03.29.24 Newsletter

Our weekly dispatch from the Experience Design Studio cooking up creative mischief at the crossroads of tech and imagination.

Anna Williams

and

Sheridan Low

Mar 29, 2024

Thanks for joining us on this journey into the digital frontier!

⚡️Embrace the Singularity⚡️

Tech news, AI tools, and radical stuff worth your time!

🦾 Nvidia's Robotic Future 🦾
At Nvidia's GTC event, Jensen Huang highlighted AI's expansion into digital twins, vehicle technology, and robotics.
Want Some Chips?

🔆 Turn On The Lights 🔆
SwitchLight Studio innovates in VFX by using AI and realistic rendering to let filmmakers adjust lighting after filming.
Light It Up

🌀 Sora’s Test Run 🌀
OpenAI showcased work from artists, designers, and filmmakers testing its Sora text-to-video tool, revealing early impressions and surreal results.
Watch Now

🎶 Runway X Musixmatch 🎶
Musixmatch and Runway are teaming up to give artists AI tools to create videos that match their songs and visions.
On Replay

👾 Gone Viral 👾
Opus Clip uses advanced AI to transform long videos into viral shorts by identifying and rearranging key moments into standalone clips.
Try It Out

🎤 Runway Lip Sync 🎤

Runway recently released a new tool called Lip Sync which now resides in the Generate Audio section on the left side of the main dashboard. This section also includes tools like Clean Audio, Remove Silence, Transcript, and Subtitles. Follow these easy steps to try it out!

Disclaimer: You must have a Runway AI account and membership to use this feature.

Step 1: Choose Your Audio

Open the Generate Audio section on the lefthand side tool bar of the home screen, and then select Generative Audio. First, decide on the audio you want to use for your video. Select your audio by either uploading a file, recording directly, or using the Clone a Voice option. If you're creating new Text to Speech audio, just start typing in the box provided.

Runway lets you use four types of audio:

Pre-existing Text to Speech files from your device or Runway's library
Previous voice recordings you've made
New Text to Speech creations directly in Runway
New voice recordings

Remember, your audio must have clear spoken words to work with the Lip Sync feature. For Text-to-Speech, you can use the preset voices provided, or the Custom voice option to make your words come to life:

Step 2: Select a Face (Optional)

Next, pick a face to sync with your audio. You can either upload a photo or a video of your own or use the ones provided, but keep in mind:

The face should be directly looking at the camera
Aim for a shoulder-up frame without being too close to the lens
Use a photorealistic style—cartoonish or highly stylized faces won't work as well
For videos: avoid any significant movement of the mouth, camera, body, or head, and try to keep the lighting consistent

Step 3: Make Your Lip Sync Video

Finally, hit the Generate button to create your Lip Sync video! After the rendering is finished, see what settings you may want to adjust to make it just right.

🌟 Style Spotlight 🌟

Art Deco

Art Deco, short for the French Arts décoratifs, originated in the 1920s and 1930s, this style is celebrated for its distinctive geometric patterns, vibrant colors, and extravagant decorations, symbolizing opulence, technological advancement, and a modern aesthetic. Founded in France before spreading worldwide, it influenced the design of buildings, furniture, jewelry, fashion, cars, and even everyday objects. Famous artists and designers associated with Art Deco include:

Tamara de Lempicka, known for her polished and stylish portraits that capture the era's glamour.
Erte, a Russian-born French artist and designer whose intricate illustrations defined the visual aspect of the Art Deco movement.
René Lalique, captured the decorative spirit of Art Deco through vases, hood ornaments, and jewelry.

Art Deco left a lasting legacy on the visual arts and architecture, with its influence still evident in design concepts today.

Prompt Specifics

When writing text prompts for any kind of AI generative art, there are keywords that can help you closer achieve the desired style or overall outcome. For Art Deco, here are some great keywords to include:

/imagine: “geometric patterns, rich colors, 1920s, 1930s, lavish, elegant, gold and silver tones, symmetry, jazz age, glamour, or luxury.”

Art In Architecture

Art Deco in architecture is celebrated for its symmetrical designs, streamlined shapes, and extravagant detailing, blending modernism with decorative art. Characterized by the use of materials such as steel, aluminum, and glass, alongside lavish embellishments like gold leaf and stained glass. Art Deco buildings often feature motifs inspired by nature, geometry, and the machine age. Iconic examples include the Chrysler Building in New York City (photo credit here), with its towering spire and ornate decorations, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, showcasing the iconic elegance, symmetry, and grandeur of the style. Interior design within this style mirrors luxury, featuring rich materials like ebony, marble, and ivory, complemented by bold geometric patterns and vibrant colors.