Drag the playhead — still vs. take
Álvaro Grillo — AI Filmmaker · Seville, Spain
Directed, not prompted.
Commercials, product films and consistent characters — from idea to final cut. Every frame approved before it moves.
Seville, Spain · Working remotely, worldwide · Replies within 24 h, Mon–Fri
2412 stills from 6 real projects
Films, ads, characters and logos — every frame directed by me. No stock footage, no invented clients.
Music film · 21:9 · 0:28Riders on the StormThirty seconds back to the neon nights of Need for Speed Underground 2.
Short film · 16:9 · 0:27The Pirate’s LawHis ship is going down. Time to face the consequences.
AI character · 9:16 · 0:09Joe — Car driftA drift through Shibuya Crossing.
Product campaign · 9:16 · 0:10AI model, real productsEl Alumbrao, an accessories brand from Spain. No photoshoot.
Ad spot · 16:9 · 0:05SurfTwo surfers waiting for the wave.
AI character · 9:16 · 0:08Coddy — NatureOne character, the same face from shot to shot.
Logo animation · 9:16 · 0:04TWINFINA logo reveal, set on fire.
Logo animation · 9:16 · 0:03Airsoft clubFrom a starting image to a logo in motion.
Riders on the Storm · 21:9 · 0:05Take 07A single take. Every shot was approved as a still before it moved.
The Pirate’s Law · 16:9 · 0:10Take 3A single take from the short film.
AI character · 9:16 · 0:07Joe — Eyes inA push-in all the way to the iris.
AI character · 16:9 · 0:06Coddy — Time stopOne continuous take in Brooklyn.
Music film · 21:9 · 0:28 · Personal project
Riders on the Storm
Thirty seconds back to the neon nights of Need for Speed Underground 2.
Drag to explore · click any clip to watch it with soundSwipe to explore · tap any video to watch it with soundClick any still to watch it with sound
03 — Process · Case 01
Six steps. Three sign-offs. Nothing moves until you’ve seen it.
For everyone who grew up on Need for Speed Underground 2: thirty seconds back to those nights of neon, music and engines.
The real pre-production board · in English · PDF, 5.8 MBOpen the full pre-production board (PDF) →
Skip the process →
Step 1 of 6 Approved here
Before anything is generated: who it’s for, what it should make them feel, and what they should do after watching.
The briefRiders on the Storm
Whoanyone who grew up on Need for Speed Underground 2
Feelneon, music, engines
Dogo back to those nights
Approved ✓
Board · Zone 1 — ConceptOpen PDF ↗
Step 2 of 6
References set the light, the camera and the rhythm. Nothing gets copied.
7 colors pulled from the frames · 21:9 · night · rain · neon
Board · Zone 2 — ReferencesOpen PDF ↗
Palette · pulled from the frames
#0D0F14#2A3A44#99AE9E#E08253#E679DD#82D0DE#C0362C21:9NightRainNeon
Step 3 of 6
First the car and the street are built and seen from every angle, so every shot matches the next.
Car · 6 exterior + 6 interior views — Street · 6 angles
The car · exterior · 6 views
The street · 6 angles
Master shot
Reverse shot
Side (signs to graffiti)
Opposite side (graffiti to signs)
High angle, master
High angle, reverse
Board · Zone 3 — Visual DNAOpen PDF ↗
Step 4 of 6 Approved here
Every shot starts as a still. It gets approved before it moves.
234 stills generated → 33 kept
234 stills generated → 33 kept
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16Step 5 of 6
Then comes motion. For every take you see, others didn’t make the cut.
24 takes → 13 in the cut
Shot 03 · Close-up on the nose — the approved still │ the take
Step 6 of 6 Approved here
AI doesn’t edit. Rhythm, color and sound are decided in the edit suite, in DaVinci Resolve.
15 shots planned · 13 in the final cut · 0:28
Timeline · Riders on the Storm
09Shot 09 · Tail-light detail · 0:00.0 to 0:01.601Shot 01 · Wide, front · 0:01.6 to 0:03.916Shot 16 · Wide interior · 0:03.9 to 0:06.103Shot 03 · Close-up on the nose · 0:06.1 to 0:08.513Shot 13 · The console and the vinyl · 0:08.5 to 0:10.912Shot 12 · Close-up on the controls · 0:10.9 to 0:13.215Shot 15 · Mid shot: amp, vinyl and sleeve · 0:13.2 to 0:14.414Shot 14 · Dashboard detail · 0:14.4 to 0:15.610Shot 10 · High angle from behind · 0:15.6 to 0:17.804Shot 04 · Low three-quarter, lights on · 0:17.8 to 0:19.902Shot 02 · Wide, front three-quarter · 0:19.9 to 0:22.805Shot 05 · Wide profile · 0:22.8 to 0:23.707Shot 07 · Wide, rear three-quarter · 0:23.7 to 0:28.7Cut points approximate · shots 06 and 08 didn’t make the cut
Music: “Riders on the Storm” — The Doors feat. Snoop Dogg. All rights to their owners. Personal project · fan tribute, not affiliated with Electronic Arts.
04 — Case 02 · AI short film
AI short film · 16:9 · 0:27 · Personal project
As his ship goes down, a young pirate wonders where it all went wrong. All that’s left is to face the consequences.
Three takes that flow into each other without a cut — from the helm to the kraken.
The real pre-production board · in English · PDF, 3.4 MBOpen the pre-production board (PDF) →
05 — By the numbers
86%
of the stills generated for these two films were never approved.
06 — Characters
Digital influencers and brand characters, designed from scratch and locked in a visual bible — so they can front a campaign, a film or a feed and always look the same. Coddy and Joe are two examples.
One character, any world
The outfit designed piece by piece, the accessories and the streets. Once they’re locked, he looks identical in every shot.
LayersBrooklyn · frame 05
Final frameFrame 05
In motion
07 — Brand & product
Product campaign · AI model
An AI-generated model wearing El Alumbrao’s real products, with its logo on the end card.
“Design that lights up traditions.” El Alumbrao’s motto
Ad spot · Commissioned
Two surfers waiting for the wave: eight frames, generated and chained, then the shot in motion.
Product stills
Accessories designed for a character’s outfit, shot as AI product stills in the same look.
01 / 03
08 — Logos
For intros, outros and stories. Any still can move too: a product shot, a poster, a photo.
TWINFIN Former studio brand (archive)
The original logo, brought to life three ways: fire, sand, glass.
MTK Airsoft club · design + animation
From a starting image to three logo proposals — then the chosen one, in motion.
Original logoInput · 1:1 still
FireReveal · 9:16 · 0:04
Sand & waveReveal · 9:16 · 0:03
GlassReveal · 9:16 · 0:04
Starting imageInput · 1:1 still
Three proposals3 stills · 9:16
Animation 1Logo in motion · 9:16 · 0:03
Animation 2Logo in motion · 9:16 · 0:03
Every project starts with a short brief and a fixed quote.
A fully AI-generated film with a story, a world and characters that hold from shot to shot.
Request a quoteWhat’s included
Timing~2–3 weeks from board approval
Ask about this →The ad you can’t shoot, built from your real product or space.
Request a quoteWhat’s included
Timing~7–10 working days from board approval
Ask about this →A custom character for your brand. Same face in every shot, wearing your real products.
Request a quoteWhat’s included
Timing~5–7 working days
Ask about this →Your footage leads. AI adds the shots you couldn’t film.
Request a quoteWhat’s included
Timing~7 working days from receiving your footage
Ask about this →Your logo — or any product shot or photo — brought to life.
Request a quoteWhat’s included
Timing~2–3 working days
Ask about this →AI music videos · Creator-style UGC ads · Pitch films for agencies
Let’s talkTimingQuoted per project
Ask about this →Studio-grade work without agency overhead. Every project gets a fixed quote — scope, rounds and delivery date — before work starts.
ExtrasExtra aspect ratios · Subtitles in other languages · AI voice-over · Campaign stills (packs of 5 or 10) · 48-hour rush — ask for a quote.
Not sure which one fits? Email me →Starring Your brand.
Email meWhat brands usually ask before the first email.
Something else? Email me →It depends on the piece. As a guide, counting from when you approve the board: logo and still animations take 2–3 working days, commercials 7–10, and brand films 2–3 weeks. Got a hard deadline? Tell me in your first email.
It depends on the length, the number of shots and how much has to be built from scratch, so there’s no price list here. Send me a short email (or we jump on a quick call) and you get a fixed quote — scope, revision rounds and delivery date — before any work starts. No hourly billing, no surprises.
You get full commercial use of the final video — every channel, paid ads included, worldwide, with no expiry. To be straight with you: purely AI-generated material may not be protected by copyright anywhere. What I can guarantee is that I only use tools whose terms allow commercial use of what I generate, and that I pass that use on to you in full.
Often, yes. In the EU, realistic AI-generated content must be disclosed since 2 August 2026 (AI Act, Art. 50), and New York requires disclosure for synthetic performers in ads. YouTube, TikTok and Meta have their own labels too. I deliver every piece label-ready. (This isn’t legal advice.)
Two rounds on the final cut. Most changes happen earlier, at the board and keyframe stage, where they’re quick. Extra rounds are quoted separately.
That’s the goal. I work from your real product photos and you approve every keyframe before it moves. Small print and fine labels are the hardest thing for AI to hold, so we plan the shots around them from the start.
Yes. Each character gets a visual bible — face, style, wardrobe — and every shot is built from it. Coddy and Joe are two examples.
Yes. That’s the hybrid format: your footage leads, and 3–5 generated shots add what you couldn’t film.
A short brief: what it’s for, who it’s for, where it will run and when. Plus your logo, brand guidelines and clear photos of any product from several angles. References you love are welcome; I’ll turn them into the board.
Yes to both. Agencies are welcome, including white-label work that goes out under your name.
50% to start and 50% on delivery, by bank transfer. I invoice in euros from Spain as a registered freelancer; whether VAT applies depends on where your company is based.
Seville, Spain (CET/CEST): one hour ahead of London, six ahead of New York. I overlap with UK and EU working days and with US East Coast mornings.
Seedance, Kling and Nano Banana Pro for images and video, AI voice when the project needs it, and DaVinci Resolve for editing, color and sound. The tools change every month. The method doesn’t.
12 — Contact
Got an idea that can’t be shot?
Tell me what you’re launching. I reply within 24 hours, Monday to Friday.
No deck needed — tell me the idea and I’ll tell you honestly if AI is the right way to make it.
Seville In working hours
My working hours are 10:00–19:00 in Seville, Monday to Friday.
Your time
