From Rockstar to AI Creator | A Chat with Pika Creative Director Matan Cohen-Grumi
TLDRIn this episode of the Curious Refuge podcast, Matan Cohen, founding creative director at P Labs and a former rockstar, discusses his unique journey into the world of AI and creativity. He shares his experiences with using AI for advertising and storytelling, and how he transitioned from a successful music career to exploring the potential of AI in generating innovative content. Matan provides insights into the creative process with AI, emphasizing the importance of embracing the technology while maintaining a strong focus on storytelling and brand consistency.
Takeaways
- 🎶 Matan Cohen Grummy is a founding creative director at P Labs and has a background in both music and advertising.
- 🚀 AI is being used in various creative fields, including movie scripting, production, and advertising, transforming Hollywood and other industries.
- 🎤 Matan's career began with a rock metal band and transitioned into advertising due to financial challenges as a full-time musician.
- 🎥 Matan's experience in video editing and effects made him well-suited to explore AI in creative content production.
- 🌐 AI platforms like Midjourney allowed Matan to create visually impressive content, which gained significant attention on social media.
- 🎬 Matan's work with AI in advertising started with creating a fake Burger King commercial, showcasing AI's potential in production.
- 🤖 AI's role in traditional production is evolving, with the potential to reduce costs and increase efficiency in world-building and setting the stage for human actors.
- 💡 Matan believes that AI is inevitable and encourages creators to embrace it, learn, and adapt, rather than resist its integration into the creative process.
- 🎭 Storytelling is crucial in AI-generated content, and Matan approaches his projects with a flexible mindset, allowing AI to inspire new creative directions.
- 🌟 Matan's advice for new creators facing negativity is to understand the feedback, focus on improvement, and not be discouraged by criticism.
- 📈 As AI technology advances, it is expected to play a more significant role in traditional production, although the full replacement of human talent is not yet feasible.
Q & A
How did Matan Cohen's background in music and advertising lead him to explore AI?
-Matan Cohen's background in music, specifically being part of a rock band, and later transitioning into advertising due to the financial challenges of being a full-time musician, provided him with a rich foundation in creative expression. His experience in the ad industry, starting as a graphic designer and eventually becoming a TV commercial director, equipped him with a deep understanding of storytelling and video production. When AI technologies like Midjourney emerged, he was fascinated by their potential to revolutionize content creation, leading him to explore AI as a new medium for his creative endeavors.
What was the turning point for Matan Cohen in his exploration of AI for creative purposes?
-The turning point for Matan Cohen in his exploration of AI was when he decided to create a music video for his band's 25th-anniversary song. He spent three days on AI video platforms like Midjourney to create the video, which received a positive response. This experience sparked his interest in AI and led him to experiment further, eventually leading to his work with P Labs.
How does Matan Cohen perceive the role of AI in traditional commercial production?
-Matan Cohen sees AI as a tool that can significantly reduce the time, money, and resources required for traditional commercial production. He believes that AI can be particularly useful for creating high-quality visuals that would otherwise be expensive to produce. While he acknowledges that AI is not yet ready to replace all aspects of traditional production, he foresees a future where AI plays a more prominent role, especially in world-building and setting the stage for human actors.
What advice does Matan Cohen give to new creators who face negative feedback about their AI-generated work?
-Matan Cohen advises new creators to embrace feedback but not to be deterred by negative comments. He suggests understanding the source of the criticism and using it as an opportunity to learn and improve. He emphasizes that AI is inevitable and encourages creators to adapt, learn, and find ways to make their work stand out. He believes that even as AI becomes easier to use, the need for talent to create standout content will remain.
How does Matan Cohen approach storytelling with AI?
-Matan Cohen approaches storytelling with AI by starting with a vision and then iterating through different ideas. He does not follow a traditional scriptwriting process but rather experiments with AI to see where it leads him. He sees the limitations of AI as a challenge and enjoys the process of finding creative solutions within those constraints. His focus is on conveying a story effectively, even if it means changing his initial concept to fit the capabilities of AI.
What is Matan Cohen's perspective on the future of AI in the creative industry?
-Matan Cohen believes that AI will continue to transform the creative industry, making production more efficient and accessible. He envisions a future where AI tools will be integral in world-building and setting the stage for storytelling, reducing costs and enabling more financially viable content creation. However, he also emphasizes that human talent and creativity will still be essential to produce standout work that resonates with audiences.
How does Matan Cohen handle the limitations of AI in his creative process?
-Matan Cohen views the limitations of AI as part of the creative process. He approaches AI with an open mind, allowing it to inspire new ideas and directions that he may not have initially considered. He does not get frustrated by the limitations but instead sees the iterative process of generating multiple variations as a fun and engaging part of working with AI.
What are some practical tips Matan Cohen has for getting the most out of P Labs' AI tools?
-Matan Cohen suggests using P Labs' AI tools to generate multiple variations of a concept, embracing the iterative process, and not getting frustrated if the initial results are not perfect. He also highlights the importance of understanding the limitations of AI and managing expectations when working on AI projects. Additionally, he recommends using the retry and carousel features on P Labs' platform to speed up the workflow and generate a wide range of ideas quickly.
How does Matan Cohen maintain his creativity and focus?
-Matan Cohen maintains his creativity and focus by taking breaks, going outside, and giving himself time to do nothing. He believes that creative people need downtime to let ideas surface naturally. He also mentions the strategy of 'walk, water, window' to help reset his brain and regain focus when needed.
What are Matan Cohen's thoughts on the importance of storytelling in AI-generated content?
-Matan Cohen believes that storytelling is the most important component in AI-generated content. He sees it as a challenge to convey a story within the limitations of AI and finds the process of figuring out how to tell a story with AI to be very interesting. He emphasizes that even with the ease of AI tools, the skill and intention behind creating outputs that stand out is what makes them art.
What is Matan Cohen's approach to using AI for commercial projects?
-Matan Cohen's approach to using AI for commercial projects involves starting from the beginning with the concept in mind. He advises clients against simply applying AI to an existing idea, as this often results in mediocre output. Instead, he suggests rethinking the concept entirely to leverage AI's strengths and complement the product in a way that traditional methods cannot.
Outlines
🎶 From Rock Star to AI Storyteller
Matan Cohen, also known as grummy, discusses his transition from being a rock star with a 25-year-old band to becoming a leading voice in AI advertising and storytelling. He shares his journey of starting as a graphic designer, moving into video editing and effects, and eventually becoming a TV commercial director. His fascination with AI began with early platforms like Midjourney, leading to his work with P Labs and his exploration of AI in creating commercials and storytelling.
🚀 AI in Advertising and Production
Matan delves into the potential of AI in traditional production, highlighting its cost-effectiveness in world-building and setting the stage for human actors. He discusses the evolution of AI tools and his experiences creating AI-generated content, including a music video for his band and a fake Burger King commercial. Matan emphasizes the importance of managing client expectations and the creative process when integrating AI into advertising projects.
🎨 Balancing AI and Traditional Storytelling
Matan explores the balance between AI-generated visuals and live-action content, discussing the limitations and possibilities of AI in storytelling. He shares insights on how AI can enhance traditional production and the importance of maintaining a strong creative vision when working with AI tools. Matan also talks about his approach to generating stories with AI, embracing the unpredictable nature of the technology.
💡 The Impact of AI on Creativity
Matan and the podcast hosts discuss the impact of AI on the creative industry, including the potential for democratizing creativity and the challenges of keeping up with rapidly evolving AI tools. They touch on the importance of artists leading the charge in AI innovation and the need for creators to experiment with these tools rather than resist them. Matan shares his philosophy on AI's role in enhancing, rather than replacing, human talent in creative work.
🌟 Pika's Creative Direction and Vision
As the founding creative director at P Labs, Matan talks about his approach to developing Pika's brand and creative direction. He emphasizes the importance of making AI accessible and fun for everyone, not just professionals. Matan discusses his strategy for creating engaging and visually stunning content that showcases the capabilities of Pika's AI tools while maintaining a consistent and exciting brand image.
🎥 Practical Tips for Working with Pika
Matan offers practical advice for creators using Pika, focusing on the importance of embracing the iterative nature of AI content creation. He shares his workflow, which involves generating multiple variations of a shot and selecting the best ones. Matan highlights Pika's ability to run multiple prompts at once and the value of using the platform's features to streamline the creative process.
🌈 Reflecting on AI and Personal Experiences
Matan reflects on his experiences in the creative industry, from his time as a rock star to his current work with AI. He shares the excitement of being noticed for his AI creations and the joy of connecting with others in the field. Matan also discusses his approach to overcoming creative blocks and the importance of taking breaks and finding inspiration in everyday moments.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡AI Revolution
💡Creative Career
💡AI Storytelling
💡Hollywood Production
💡P Labs
💡Commercial Production
💡AI Advertising
💡Curious Refuge Podcast
💡Creative Process
💡AI Rockstar
Highlights
AI is being used for scripting, shooting, and producing movies, transforming Hollywood production.
Matan Cohen Grummy, a rockstar turned AI creative, is the founding creative director at P Labs.
Matan's background in rock music and advertising led him to explore AI in creative projects.
AI's role in traditional production is evolving, with potential to replace certain aspects completely.
Matan's experience in video editing and storytelling aids him in creating standout AI-generated content.
AI tools are changing rapidly, and Matan focuses on filtering through new releases to find innovative uses.
Matan's approach to AI storytelling involves starting with a vision and adapting as AI presents new ideas.
AI is not yet capable of fully replacing human talent in creative fields, but it can enhance and streamline the process.
Matan encourages embracing AI tools and experimenting with them, rather than resisting the technology.
AI-generated content is still considered art, as it requires human intention and creativity to produce meaningful work.
Matan's creative process with AI involves generating multiple versions and selecting the best outcome.
P Labs aims to make AI tools accessible and fun for everyone, not just professionals.
When pitching AI to clients, Matan emphasizes the need to rethink concepts from the ground up for AI to truly complement the product.
Matan's advice for working with AI is to embrace the iterative process and generate many options to find the perfect result.
P Labs is continuously working on new features and improvements to enhance the AI creative experience.
Matan's favorite bands include ZZ Top, Eros Smith, Slayer, Pantera, and AC/DC.
Matan's top tip for AI creators is to enjoy the process of generating numerous variations and selecting the best ones.
