Скачать или смотреть The Mile High Snub | Curious Refuge Sketch Comedy Contest

#epidemicsound #curiousrefuge #hedra
Can ogre men and women just be friends? Still, hands down, probably my favorite short of the year, and it was made even better with some great music from Epidemic Sound. Check out Yonderlore Episode 4 for the full-length original version. Trimming these down to 90 seconds has NOT been fun lemme tell ya!

*Yonderlore* is a short-form animated fantasy comedy series created by a solo filmmaker using a hybrid workflow: 3D-rendered scenes brought to life with AI-assisted video generation. Every shot is built from hand-posed 3D models, custom lighting, and human-designed sets—**that’s why it puts all of the Midjourney-fueled AI videos and short films to shame!** 😏

Each episode explores the absurdities (and growing mysteries) of a medieval fantasy world that may not be as isolated as it seems. Think of it like an "isekai anime"—but told from the fantasy world's perspective instead of a singular character.

(Did I just spoil something? Maybe. But c'mon—you're not reading this far into the description, right? Besides, I had to use the word "isekai" for SEO reasons. Blame the algorithm. Also: no, an AI didn’t write this. An AI wouldn't admit it misses the 90s and that 1998 was the best year in video gaming. I'm a human. I remember Surge soda. And GeoCities. See? Human verified. ✅)

If you’re curious about how AI tools and human direction come together to make weird storytelling magic, you’re in the right place.

🔔 Subscribe to follow the mystery.
💬 Comment to speculate on the lore.
❤️ Support indie creators using new tools to tell bigger stories.

MY 3D-to-AI ANIMATION WORKFLOW (IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK)
1️⃣ Design your characters and environments in a 3D program (I use Daz Studio--it has a huge asset library, and is easy to use--but any 3D tool works).

2️⃣ Set up your shots — that means lighting, posing, and camera placement for every scene on your shot list.

3️⃣ Render each shot as a still image.

❗ Use a “Start Frame” for basic shots.

‼️Use an “End Frame” if the shot needs movement, emotion, or something more dynamic or *very specific.* Don't leave the AI too much room to interpret what you want to happen.

4️⃣ Animate those images using your favorite image-to-video AI tool.

This is how I do things now—and honestly, it’s only going to get better from here. The more these tools evolve, the more streamlined my workflow will become. This is the worst its going to be.

I genuinely think software like Unreal Engine is perfect for this kind of hybrid AI animation approach. It offers a massive library of assets and delivers great visuals right out of the box. Of course, filmmaking fundamentals still matter—good lighting, smart camera angles, and storytelling are still king—but the barrier to entry is shrinking fast.

It might sound unconventional to animate this way, but I'm an unconventional person.

Is it weird? Maybe.
Is it working? Absolutely.
And I’m not getting any younger—so I might as well have fun while I’m at it.

IN CONCLUSION
Let me set the record straight: traditional animation—frame-by-frame, full character rigs, custom cycles—is still the gold standard. Period. But I’m not a studio. I’m one guy, with a script that includes multiple characters, set changes, dialogue, and action. I simply don’t have the time to hand-animate a single walk cycle for hours on end. I've done that before (and I was very bad at it! 😖)

I’m also an artist, and I’ll be honest—I resented AI at first. I didn’t trust or touch it for years. I thought it was going to take something from me. But the truth? I’ve been more productive with my 3D artwork in the last two months using AI-assisted tools with than I’ve been in the last five years.

This workflow isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about finally finishing things.
It’s not about replacing art. It’s about getting to tell the story.

If you're curious to see the kind of stories I’ve told before AI ever entered the chat, check out my other channel: ⁨ @yonderworks

If I had Disney money, I’d be singing a very different tune. But I’m just a lower-middle-class YouTuber with under 60 subscribers at the time of writing this.

Whether you’re here for the fantasy, the filmmaking, or the tech—I appreciate you.