Without formal training, a young creator turns to AI filmmaking, transforming personal dreams into a widely viewed historical short film.

With sweeping war scenes, detailed character design, and cinematic visual effects, the short film Huo Qubing looks like the work of a professional studio. But in fact, it was created by a young Wuhan-based team using AI tools in just 48 hours.

Released in February, the film quickly drew attention for its high production quality, challenging the common perception of AI-generated content as crude or low-grade. Centered on Huo Qubing, a famed general of China's Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), it also resonated with viewers interested in Chinese history and culture.

"The heroic image of the young general is deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people, triggering a strong sense of cultural identity and national pride," said Yang Hanhan, the project's lead creator."For overseas audiences unfamiliar with Huo's story, the film's unique oriental aesthetics and grand visual style highlight the progress of China's AI technology."

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Yang's path into filmmaking is unconventional. She graduated from the Xinghai Conservatory of Music with a degree in musical performance and later earned a master's in Marxist theory from Chongqing Normal University. In other words, she has no formal background in film or television.

"My creative passion is what drives me," she said.

Yang has loved writing and storytelling since childhood and has always dreamed of making films. In the past, however, her lack of professional training made that dream feel out of reach — until she discovered AI.

She began experimenting with AI video tools in early 2025, initially using them to promote Wuhan's iconic dish, reganmian (hot dry noodles). Her first video attracted only a few hundred views, but she wasn't discouraged and continued to explore the possibilities of this new medium.

"I see AI as a way to break down the high barriers of traditional filmmaking, allowing ordinary people to become directors through strong ideas and compelling content," she said.

Seeing the long-term potential of AI-assisted creation, Yang founded her own studio in June 2025.

She noted that while conventional filmmaking typically requires substantial investment in equipment, sets, lighting, actors, and funding, AI tools can generate images from simple prompts in a matter of seconds, enabling faster and more cost-efficient production.

According to Yang, her team completed Huo Qubing with computing costs of only about 3,000 yuan ($439.97).

However, she emphasized that although AI has made production more accessible, creating high-quality work still requires both technical and artistic expertise.

"We need to understand the capabilities of AI models, keep up with rapid technological updates, and adapt quickly to them," she explained. "That's how we ensure our work stays at the forefront of the industry."

During production, the team encountered challenges such as inconsistencies in characters and scenes. To address these issues, they optimized their workflow for newer models and, when necessary, relied on traditional post-production techniques to manually refine the images.

While embracing new technology, Yang also stressed the importance of traditional filmmaking skills.

"We strictly control lighting, camera movement, composition, and emotional expression in every frame, following professional production standards throughout," she said.

Her team also created original music and sound effects to enhance realism and reduce the sense of artificiality.

Yang's experience reflects broader changes in the film and television industry.

According to DataEye, an industry analytics platform, China's AI comic drama market was estimated at 16.8 billion yuan in 2025.

Yang sees AI as both a driver of innovation and a complement to traditional filmmaking. "For genres like fantasy, science fiction, and adaptations of historical classics, AI has clear advantages. It can easily create magnificent scenes and special effects at a much lower cost," she said.

These include large-scale battle scenes, time-travel visuals, and other complex settings that would otherwise require substantial resources.

However, she noted that AI still falls short in areas such as subtle emotional expression and nuanced dialogue — areas where human actors remain essential.

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Yang also pointed to the growing potential of digital doubles, which could significantly expand human actors' output and commercial reach.

"In the past, an actor could only appear in a few productions each year, but a digital double could take on hundreds of works," she said.

Even so, Yang believes human creativity remains at the heart of storytelling.

"AI cannot truly distinguish between what is beautiful and what is dull, nor can it tell which stories genuinely resonate with audiences," she said.

Looking ahead, Yang hopes to continue exploring the intersection of technology and storytelling by producing a series of short films based on Chinese historical figures such as Yue Fei, Xin Qiji, and Hua Mulan, bringing their stories to a wider audience.

Contact the writers at liukun@chinadaily.com.cn