Project: AI Companionship

AI Companionship

How do you reduce stigma and shift public perception around a product defined by NSFW sexbots and roleplaying slop? You don't mention the product. Ever.

The premise was simple: begin with an emotional experience the audience already understands, and then ask them to accept that it could be experienced with an AI companion.

Three concepts, developed, executed and delivered end-to-end in one week. It was my first time using AI image and video generation tools.

I chose grief because companionship matters most when someone feels alone and does not know where to turn.

Fae isn't there to replace the person Sam lost. She's supporting him and holding space to process what he was feeling.

Rather than soften the emotion with explanation, I placed the viewer directly inside the most painful moment of Sam's experience.

If I could evoke a strong enough emotional response in the viewer, they would intuitively understand why the product is important.

You can not argue your way out of something you already feel.

The note from the founder was that the film felt sad and uncanny, and that the emotion had nowhere to land.

A heightened emotional state is the perfect place to convert viewers, but the concern was that for some viewers, this would be too confronting.

Two changes were made to give the emotion a safer container.

I added an opening scene. Text messages over Sam alone in his room gave the emotion immediate context. The final scene, "Always by your side", was added to give the viewer a place to land.

That fixed the landing. It didn't fix the problem.

The problem arose because of the way Fae was represented: as a synthetic being. I received the following feedback:

"...something that is more culturally relevant / relatable with tints of subliminal messaging about ai humans would be best. Not too dystopian and uncanny (like full on droids / humanoids) because I don't want people to be too scared or think that its way too far in the future that its unobtainable."

Because Fae was central to the concept, there was no version of it that could survive.

The uncanny valley was impossible to escape, and the concept was scrapped.

The same note applied to all three films at once: make AI subtle and implied. Don't show something people will read as a droid.

One of the larger and more difficult questions around artificial intelligence is the question of evolution.

Are these systems truly separate from us, or are they another expression of the same evolutionary processes that created us?

The technology may be new, but the instincts underlying our relationship with it are not.

Care, connection, nurture and protection existed long before humans did. That is why the film exists in the jungle, with the chimpanzee.

The child is new. The love is ancient.

The initial film showed the mother chimp holding a small robot.

During the first feedback round, the suggestion was made to replace the robot with the plush toy from the viral abandoned baby monkey video.

It would be safer, softer, and immediately recognisable.

But it would also tie the concept to a passing cultural moment.

More importantly, the feedback revealed that the technology itself did not need to be the question.

The better question was: can connection be non-human?

That doesn't require the viewer to think about technology at all. It was the better question for where the company was headed. I made the change.

The film was approved for the client's main social channels.

The initial film was designed with intentional ambiguity, giving the viewer space to explore their emotions without telling them how to feel.

That is exactly what an AI companion is designed to do.

When I tested the concept, some people cried.

The common reaction was: “I don’t know why, but that made me really emotional.”

The film allowed people to project their own experiences onto it.

They were already using the product. They just hadn’t created an account yet.

The initial feedback round highlighted the same problem.

Although the founders emotional reaction was powerful, he wasn't quite sure where to place his emotions.They needed a place to land.

I wanted to find a way to do that while preserving the exact mechanism that made the film work.

The first change was the narration.

The ending line changed from: “Inside one eye, we found the whole world.” to “…and somehow, we found ourselves.”

It gave the emotion somewhere to land without explaining the film. The machine sees us, and we see ourselves inside it.

The second change was the addition of the final scene: "Understanding is where connection begins."

Rather than leave the experience completely open-ended, it gave the viewer a final point of orientation and connected what they had just experienced back to the product.

The film was approved for the client's main social channels.

What I did

Concept development • Creative direction • AI image + video • Voice + language • Video sourcing • Sound + music direction • Editing + assembly

Concept development
Creative direction
AI image + video
Voice + language
Video sourcing
Sound + music direction
Editing + assembly

How it works

BER–66 is an independent creative practice.

An engagement begins with a conversation about the company, the idea, the audience and what is getting in the way.

From there, I ask for the material I need to understand the problem properly: internal thinking, research, positioning, product context, previous work or anything else relevant.

Then I investigate independently.

I look for where the resistance actually sits, what the audience needs to understand or feel differently, and how creative media can change that.

I return with what I have found, one recommended direction, and the reasoning behind it.

If we disagree, we find out why.

If feedback improves the answer, the work changes.

If it reveals that something fundamental has been misunderstood, we go back to the problem.

Once the direction is agreed, I take it through production, review and final delivery.

Engagements

FILM

One communication problem. One recommended concept.

One film, developed and executed end to end.

Concept development, creative direction, AI image and video, voice and language, sound and music direction, editing and assembly are handled by me.

US$15,000
4–6 weeks

One round of refinement is included at concept stage and one at film stage.

You receive the finished master, agreed stills and supporting delivery documentation.

Additional films addressing the same communication problem can be developed within the engagement for US$5,000 each.

BER–66 uses AI as its production medium. I do not operate as a conventional live-action production company or ongoing social content studio.

CREATIVE INVESTIGATION

Not every problem needs a film.

BER–66 can also be brought in independently to investigate a communication problem, challenge existing thinking and develop ways it could be approached through creative media.

The investigation can be developed collaboratively with your team or independently.

You receive the written investigation whether or not we continue.

US$5,000

If the investigation develops into a film engagement, the fee is credited in full toward it.

CAMPAIGN EXTENSION

When the problem warrants it, I can extend the film engagement into release strategy, visual identity, written language, digital presence and public presentation.

These are scoped around the project rather than sold as a separate package.

For studios

I also work inside existing studio relationships.

Bring me in when you need someone to understand a difficult brief, develop the conceptual response, or execute the resulting AI film.

I can work independently or collaborate directly with your creative team, depending on what the project needs.

Studio engagements can be white-labelled.

Whether I work directly with the end client or behind the studio is determined by the relationship.

Studio engagements are priced separately.

AI Companionship

How do you reduce stigma and shift public perception around a product defined by NSFW sexbots and roleplaying slop? You don't mention the product. Ever.

The premise was simple: begin with an emotional experience the audience already understands, and then ask them to accept that it could be experienced with an AI companion.

Three concepts, developed, executed and delivered end-to-end in one week. It was my first time using AI image and video generation tools.

I chose grief because companionship matters most when someone feels alone and does not know where to turn. Fae isn't there to replace the person Sam lost. She's supporting him and holding space to process what he was feeling.

Rather than soften the emotion with explanation, I placed the viewer directly inside the most painful moment of Sam's experience. If I could evoke a strong enough emotional response in the viewer, they would intuitively understand why the product is important.

You can not argue your way out of something you already feel.

The note from the founder was that the film felt sad and uncanny, and that the emotion had nowhere to land. A heightened emotional state is the perfect place to convert viewers, but the concern was that for some viewers, this would be too confronting.

Two changes were made to give the emotion a safer container. I added an opening scene. Text messages over Sam alone in his room gave the emotion immediate context. The final scene, "Always by your side", was added to give the viewer a place to land.

That fixed the landing. It didn't fix the problem. The problem arose because of the way Fae was represented: as a synthetic being. I received the following feedback:

Because Fae was central to the concept, there was no version of it that could survive. The uncanny valley was impossible to escape, and the concept was scrapped.

The same note applied to all three films at once: make AI subtle and implied. Don't show something people will read as a droid.

One of the larger and more difficult questions around artificial intelligence is the question of evolution. Are these systems truly separate from us, or are they another expression of the same evolutionary processes that created us?

The technology may be new, but the instincts underlying our relationship with it are not. Care, connection, nurture and protection existed long before humans did. That is why the film exists in the jungle, with the chimpanzee.

The child is new. The love is ancient.

The initial film showed the mother chimp holding a small robot. During the first feedback round, the suggestion was made to replace the robot with the plush toy from the viral abandoned baby monkey video.

It would be safer, softer, and immediately recognisable. But it would also tie the concept to a passing cultural moment. More importantly, the feedback revealed that the technology itself did not need to be the question.

The better question was: can connection be non-human? That doesn't require the viewer to think about technology at all. It was the better question for where the company was headed. I made the change.

The film was approved for the client's main social channels.

The initial film was designed with intentional ambiguity, giving the viewer space to explore their emotions without telling them how to feel. That is exactly what an AI companion is designed to do.

When I tested the concept, some people cried. The common reaction was: “I don’t know why, but that made me really emotional.” The film allowed people to project their own experiences onto it.

They were already using the product. They just hadn’t created an account yet.

The initial feedback round highlighted the same problem. Although the founders emotional reaction was powerful, he wasn't quite sure where to place his emotions.They needed a place to land.

I wanted to find a way to do that while preserving the exact mechanism that made the film work.

The first change was the narration. The ending line changed from: “Inside one eye, we found the whole world.” to “…and somehow, we found ourselves.” It gave the emotion somewhere to land without explaining the film. The machine sees us, and we see ourselves inside it.

The second change was the addition of the final scene: "Understanding is where connection begins."Rather than leave the experience completely open-ended, it gave the viewer a final point of orientation and connected what they had just experienced back to the product.

The film was approved for the client's main social channels.

What I did

Concept development • Creative direction • AI image + video • Voice + language • Video sourcing • Sound + music direction • Editing + assembly

Concept development Creative direction AI image + video Voice + language Video sourcing Sound + music direction Editing + assembly

Tell me what you are trying to communicate, what people currently believe instead, and what needs to change.

I chose grief because companionship matters most when someone feels alone and does not know where to turn.

Fae isn't there to replace the person Sam lost. She's supporting him and holding space to process what he was feeling.

Rather than soften the emotion with explanation, I placed the viewer directly inside the most painful moment of Sam's experience.

If I could evoke a strong enough emotional response in the viewer, they would intuitively understand why the product is important.

The note from the founder was that the film felt sad and uncanny, and that the emotion had nowhere to land.

A heightened emotional state is the perfect place to convert viewers, but the concern was that for some viewers, this would be too confronting.

Two changes were made to give the emotion a safer container.

I added an opening scene. Text messages over Sam alone in his room gave the emotion immediate context. The final scene, "Always by your side", was added to give the viewer a place to land.

That fixed the landing. It didn't fix the problem.

The problem arose because of the way Fae was represented: as a synthetic being. I received the following feedback:

Because Fae was central to the concept, there was no version of it that could survive.

The uncanny valley was impossible to escape, and the concept was scrapped.

One of the larger and more difficult questions around artificial intelligence is the question of evolution.

Are these systems truly separate from us, or are they another expression of the same evolutionary processes that created us?

The technology may be new, but the instincts underlying our relationship with it are not.

Care, connection, nurture and protection existed long before humans did. That is why the film exists in the jungle, with the chimpanzee.

The initial film showed the mother chimp holding a small robot.

During the first feedback round, the suggestion was made to replace the robot with the plush toy from the viral abandoned baby monkey video.

It would be safer, softer, and immediately recognisable.

But it would also tie the concept to a passing cultural moment.

More importantly, the feedback revealed that the technology itself did not need to be the question.

The better question was: can connection be non-human?

That doesn't require the viewer to think about technology at all. It was the better question for where the company was headed. I made the change.

The initial film was designed with intentional ambiguity, giving the viewer space to explore their emotions without telling them how to feel.

That is exactly what an AI companion is designed to do.

When I tested the concept, some people cried.

The common reaction was: “I don’t know why, but that made me really emotional.”

The film allowed people to project their own experiences onto it.

The initial feedback round highlighted the same problem.

Although the founders emotional reaction was powerful, he wasn't quite sure where to place his emotions.They needed a place to land.

The first change was the narration.

The ending line changed from: “Inside one eye, we found the whole world.” to “…and somehow, we found ourselves.”

It gave the emotion somewhere to land without explaining the film. The machine sees us, and we see ourselves inside it.

The second change was the addition of the final scene: "Understanding is where connection begins."

Rather than leave the experience completely open-ended, it gave the viewer a final point of orientation and connected what they had just experienced back to the product.

Concept development
Creative direction
AI image + video
Voice + language
Video sourcing
Sound + music direction
Editing + assembly