Following the release of its new generative AI video production model, Sora, OpenAI has revealed a series of short films which took advantage of the technology.

Sora’s realistic depictions of mammoths and cityscapes took the internet by storm when it was first released, and studios have already adopted the technology to rapidly take ideas from conceptualisation into creation.

The videos range in subject matter, from advertisements to fake animal documentaries, to music videos.

Creators cite different reasons for adopting the technology, saying its advantages in development speed, as well as budget constraints are already creating fast fans.

“As great as Sora is at generating things that appear real, what excites us is its ability to make things that are totally surreal,” remarked Walter Woodman, a co-creator a “Air Head” which is shared below. “A new era of abstract expressionism.”

Sora for artists and filmmakers: https://t.co/Ysx3rGElxt pic.twitter.com/VJtnXk2E6U

— Greg Brockman (@gdb) March 25, 2024

And the short films seemed to truly embrace the surreal – Air Head follows a person with a balloon for a head, and Beyond Our Reality, created by Don Allen Stevenson III, creates animal hybrids thriving in their natural environment, including the girafflamingo and the bunny armadillo.

But this creativity was not the only reason people were excited to use Sora.

“Working with Sora is the first time I’ve felt unchained as a filmmaker” Paul Trillo, a director who used Sora said, citing his liberation from timelines, budget constraints, and people’s expectations and permission.

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Budget constraints were cited by several artists featured in OpenAI’s blog post which shared some initial use cases of Sora.

This could, however, stoke continued fears from artists, authors, actors, designers, and crew workers who have already fought against AI’s use in the arts, most notably in the Hollywood Actor’s strikes of 2023.

The technology does remove several barriers from production, and can take prompts as simple and as unrealistic as two dogs hosting a podcast and turn it into an actual video.

While the technology is certainly impressive, the choice of using indie filmmakers to showcase the technology’s prowess is a calculated one. The implications of Sora will be far-reaching, for better or worse.