Making Monsters with Machines: How I Used AI to Create Horror Scenes (Just for Fun)
As a “artist”, I’m curious to know if I can use AI to create something intriguing to promote my work.
I’ve been experimenting with AI video tools recently, not for work or a big, polished project, but just for fun. Specifically, I’ve been generating short horror scenes and stitching them together using CapCut or other editors. It’s a creative experiment, a nostalgic trip into 80s and 90s horror aesthetics, and an excuse to throw my handmade weirdness into the mix.
If you’ve seen my UglyMugs or PotHead planters, you know I’m not afraid to experiment with weird faces, creepy grins, or just plain horrifying art. So, it made sense to see what happens when I incorporate some of my artwork into horror scenes using AI trained on my own creations. I had written scripts for short trailers and mock movie scripts that involved my UglyMugs causing mayhem and mischief, but finding the time and money to film them hasn’t happened yet. That’s what led me to try this out.
The Reality: Rendering… Re-rendering… and Then Rendering Again
I’d love to say these AI horror scenes came together smoothly, but that would be a lie.
The truth is, I’ve had to render some scenes five, ten, even fifteen times just to get something close to what I envisioned. While the AI is powerful, it’s not always predictable. One prompt might produce a perfectly lit 80s-style horror moment, while the next might result in something resembling a shampoo commercial or a blurry mess with an excessive number of teeth.
Even when I use the same settings and prompt, I get completely different results every time. It’s part of the magic, but also part of the madness.
It’s an ongoing process, and I’m nowhere near mastering it. But there’s something addictive about the chaos. Every now and then, a scene comes out that feels just right — eerie lighting, creepy pacing, and maybe one of my mugs leering in the background like it’s been cursed since 1987.
Ensuring my approach to AI is as a tool, not a replacement for creativity.
I know the idea of using AI especially in art can bring up some deep-seated and sometimes troubling feelings. It’s fair. There’s a lot to unpack when machines start helping with creative work. But for me, this isn’t about replacing anything. I’m approaching AI as a tool, not a shortcut.
Every video I make still needs me as the writer, the editor, the sculptor, and the musician. I compose and record the music myself. I add the voiceovers, the Foley effects, the pacing. The AI might help render a flickering hallway or glowing eyes in the dark, but the story, rhythm, and atmosphere come from years of making weird things by hand and digging it.
So yeah, the AI is inconsistent. It’s frustrating. It takes a gazillion rerenders. But it’s also letting me explore my ideas in a brand-new way, and I’m having fun.
Let me know if you dig it, hate it or whatever!
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