HARDWIRED

I started this project with one clear goal: to push an animation style as far as possible while grounding it in a world that feels lived in. A futuristic Tokyo cyber city, dense, layered, and a little rough around the edges, drawing inspiration from Total Recall, Ghost in the Shell, and Judge Dredd. My background as a comic book illustrator shaped how I approach storytelling through composition, mood, and atmosphere, and that foundation eventually led me into filmmaking. This project feels like a natural extension of that path, and I approach it the same way I would any film, thinking in shots, blocking, and intention rather than isolated images. These tools aren’t the starting point for me; they’re part of a larger pipeline. I begin with sketches and character design, build out the world and assets, then construct scenes with cinematic camera language, lighting, sound design, and final compositing to keep everything cohesive and grounded. Tools used (Gen AI): Higgsfield platform Kling, Nano, Flux, Seedance, Veo, MiniMax, Wan Only a few shots used Kling 3.0, as most of the project was completed before its release. I’m excited to revisit the work and refine the workflow further. This project sits at the intersection of illustration, filmmaking, and emerging technology, using new tools to support classic storytelling instincts.