For the release of the brilliant AI short ANIMALZ made by 2 humans : AI Beyond Frames and Illumediasudio. We discussed with one of it’s author Simone Bocchino, an early Shaike adopter, about his work and vision on AI filmmaking.
INTERVIEW – AI Beyond Frames (Simone Bocchino)
1) ANIMALZ is a shocking film questioning the position of humans towards animals. What was your purpose when you came up with the idea ?
From the outset, “Animalz” was meant to challenge deeply ingrained assumptions: what if animals held dominion over humans, not the other way around? I wanted to invert the gaze, provoke empathy, and expose power structures through cinematic tension. Drawing from my visual-first style, I used minimal dialogue and immersive imagery to force the viewer into an embodied experience of alienation and ethical reversal.
2) You talked to SHAIKE about this project a few month ago, as you were looking for collaborators to create it. Seems like you found the perfect match.
That’s true. Early on, I did reach out to SHAIKE to explore possible collaborations for “Animalz“, and the platform was instrumental in helping me shape my thinking around the project. But ultimately, I chose to create the film with my best friend and long-time creative partner, Luca Ontino. With a project as ambitious and emotionally charged as “Animalz“, I needed someone who could fully share and understand my vision and Luca was the perfect match.
We challenged ourselves to build everything from the ground up, just the two of us. That meant not only writing and directing the story, but also generating the visuals, animating them, editing the film, grading the colors, designing the sound, and composing the original score. Every step, from production to post-production, including audio engineering, mixing, and mastering, was handled between us.
Luca is a genius. His sensitivity, technical mastery, and deep sense of aesthetic make him more than just a collaborator, he’s my ideal partner for any project. I couldn’t imagine creating “Animalz” with anyone else.
3) AI filmmaking is a new art but mostly lonely if we compare it to traditionnal filmmaking. An idea, a computer, and something incredible can come to life. Is it important to exchange and collaborate with other artist when creating ambitious projects ? How does that feed your creativity?
Collaboration is essential, especially in AI cinema. While creating in isolation with your own tools is empowering, true ambition flourishes when ideas cross-pollinate. Working with other artists exposes you to new prompt styles, compositional approaches, and unexpected aesthetic decisions. It’s these dialogues, forums, feedback sessions, festivals, co-creators that unlock richer worlds and emotional depth. Community prevents echo chambers; it pushes you beyond your personal loop and recharges your creative perspective.
4) How do you see the future of AI filmmaking evolve in the upcoming month and years ?
Honestly, it feels like we’re just scratching the surface. Right now, most AI films are either experimental or visually driven, but I think that’s going to change fast. In the next few months, we’ll start seeing more creators push for real stories, with emotion, structure, and character development, because the tools are evolving and people are getting better at using them with intent, not just curiosity.
The real breakthrough will come when we stop thinking of AI as a novelty and start treating it like a natural extension of our creative process, like a new kind of camera, or a virtual studio. I think the line between roles will blur even more: filmmakers will become editors, sound designers, writers, animators… and vice versa. Small teams will be able to make films that feel as rich and polished as major productions, because AI helps close the gap between imagination and execution.
The future of AI filmmaking is fast, collaborative, a bit chaotic but incredibly exciting. And it belongs to the ones who are willing to explore without a map.
5) Finally, you are one of the founding members of SHAIKE, can you tell us your point of view in the platform.
As a founding member, I see SHAIKE not just as a platform, but a movement toward legitimizing AI cinema as serious storytelling. It’s a space where creators become “Shaikers”, where your work isn’t just uploaded, it enters a conversation with global peers and audiences. The platform’s curation, peer recognition, and discovery mechanisms elevate high-quality AI narratives, giving projects like “Animalz” visibility, critique, and credibility. SHAIKE is rewriting how AI film gets made, shared, and appreciated, making it sustainable, communal, and artistically intentional.
Simone is one of the voices shaping the future of AI cinema, discover more of his work here : https://shaike.ai/shaiker/ai-beyond-frames/