From Traditional Filmmaking to AI Animation: Diane Shorthouse’s Journey with Kling AI

Diane Shorthouse describes using Kling AI on the animated feature MINIBOTS while keeping shot design and performance judgment at the center of production. The case shows AI video entering iterative pr

The production approach for MINIBOTS introduced by Diane Shorthouse shifts the focus of AI video generation from “a single prompt” to the decisions involved in actual filmmaking. Having worked in film and television production for 30 years, he says that while using Kling AI to create an animated feature, the first things to determine are the camera’s position, the performance demanded by the scene, and how it connects to the next shot.

The Purpose of a Shot Matters More Than Generation

Generation tools can quickly produce multiple options, but for a scene to function within a film, the character’s eyeline and movement, the lighting, and the spatial relationships within the frame must remain consistent. The fact that even the same character cannot be used if their size or hand shape changes in the next shot shows that making a short piece with a strong impression and maintaining feature-length continuity are different challenges.

The Review Process for AI Animation

In Shorthouse’s work, AI can serve as a tool for reducing filming risks or experimenting with a character’s emotional expression. However, people are responsible for determining which generated options fit the directorial intent and the performance. Efficiency therefore depends less on the number of generations than on the quality of the production pipeline: setting the shot’s goal in advance, then comparing and revising the results.

The Approach Chosen for MINIBOTS

MINIBOTS is an animated feature produced by Toonz Media Group, Evolutionary Films, and others, with Kling AI serving as its technology partner. Michael Ferris contributed to the screenplay, and Tony Bancroft is directing. The production team presents an approach that combines AI tools with human-written stories, human-designed characters, and directorial judgment, defining technology’s role as a controllable production aid rather than automatic completion.

Source: Kling AI interview · Production company project materials · Diane Shorthouse profile