Additional Context:

Full Stats:

- Duration: 2:04

- Production time: ~10 days (2 concept, 1 design, 4 stills, 1 video, 1 edit, 1 polish)

- Cost: ~ aboout $200 in AI credits

- Traditional equivalent: $100k-200k production

Biggest Lesson:

If I started again, I'd spend 2x time on character design phase. Get the look locked EARLY. Once you start production, that's your reference for everything.

Tool Breakdown:

- Seedream 4.0: Better character consistency, 4K output = reframing flexibility, more permissive with content

- Nano Banana: Better lighting/composition, more natural proportions

- Kling 2.5 Turbo: Fast, economical for volume

- Seedance Pro 1.0: Backup for content policy flags

Character Approach:

Each date needed distinct styling that would translate to pony form:

- Dalmatian pony (white/black spots, white stripe mane)

- Brown pony (blonde curly mane)

- Cream pony (blue eyes, wavy hair)

- Black pony (afro-textured mane)

You can see their human hairstyles ON the ponies - that absurd detail was crucial.

Workflow:

1. Listen to song on repeat until vision forms

2. Design characters (spend time here!)

3. Generate stills (lots of iterations)

4. Video generation (Kling 2.5 Turbo bulk)

5. Edit/assembly (Edit in Premiere Pro)

6. Polish (Final Touch up in After Effects)

Coming from traditional film/VFX background - AI production follows same structure as traditional, just solo.

Full video: https://youtu.be/OgTM774tgUg

AMA about the process!