Heading to the wild, wild west for the FIA End of Year creative
Every year, we’re privileged to support our local fundraising community by designing the creative for the Fundraising Institute of Australia’s iconic End of Year party.
We always wait with bated breath to hear what theme they have planned. From sparkles and rainbows to disco – we have embraced every challenge over the years. And this year was no different. When the theme of “Wild, Wild West” landed on our desk, we knew we had to pull out all the stops to bring the creative to life. And with a modern twist.
Rethinking the Wild, Wild West for the 21st century
Our first task was to interrogate the brief, which inspired us to use our creativity, and a new technology, to create an engaging video that would be impossible to scroll past. While the Wild West evokes images of saloons and gun duels, we wanted a fresh approach. We knew we needed to keep the tone fun and light-hearted. So, we asked ourselves,"what does the ‘Wild West’ look and feel like in today’s context?” When the team came together to discuss what had been some of the big turning points of 2023, and how they could be reflected into our theme, we immediately thought: AI.
Generative AI: a new kid in town
Generative AI technology has been a real disruptor in 2023. And it’s set to revolutionise the way we work. With the boom of AI this year, we found parallels between today’s untamed technological frontier, and the lawlessness of the Old West. This insight drove our creative vision of the Wild West, fit for 2023.
From there, we drew inspiration from iconic moments in classic Western movies. The quintessential scene of a dust-blown main street in town, lined with saloons, general stores, and classic clapboard buildings would set the stage for a dramatic showdown between two characters to settle a score, once and for all.
A SCENE FROM THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, DIRECTED BY SAM RAIMI, 1995
This led us to our concept of “The Final Showdown,” a nod to both the Wild West, and the hot competition in the fiercely contested FIA Awards, where the finalists are announced at the End of Year party.
Creating a new digital frontier
Our next task was to build a world fit for a showdown. Our creative team explored multiple AI tools before landing on DreamStudio. It gave us the stability and consistency we needed to create a layered world that we could bring to life through animation. We exported the landscapes generated in DreamStudio and transferred them to Photoshop. Photoshop allowed us to seamlessly extend the streetscapes, so we had room to pan our camera when moving into animation.
USING AI TO EXTEND THE STREETSCAPES AND CREATE OUR WORLD
Developing realistic characters
As fundraisers, we are committed to ethical, authentic storytelling and accurate representation. That meant confronting AI’s limitations. Because AI has been “trained” using biased data sets, our initial character experiments in DreamStudio were very much stuck in the era of shadowy Wild West stereotypes lacking the diversity and nuance we sought. Interestingly, we also learned that when it comes to facial expressions and hands, AI still has a lot of work to do. At present, the technology lacks the subtlety we needed to achieve the right tone. In other words, it still very much needs the human touch!
INITIAL CHARACTER EXPERIMENTS IN DREAMSTUDIO REINFORCED WILD WEST STEREOTYPES AND LACKED THE DIVERSITY AND NUANCE WE SOUGHT
Because of our commitment to realism, we decided to licence stock images (first ensuring the models had been paid for their images), and giving us the ability to choose a more diverse and realistic set of characters.
USING STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED A MORE DIVERSE AND REALISTIC SET OF CHARACTERS
Harnessing the magic of moviemaking
We had a pivotal animation sequence to capture, where a hand hovers dramatically over a belted buckle, and lifts to reveal a party popper in hand, instead of a gun. This proved to be too difficult an ask for AI, so we turned to a green screen and live footage to bring this motion to life.
USING A GREEN SCREEN AND LIVE FOOTAGE TO CREATE PIVOTAL SEQUENCES
AI: a tool, not a replacement
Our experimenting and testing the boundaries of AI was illuminating throughout and the learnings at each stage proved to be invaluable.
During the initial ideation stage, this new technology really expanded our creative horizons, and the possibilities of what we could achieve on a small project with a minimal production budget.
“Generative AI’s greatest potential is not replacing humans; it is to assist humans in their efforts to create hitherto unimaginable solutions.”
– Harvard Business Review, July–August 2023, page 64
As our Design Director, Bo Tam, reflects, “I think without AI we wouldn’t have entertained the idea of doing this video. Before this point in time, it wouldn’t have been possible. And you know Henry Ford’s old saying, ‘Ideas are of themselves extraordinarily valuable, but an idea is just an idea. Almost anyone can think up an idea. The thing that counts is developing it into a practical product.’ I feel AI has unlocked enormous potential for us now.”
However, the essence still lies in our creative art, and our judgment. As our Designer Andrew Levancini explained, “One of the big problems with how people are using AI now is that it’s often so obvious and heavy handed. It’s kind of a joke and is used for memes. This piece of work is successful because the use of AI is not so obvious. I was a bit sceptical using it at the start. I’ve realised it can’t do everything, but it’s a powerful ally that can improve my workflow.”
As our Digital Lead Lucia sums it up: “Our motto at Tone has always been ‘bring it on! Let’s test it. If it works, let’s continue.’ I think it’s always important to try something new and be open to new technologies. But use them with a discerning eye, finding the right tool and process that will work for you and your company.”
In our world of designing for good, it’s not just about meeting the brief, but about capturing imaginations, creating a buzz, and using creativity to shine a spotlight on our cause. Happily, our clients agreed that we achieved that:
“Tone Studio are always so helpful to work with, it’s fair to say we had a loose concept and trusted them implicitly to make the vision a reality! The brief was Wild, Wild West – something that we have all seen so many times before, however with Tone’s skills and vision the finished product was more than we could have hoped for – using techniques and styles that not only said ‘Wild, Wild West’ but also embodied it! We’re so excited for the EOY party, and these graphics will make sure everyone else is too!”
– Katie Badman, FIA Committee
So please, dust off your cowboy boots and saddle up for an unforgettable evening! Let’s celebrate the past, present and future at this year’s FIA event:
THE FINAL CREATIVE
And finally, a special thank you to my co-Director Sean, who commits the team’s time and resources towards these creative experiments each year.
Vanessa McCarthy is the Founder and Director at Tone Studio and specialises in branding and identities. If you found this post helpful, we would be grateful if you shared this with a friend or colleague. Thank you.
Heading to the wild, wild west for the FIA End of Year creative
Every year, we’re privileged to support our local fundraising community by designing the creative for the Fundraising Institute of Australia’s iconic End of Year party.
We always wait with bated breath to hear what theme they have planned. From sparkles and rainbows to disco – we have embraced every challenge over the years. And this year was no different. When the theme of “Wild, Wild West” landed on our desk, we knew we had to pull out all the stops to bring the creative to life. And with a modern twist.
Rethinking the Wild, Wild West for the 21st century
Our first task was to interrogate the brief, which inspired us to use our creativity, and a new technology, to create an engaging video that would be impossible to scroll past. While the Wild West evokes images of saloons and gun duels, we wanted a fresh approach. We knew we needed to keep the tone fun and light-hearted. So, we asked ourselves,"what does the ‘Wild West’ look and feel like in today’s context?” When the team came together to discuss what had been some of the big turning points of 2023, and how they could be reflected into our theme, we immediately thought: AI.
Generative AI: a new kid in town
Generative AI technology has been a real disruptor in 2023. And it’s set to revolutionise the way we work. With the boom of AI this year, we found parallels between today’s untamed technological frontier, and the lawlessness of the Old West. This insight drove our creative vision of the Wild West, fit for 2023.
From there, we drew inspiration from iconic moments in classic Western movies. The quintessential scene of a dust-blown main street in town, lined with saloons, general stores, and classic clapboard buildings would set the stage for a dramatic showdown between two characters to settle a score, once and for all.
A SCENE FROM THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, DIRECTED BY SAM RAIMI, 1995
This led us to our concept of “The Final Showdown,” a nod to both the Wild West, and the hot competition in the fiercely contested FIA Awards, where the finalists are announced at the End of Year party.
Creating a new digital frontier
Our next task was to build a world fit for a showdown. Our creative team explored multiple AI tools before landing on DreamStudio. It gave us the stability and consistency we needed to create a layered world that we could bring to life through animation. We exported the landscapes generated in DreamStudio and transferred them to Photoshop. Photoshop allowed us to seamlessly extend the streetscapes, so we had room to pan our camera when moving into animation.
USING AI TO EXTEND THE STREETSCAPES AND CREATE OUR WORLD
Developing realistic characters
As fundraisers, we are committed to ethical, authentic storytelling and accurate representation. That meant confronting AI’s limitations. Because AI has been “trained” using biased data sets, our initial character experiments in DreamStudio were very much stuck in the era of shadowy Wild West stereotypes lacking the diversity and nuance we sought. Interestingly, we also learned that when it comes to facial expressions and hands, AI still has a lot of work to do. At present, the technology lacks the subtlety we needed to achieve the right tone. In other words, it still very much needs the human touch!
INITIAL CHARACTER EXPERIMENTS IN DREAMSTUDIO REINFORCED WILD WEST STEREOTYPES AND LACKED THE DIVERSITY AND NUANCE WE SOUGHT
Because of our commitment to realism, we decided to licence stock images (first ensuring the models had been paid for their images), and giving us the ability to choose a more diverse and realistic set of characters.
USING STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED A MORE DIVERSE AND REALISTIC SET OF CHARACTERS
Harnessing the magic of moviemaking
We had a pivotal animation sequence to capture, where a hand hovers dramatically over a belted buckle, and lifts to reveal a party popper in hand, instead of a gun. This proved to be too difficult an ask for AI, so we turned to a green screen and live footage to bring this motion to life.
USING A GREEN SCREEN AND LIVE FOOTAGE TO CREATE PIVOTAL SEQUENCES
AI: a tool, not a replacement
Our experimenting and testing the boundaries of AI was illuminating throughout and the learnings at each stage proved to be invaluable.
During the initial ideation stage, this new technology really expanded our creative horizons, and the possibilities of what we could achieve on a small project with a minimal production budget.
“Generative AI’s greatest potential is not replacing humans; it is to assist humans in their efforts to create hitherto unimaginable solutions.”
– Harvard Business Review, July–August 2023, page 64
As our Design Director, Bo Tam, reflects, “I think without AI we wouldn’t have entertained the idea of doing this video. Before this point in time, it wouldn’t have been possible. And you know Henry Ford’s old saying, ‘Ideas are of themselves extraordinarily valuable, but an idea is just an idea. Almost anyone can think up an idea. The thing that counts is developing it into a practical product.’ I feel AI has unlocked enormous potential for us now.”
However, the essence still lies in our creative art, and our judgment. As our Designer Andrew Levancini explained, “One of the big problems with how people are using AI now is that it’s often so obvious and heavy handed. It’s kind of a joke and is used for memes. This piece of work is successful because the use of AI is not so obvious. I was a bit sceptical using it at the start. I’ve realised it can’t do everything, but it’s a powerful ally that can improve my workflow.”
As our Digital Lead Lucia sums it up: “Our motto at Tone has always been ‘bring it on! Let’s test it. If it works, let’s continue.’ I think it’s always important to try something new and be open to new technologies. But use them with a discerning eye, finding the right tool and process that will work for you and your company.”
In our world of designing for good, it’s not just about meeting the brief, but about capturing imaginations, creating a buzz, and using creativity to shine a spotlight on our cause. Happily, our clients agreed that we achieved that:
“Tone Studio are always so helpful to work with, it’s fair to say we had a loose concept and trusted them implicitly to make the vision a reality! The brief was Wild, Wild West – something that we have all seen so many times before, however with Tone’s skills and vision the finished product was more than we could have hoped for – using techniques and styles that not only said ‘Wild, Wild West’ but also embodied it! We’re so excited for the EOY party, and these graphics will make sure everyone else is too!”
– Katie Badman, FIA Committee
So please, dust off your cowboy boots and saddle up for an unforgettable evening! Let’s celebrate the past, present and future at this year’s FIA event:
THE FINAL CREATIVE
And finally, a special thank you to my co-Director Sean, who commits the team’s time and resources towards these creative experiments each year.
Vanessa McCarthy is the Founder and Director at Tone Studio and specialises in branding and identities. If you found this post helpful, we would be grateful if you shared this with a friend or colleague. Thank you.