"MY JOURNEY IN THE AI WORLD: 10 LINKEDIN POSTS TESTING AI THAT GOT ME A FULL-TIME JOB DOING AI".

At the beginning of 2023, I found myself on autopilot in my role in the VFX industry, trapped in a monotonous loop. Perhaps some of you can relate to the feeling of rinse and repeat, project after project for almost two decades. It was a conflicting time for me. On one hand, I didn't want to step away from the VFX industry, as I truly love the creative and collaborative process. Leaving it behind was never an option. On the other hand, I yearned to try something different, to explore new ideas and innovative approaches. I wanted to reignite the excitement that had originally inspired me to join the industry.

One night, while scrolling through my feed, I stumbled upon the following post by Scott Lighthiser showcasing the use of Stable Diffusion and EbSynth.

Although I had heard of these tools before, I had never seen them used in such a unique manner combined with real footage. I'm a big horror fan so this test of his got me excited about the new potential possibilities for filmmakers.

The curiosity to learn and master these new tools reignited the creative spark within me. Despite being a lifelong Mac user, the allure of discovering something fresh and distinct prompted me to invest in a powerful PC equipped with a NVIDIA RTX 4090 graphics card. This time, I had no excuse to hold back, I was ready to take the leap.

Determined to learn, explore, and experiment with this new technology, I set out to enhance not only my VFX career but also my filmmaking process as a whole. I felt like I was uncovering exciting discoveries every week, in sync with the rest of the world.

The hours I dedicated to self-learning felt effortless. I found myself so immersed in what I was doing that time seemed to slip away.

However, a lingering question persisted: Were there any existing opportunities out there that aligned with this new tech and my skill set?

As I delved into online research, I soon realized that most opportunities related to this technology were geared towards programmers and engineers. The few that required an artistic background were highly specific, focusing solely on beauty work like digital deaging. Yet, my aspiration was to make a global impact in a company with this technology across all departments.

That's when I decided to create my own opportunity. Every week, I started sharing the results of my research by posting AI tests on LinkedIn. I also made sure to include a link to my website at the end of each video for contacting purposes.

My first post featured an aging test of Obi-Wan utilizing Stable Diffusion and Ebsynth, the same tools that had initially inspired me to dive into the AI world.

The video garnered over 158,000 impressions and was widely reposted.

Soon, I began receiving numerous connection requests and private messages from people beyond my usual network. Showrunners, Head of Studios, VFX Supervisors, Angel Investors, CTOs, Deep Learning Engineers, we all shared the same curiosity. We all wanted to learn more about this technology together.

At that moment, I realized I was onto something, and I knew I had to continue pursuing this endeavor.

Over the following weeks, I shared more of my personal tests with AI using various tools. I aimed to create meaningful and compelling content that had potential practical applications in the film and VFX industries. Discord channels became my go-to space for befriending the developers behind the software and apps I was utilizing. Gradually, I became a beta tester for some of the upcoming tools in the AI realm.

Around this time, inquiries about job opportunities in AI, tailored to my skill set, started come in. Many of these opportunities were so novel that they lacked traditional titles and were not publicly advertised. It was all through word of mouth. I consider myself fortunate and grateful to have crossed paths with incredible professionals and new studios willing to take a chance on me during this process.

Ultimately, I accepted a role as an Artificial Intelligence?Creative Director at Boxel Studio, a VFX and animation studio based in Mexico.

It had been 22 years since I left Mexico to come to Canada, and throughout all those years, I hadn't had the chance to work for a company in my home country.

A few years ago, I co-founded a VFX school in Mexico with two of my best friends, who are Compositing Supervisors at ILM and Sony Pictures Imageworks. We recognized the untapped potential of the Latin market and aimed to create opportunities for mentorship. Our goal was always to create a talent pool locally, eliminating the need for aspiring artists to pay exorbitant tuition fees abroad. I'm proud to say that we succeeded, as our graduates now work in prestigious studios worldwide, including Weta Digital, ILM, Image Engine, and others finding opportunities in recognized Mexican companies like Boxel Studio, where I am currently employed.

To my surprise, Boxel Studio opened a new office in Vancouver at the end of last year, eliminating the need for me to relocate. Not only do I have the opportunity to continue exploring this technology and be at the forefront of innovation within a Mexican studio, but I also collaborate with vfx supervisors and department heads. I get the chance to mentor Latin artists to learn and adapt to this new technology, thus propelling the VFX, film, and animation industry in Mexico. Additionally, I get the chance to make some creative contributions to the global goals and vision within the company.

This new opportunity in AI has also opened doors for me in my career as a filmmaker. Recently, I've received support from the Directors Guild of Canada to direct a new horror short film using virtual production and real-time engines, an emerging tech I've longed to explore on the production side.

Moreover, I'm currently overseeing the post-production of the project at Boxel Studio. These learnings and new tools have me excited for the new possibilities that can be achieved if I were to expand this into a longer form as a storyteller.

Reflecting on my journey, I can still recall the early days in my career as a special makeup effects artist, when CGI technology emerged as a hot topic.

While some of my makeup peers felt threatened, I was among the curious ones who embraced it, adapted to it, and acquired a new set of skills. This decision propelled my career forward, opening unexpected doors.

I am hopeful that more companies will embrace these innovative technologies, creating new and exciting opportunities for other creative artists like myself.

What have I learned so far throughout this journey? Be curious, unafraid to reinvent yourself, and create your own opportunities if they don't come to you.