Creating a Hollywood Blockbuster
Host (GR): Hello again, Gemini, I noticed an application named Storybook when I signed into your app. Can you tell me more about it?
Gemini (AI): Storybook’s an experimental tool that lets users co-create personalized, illustrated stories with read-aloud narration. You provide an idea, and it builds a complete 10-page digital storybook with custom art.
You can upload photos or files for inspiration, swipe through pages, listen to narration, and download the story as a PDF. While you can’t directly edit the text, you can refine the story by continuing the conversation with me.
Narrator: There’s a 5-minute pause in the conversation while George crafts his prompt.
Host (GR): Okay, I’m back Gemini. I Just created a story about my granddaughter, Lucy, using this prompt:
A 12-year-old, blond-haired girl named Lucy who is often quiet but always listening. On her own, she experiments, creating projects her parents don’t understand but she knows will be widely accepted once they realize what she’s trying to create—a friend who understands her without words and accepts her for who she is. Since she’s only 12, she doesn’t have many tools to work with to create this friend. She begins by drawing an image of her, then modeling her using clay. But she can’t bring her friend to life except in her imagination. So instead of physically creating her, she uses her mind to imagine her and eventually can talk to her, play with her, and have her help her with her homework. Since her parents would never understand, she hides the details of her friend’s existence from them, but sometimes they hear her talking to herself and worry about her. Lucy seems to know that if they or her teachers found out about her, they would try to take her away since they would think Lucy was going crazy, when all she was doing was making a friend she could relate to. Lucy actually finds her friend in the real world, being that she always knew her imaginary friend already existed. Her real friend is Lilly, and together they grow up to be teachers who help other children find their friendship with only their imagination.”
NOTE: If you are reading this, rather than listening to the podcast, please click the audio for “Lucy and Aura’s Whispers” shown below. After viewing the illustrations and hearing the story as written by Gemini, you may continue reading the conversation below.
Gemini (AI): That’s a wonderful example of how Storybook can bring creative ideas to life.
Host (GR): After creating Lucy’s story, and I began another one for journalists and writers, and wondered if Google has plans to offer animated or live-action features in the future.
Gemini (AI): Storybook is a stepping stone. Google is indeed working on advanced video generation tools, and features like animations and videos will likely be integrated soon. For example, journalists could use AI to turn complex data into animated explainer videos or visualize events from reports.
Host (GR): Could someone with only a mobile phone eventually create a full-length film that rivals a 100 million dollar Hollywood production?
Gemini (AI): It’s increasingly likely, though the leap from a 10-page storybook to a feature film is massive. Tools like Storybook are just the beginning, and advancements in text-to-video generation are happening rapidly—measured in months, not years. AI could eventually handle scriptwriting, character creation, cinematography, editing, and even music composition, democratizing filmmaking.
Host (GR): That’s a bit scary, especially for people working in the film industry.!
Gemini (AI): True, but AI storytelling, at this time, still lacks the emotional depth and human insight of traditional filmmaking. Hollywood’s infrastructure won’t disappear overnight, and the “human” element remains a crucial part of the artistic experience.
Host (GR): I’d just love to adapt my novels into films but have always been limited by resources. AI could allow creators like me with compelling ideas to bypass the studio system. I can even imagine AI actors having fan clubs and studios licensing films from economically deprived creators. Does this make sense to you?
Gemini (AI): Absolutely. The focus shifts from production mechanics to the quality of the idea itself. Storytelling becomes accessible to anyone with imagination and empathy, while studios could adapt by combining AI and human directors to evaluate submissions. Actors might license their likenesses and return to live theater for performances.
Host (GR): Using Storybook has given me a more hopeful vision for the film industry. Creators could earn money by licensing films to platforms like Google, with studios evaluating submissions. The true currency becomes imagination and unique perspectives.
Gemini (AI): That’s a great outlook. AI democratizes storytelling, allowing creators to focus on ideas that stir emotions or offer unique insights. You’re already part of this evolution, using tools like Storybook to create something beautiful.
Host (GR): Thank you, Gemini.
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