use ChatGPT for grammar and spell checks when I write. It’s almost like having an editor that ensures I can provide the best reading experience possible.
Fake Houses by Lauren
Tebo, Client Director:
For me, ChatGPT is helping curate posts for my LinkedIn page, usually accompanied by GIFs or visuals that show a snapshot of a particular project, helping illustrate the point that I'm trying to drive home - it's been a game-changer. For a platform like LinkedIn, it helps me organise my thoughts and ideas ensuring that they are clear, concise and logically structured, given the fact that my natural inclination is to say ALOT. It helps me express concepts that may be complex if you sit outside of the creative world, in a straightforward manner.
Of course, in my role as a Client Director, I have found that embracing AI tools has massively helped with time efficiency. I have been able to focus on other, more important aspects of my work such as networking and engaging with my connections. Practically, we can all use help with grammar and writing style, engagement, editing and proofreading. All of which has been improved by the use of AI.
Studio Experiment:
What might the future Unfound Studio HQ look like?
Concepts created on Midjourney
Keith, Photographer:
As a photographer, integrating AI-powered tools into my workflow has helped refine my skills and enhance my productivity. Applications like Lightroom and Photoshop have become a critical part of my creative process. These tools offer key AI benefits such as removing unwanted elements from images at the click of the mouse.
In Photoshop I am able to change the sky with the sky replacement feature which transforms the mood and aesthetics of a photograph, regardless of the weather on shoot day. While the new generative tool opens up a whole new world of possibilities for artistic expression. The skin smoothing tool in Photoshop enables me to elevate an image by precisely retouching the skin of the person in the image, ensuring a flawless and professional finish to portraits.
Another AI tool I use when working with a high volume of images is the Narrative app, which aids in the culling process by identifying images with superior focus and open eyes. This feature accelerates the selection process, providing me with greater control over the final output. The involvement of AI-powered tools within my creative process has not only streamlined my workflow but has also elevated the quality and efficiency of my photographic work.
Image by Keith for vaabs, retouched using AI
Joey, Copywriter:
As a copywriter, I'm mainly using AI as a research assistant, one that gives me a super quick context and top-level understanding of topics — I can then dive deeper into particular areas that I need to know about. AI language models also give me a deeper understanding of tricky grammar and punctuation questions. They really help me to interrogate these fundamentals, going beyond just accepting Grammarly suggestions to provide a rationale for usage.
I sometimes ask ChatGPT to give me 20 starters for a line or use it as an icebreaker for a writing session. I play a game (only writers would enjoy, really) I like to call 'swot v bot', where I try to come up with the best, most 'human', strapline for a situation. ChatGPT really helps me get there quicker, often by discounting anything it comes up with.
With great power comes great responsibility... With such accurate and lightning-quick output from AI, it's important not to get lazy and rely on it — AI language tools could easily become a fast-filling pool spouting homogenous robotic copy, with complacent copywriters struggling to stay afloat with their own writing skills. Sounding ideas out loud verbally, with real people, to make sure they don't sound artificial is a must always, whether that idea has originated in your head, or has been inspired by an AI-generated line.
Oh and one more thing for tone of voice — sometimes I'll get ChatGPT to write a line or lead message in a tone of certain celebrities or well-known figures, to stress test a particular tone of voice. It's a good exercise to quickly inject fun, authority, mystery etc, whatever the tone of the person you choose is. Did I think it could be used in that way? How does it sound if so-and-so says it? It really is a quick way to consider personality in writing. With such a clear tone, Ryan Reynolds is a particular go-to.
Fake Houses by Lauren
Through experimentation as a studio we’ve found that, as a whole, AI provides a lot of positives that are exciting to us. We’ve been able to streamline our processes, elevate our work and have fun with it. However, all the output above requires our input, as experts and creatives - we still have to get out there and take the photo, before we retouch it. Ultimately, we see AI as an engaging tool that can work alongside us, not against us.
Disclaimer: only pure human genius was involved in the writing of this article.
