Collaboration with creatives has been part of our approach to Flow since day one, and in September we started a pilot program called Flow Sessions. We welcomed a group of talented artists from different backgrounds and levels of technical experience to explore how our AI filmmaking tool Flow could evolve their creative workflows. We offered unlimited access to Flow as well as mentorships and workshops, and these artists have developed incredible short films over the past two months.
As our first Flow Sessions cohort comes to an end, here are the three key takeaways from working with this group:
1. Embrace the mindset of an instructor
Creative tools are only as powerful as the artists who use them; with any project, intention and vision. The artists leveraged Flow with a director’s mindset, focusing on story, character development, cinematography, and being open to surprises as they unfolded. “The magic happens when you bring your own vision, art direction, storytelling and point of view to guide [Flow] — that’s where something really original emerges,” says one of the participating artists, Leilanni Todd. “It’s less about replacing creativity and more about expanding the ways you can express it.”
2. Lean into curiosity – technical know-how is not a barrier
“The people who shape what’s next aren’t the ones who know the most — they’re the ones who are brave enough to experiment,” says another Flow Sessions artist, Alex Naghavi. Our artists came from all levels of technical experience, but we found that the key to their success was curiosity and a willingness to try something new. “This is one of those rare moments in creative history where no one has all the answers,” adds Alex. “Lean into that uncertainty.”
3. Tell your untold stories
Flow Sessions gave artists the chance to tell stories that felt deeply personal and that they had been thinking about for years. For example, the artist Chris Carboni had recorded a series of interviews with his grandmother several years ago before she passed away. In one of them, they talk about scary movies, and she tells delightful (and loose) details about her favorites. By juxtaposing high-end visuals with humorous storytelling, the film became a precious digital heirloom that captures the love of their relationship. Artist Katie Luo also reflected on family relationships in her visual poem “The Sun Returned.” Inspired by her recent visit to her grandparents in Taiwan, Katie used Flow to transform real photographs from her trip into dreamlike scenes that explore the nuances of intergenerational love across cultural and language barriers.
We recently started our second cohort of Flow Sessions and can’t wait to see what these artists dream up and where they take Flow from here. Try Flow at flow.google.