The general ethos surrounding Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” is steeped in misdirection, malleability, and deception.
The show follows super-spy Nick Fury as he uncovers a plot by the shape-shifting alien Skrulls, who have taken on the form of various humans in an attempt to overthrow the Earth’s governments.
Photo: Marvel
True to the overall feel of the show, Secret Invasion’s opening credits look like a surreal watercolor rending of the key players and themes of the show.
The credits include a discordant, ominous sequence of Skrull Green taking over more and more of the world.
Photo: Marvel
Marvel Uses AI
As it turns out, the intro sequence was designed by Method Studios using artificial intelligence. The prompt used was something akin to “Skrull cubism”.
According to executive producer Ali Selim, the AI-generated intro sequence was specifically chosen as it plays into the very themes of the show.
Photo: Marvel
“When we reached out to the AI vendors, that was part of it. It just came right out of the shape-shifting, Skrull world identity, you know? Who did this? Who is this?” Selim says.
Setting A Tone
Like most of us, Selim admits he doesn’t really understand how AI works. What he soon found out, however, was that the AI could translate the sense of foreboding he wanted for the series.
Photo: Also Marvel
“We would talk to them about ideas and themes and words, and then the computer would go off and do something. And then we could change it a little bit by using words, and it would change.”
Method Studios Responds
Method Studios has previously worked on Marvel shows including “Ms. Marvel”, “Loki”, and “Moon Knight”. The studio insists that “no artists’ jobs were replaced by incorporating these new tools”, In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio explained:
Photo: Also Marvel
The production process was highly collaborative and iterative, with a dedicated focus on this specific application of an AI toolset. It involved a tremendous effort by talented art directors, animators (proficient in both 2D and 3D), artists, and developers, who employed conventional techniques to craft all the other aspects of the project. However, it is crucial to emphasize that while the AI component provided optimal results. AI is just one tool among the array of toolsets our artists used.
The entire process, guided by expert art direction, encompassed the initial storyboard phase, illustration, AI generation, 2D/3D animation and culminated in the final compositing stage.”
Photo: Marvel
While the concept of AI art is a hot-button topic at the moment, with a bevy of concerns behind it, in the case of Secret Invasion Saelim says he was excited about what the AI studio brought to the show.
“It felt explorative and inevitable, and exciting, and different,” he said.
Image Credit: Marvel
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below, and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!
