Motion designer/director João Vaz Oliveira explores how AI tools fit into the creative pipeline by reworking his original pitch boards for the Netflix series Ripley into a spec title sequence full of shadows and intrigue.

“In early 2024, I collaborated on the Ripley pitch with Elastic director Duncan Elms. Our concept (which was not selected) was based on the environments and details surrounding the main character, with his mindset of manipulation, ego-centrism, and mystery, grounded in social class, morality, and consciousness.

“After watching the show, I felt inspired to take the title concept further and explore new visual possibilities. To do this, I took my original pitch frames and animated them using AI, combined that imagery with my own footage, then refined everything in post-production to ensure a cohesive result.
 

“This experience helped me understand both the strengths and limitations of AI, reinforcing the idea that, when used correctly, it can be a valuable complementary tool in the creative process.”

 
“I’ve always been curious about AI’s potential and I saw this as an opportunity to experiment with it as a creative tool — to test its capabilities and see how it could be integrated into a real production workflow. I used Superstudio from Kaiber for AI, along with various rendering models such as Luma, Kling, and Runway.

“One of the main challenges was finding the right balance, making sure the AI-generated visuals blended naturally with the real footage. To achieve this, I tested different generation approaches, carefully selected and refined the best frames, and adjusted colors, textures, and motion in post.

“The final result is a mix of traditional and experimental techniques that, in my view, fits perfectly within the show’s universe. This experience helped me understand both the strengths and limitations of AI, reinforcing the idea that, when used correctly, it can be a valuable complementary tool in the creative process.”
 
 
Original pitch board “A”

 
Final frames of the new spec titles

 
Director: João Vaz Oliveira

Music: Jeff Russo (from Ripley)