During a recent trip to Tokyo for location scouting on his upcoming film, Oscar-nominated director Mark Gill collaborated closely with digital artist Voltaine to produce a unique music video for the artist OUR FINAL INVENTION. Voltaine brought a visionary approach to the project, using Stable Diffusion AI to transform the video’s raw footage into a mesmerizing blend of modern and historical Japan. Inspired by the book Our Final Invention by James Barrat, which explores the risks posed by unchecked advances in Artificial Intelligence, Gill and Voltaine aimed to reflect this theme of technology’s potential and peril through striking visual effects.
Gill enlisted the help of renowned Japanese actor Asano Tadanobu (Ichi the Killer, Mortal Kombat, Thor) to star in the video. “I asked Asano if he had an evening free to join the project while I was in Tokyo, and he graciously agreed,” Gill said. Shot within three hours on an iPhone 13 Pro, the team captured footage amid the bustling, rainy streets of Shibuya Crossing, with curious onlookers gathering as the scene unfolded.
Once the Tokyo footage was in place, Gill worked with Voltaine to reinterpret it through AI, crafting scenes that send Asano’s character back in time to the Edo Period. By “pointing” the footage at images of Samurai and Kabuki masks, Voltaine’s AI-based artistry transformed the scenes, immersing Asano in a visually captivating journey through time. Additional scenes, filmed in Gill’s Manchester studio, were composited onto the iconic digital screens of Tokyo, creating a seamless blend of contemporary and historical elements.
The result is a surreal, evocative video that bridges the gap between past and present, highlighting themes of identity, technology, and tradition. The track is now available on all major streaming platforms and can be downloaded from Bandcamp.
Editor – Bledar Bujupi
Stable Diffusion AI – Voltaine (FIT DIGITAL)
Colourist – Vanya Tomova
Compositing – Justin Fleming
Camera Asst/BTS – Dahlia Al Janabi
Design – Stuart Mitchell
Producer – Cyril Cadars
Exec Producer – Orian Williams
