Aha! Concepts × Daniels By Design · AI short film · 3:34
WATCHER
An osprey watches Prince George's County, Maryland, from late afternoon to first light. The pictures are AI-generated. The voice, sound, edit, and grade are human.
AI video production
AI video production, directed by filmmakers.
AI commercials, short films and trailers made by filmmakers. The pictures can be generated; the story, voice, edit, sound and grade are made by people. Our AI work has won three Golds and a Silver at the 2026 MUSE Creative Awards.
AI video production done right.
Aha! Concepts is a creative studio run by filmmakers, and AI video is one of the things we make. We use generative AI to make pictures that would be too costly, too slow or impossible to film, then finish every project by hand: the story, the voiceover, the edit, the sound design and the color grade.
Our AI work has won three Golds and a Silver at the 2026 MUSE Creative Awards: WATCHER, an AI short film about an osprey over Prince George's County, and Gold Miner's Daughter, an AI book trailer set in 1960 Alaska. The Emergency, an AI commercial for CaptureDC, shows the same approach in a 43-second spot.
We are based in the DMV and work with brands, agencies and authors anywhere. AI projects do not need a shoot day, so location is never a limit.
What we make
- 01
AI commercials and ads
Cinematic spots and social-first creative, like The Emergency for CaptureDC.
- 02
AI short films
Story-driven films like WATCHER, with a human narrator and a hand-built sound mix.
- 03
Trailers and launches
Book, product and campaign trailers, like Gold Miner's Daughter.
- 04
Shots you could not film
1960 Alaska, a wild osprey over a river, a burning building: places and moments too costly or impossible to shoot.
Selected work
CaptureDC · AI commercial · 0:43
The Emergency
When disaster strikes, your team still needs headshots. A spot for CaptureDC's on-location headshots across the DC metro area.
Rick Steeby · AI book trailer · 1:00
Gold Miner's Daughter
A trailer for a novel set in 1960 Chicken, Alaska, made entirely with generative AI.
“I am so blown away by what Anfon created for my book.”
“Great narrative and nice use of AI, but great call not to use AI for the VO.”
“The project hits home for me as a proud Prince George's resident.”
Like what you see? Let's make yours.
Start a projectHow it works
- 01Story first. We write the script and the visual rules before generating a single frame.
- 02Design. Look, light and characters are locked and checked against reference.
- 03Generate. Every shot is directed, selected and rejected by a filmmaker.
- 04Finish by hand. Human edit, voice, sound design, mix and color grade.
Good questions
What is AI video production?
Using generative AI to create the pictures for a film, while filmmakers direct the story, the edit, the voice and the sound.
Is any of it real?
The places can be: WATCHER was built from reference gathered across real locations in Prince George's County, Maryland. The narration in our films is a human performance.
Does AI video look fake?
It can. We hold every shot to written rules for light, camera and look, and cut anything that breaks the spell.
Has your AI work won awards?
Yes. WATCHER won two Golds and a Silver, and Gold Miner's Daughter won Gold, at the 2026 MUSE Creative Awards.
Can you mix AI with live-action footage?
Yes. We are filmmakers first, so a project can use cameras, AI or both.
What can you make with AI video?
Commercials and social ads, short films, book and product trailers, explainer scenes and shots that mix with live-action footage.
Do you use real voice actors?
Yes. Our films use human narrators and voice talent. WATCHER was narrated by Michael Taliaferro.
Who owns the finished video?
You do. We deliver finished files for your channels, and we talk through usage for any music or voice talent up front.
Is AI video right for every project?
No. Some stories need a camera and real people. We are filmmakers first, so we will tell you honestly which tool fits.
Do you work outside Washington, DC?
Yes. AI projects are produced in our studio, so we work with clients anywhere. For mixed projects we film across the DMV.