Empowering Creators Through AI: Unveiling Latent Potential and Lowering Barriers to Opportunities. A Conversation with Erich Archer. Epi. # 203)

Bio: Erich Archer is a creative executive with 20 years of experience in video production and AI-driven content strategy. As the founder of CGA Creative, Erich specializes in blending cutting-edge generative AI with traditional storytelling to create original branded series and compelling digital experiences. Known for his innovative approach and hands-on expertise, Erich helps brands leverage AI to achieve big-budget production value at a fraction of the cost. 

Summary: In this engaging episode, host Shilpa welcomes Eric, a seasoned AI enthusiast, who shares his journey into the world of artificial intelligence. The discussion covers Eric's exploration of AI tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney, and how they've revolutionized his creative process, enabling him to produce compelling visual and storytelling content. Eric talks about his various projects, including a Ken Burns-style documentary and AI-powered video ads, highlighting the reduced barriers to entry for creators. They also discuss the skepticism surrounding AI, offering practical advice for embracing the technology. The episode wraps up with thoughts on the future of AI in storytelling and Eric's commitment to teaching and empowering others to harness AI tools.

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Eric
00:09 Eric's Journey with AI
01:29 First AI Projects and Learning Experiences
03:33 Empowering Creators with AI
06:36 Balancing a Day Job and AI Side Hustle
07:33 Addressing Concerns and Skepticism about AI
19:03 The Power of Storytelling with AI
24:08 Tools and Techniques for AI Content Creation
25:29 Conclusion and Future Plans

Visit Erich's site: CGACreative.com

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Transcript

[00:00:00] shilpa: Welcome, Eric. 

[00:00:05] erich: Thanks for having me. It's great to be here. 

[00:00:07] shilpa: I'm excited to have you. I was so excited when I read your bio about your AI background and, um, your philosophy around just how you've embraced it and you've been on this path for a while so I thought without further ado you can share your journey with AI and then what you are doing with it at the moment.

[00:00:31] erich: Sure. Well, in around mid 2022, I started to, it started to really hit my radar and I started to kind of commit to learning more about it and started to take some courses at different places about AI, different things I could get my hands on and learn about. And, um, then I started to play around with chat GPT and mid journey when they came out and, um, they [00:01:00] just spoke to me, you know, it was really clear that, uh, chat GPT was this amazing strategic thought partner and sort of like force multiplier and great, just great 24 seven idea partner that I've kind of always wanted.

[00:01:15] erich: And mid journey now gave me the opportunity to make any image I could dream of, which, um, As someone working in a visual medium was profoundly exciting. Um, and so I started to tinker with those things. And then, um, at the start of 2023, I had an opportunity. To make a piece like a, like a, I think it was about two minutes long by the end of it.

[00:01:43] erich: Uh, I was in a program, an AI program, and, uh, they said, make your own project. And being in the TV space, I made a video, uh, using all the AI tools. And the goal was really to just sort of like Demonstrate the state of the art as I saw [00:02:00] it. So like what level of storytelling can we tell today? And this was January of 23.

[00:02:06] erich: Uh, and so I made a Ken Burns style, short documentary, uh, using mid journey and runway and some of the available tools at the time. Uh, and, um, and that got a little bit of attention and then I was able to get a couple, uh, Paid ads using AI, you know, make an ad for this app or company or whatever. And I've done a few of those now.

[00:02:29] erich: So each one of those is a real learning experience. You know, they want a different deliverable and you got to kind of like figure out how am I going to achieve this? What tools am I going to use? It's like all brand new, including all the audio, sound design, music, voiceover. All that. Um, and, uh, and I also had an opportunity, which was a real dream come true, uh, to make a original piece for DreamFlare AI.

[00:02:55] erich: Which was the first opportunity I've ever had to make something [00:03:00] original really like that So a 25 year old dream came true this year, which was pretty cool. And that was just another short piece I think it was three minutes long. You know, these are all sort of proof of concepts ultimately, but I just keep learning a little bit more and a little bit more and so now I've made, you know, half a dozen AI videos or so in different, different ways and, um, learned a lot along the way.

[00:03:27] erich: And, um, and I'm just trying to build on that going forward.

[00:03:33] shilpa: What's fascinating about your, um, anecdotal stories of how you were able to do things. It reminds me of this term called, you know, barrier to entry and breaking the barriers to entry and. I think what AI4U, and even myself included, has done is the opportunities that may not have always been accessible to everyone, even as a solo solopreneur, [00:04:00] are now available.

[00:04:04] erich: Truly, that's one of the things I'm like most excited about, is that there's all this latent creativity all over the world. Most people are somewhat creative, if not extremely, and most people have Not been anywhere near the opportunity to do anything with it in a professional capacity, if they wanted to.

[00:04:24] erich: And that's different now. I mean, you know, I came up in a time where you had to move to one of a couple cities, which I had to do. You had to go to school four years to get a degree in this stuff. And then you had to apprentice with a DP or someone like you had to get lucky over and over again. You had to survive droughts of no work and like extraordinarily difficult.

[00:04:49] erich: Um, and so I appreciate that, and it excites me that all of these up and comers, aspiring creators are now empowered, and there [00:05:00] is no barrier to entry. It is strictly based on, not strictly, I mean there are some costs, but they're so minimal compared to what they used to be, even two years ago. Um, that anyone with a phone, especially a laptop, and a handful of subscriptions can suddenly now, with no permission, No, hey boss, how about this pitch?

[00:05:23] erich: No, hey, can I get some funding to make this thing for festivals? Like, you just can make. So, it's like the ultimate call to creators. And that's not just professionals, that's, that's anyone. Uh, start, start creating. Cause you can. And that's exciting. 

[00:05:40] shilpa: It's, it's so exciting and it really resonates with me what you said about in the past, there was A phase that I at least went through my, my early years, which was that you need to get the education.

[00:05:57] shilpa: So if you had a faint idea of what you think [00:06:00] you're good at and you want to do for a living, and I don't want to date myself, but when I was going through college, you couldn't just Google these things as easily. So you just have to go with your hunch, and then you get the degree, and then you get the other degree, and then you.

[00:06:18] shilpa: Try to get the job and the hustle of like you were describing and even going through the, going through the corporate ladder can be so painful, but now, um, and I, I, maybe you can clarify you're an entrepreneur that works for yourself, correct? 

[00:06:36] erich: Uh, no, actually, uh, I have a day job running a TV station, a nonprofit community TV station.

[00:06:43] erich: Uh, so that is, uh, that's what I'm doing day to day, nine to five and all this AI stuff is. Is, uh, on the side. 

[00:06:51] shilpa: Oh, okay. But still cool because you can still have that side hustle that is also firing up your creativity. 

[00:06:59] erich: [00:07:00] Yeah. I mean, you know, there probably isn't a night I don't come home from work and tinker with an idea.

[00:07:07] erich: Just for fun. And then if someone calls and says, Hey, can we hire you to make one? I can say yes, because I have time at night and in the mornings and on the weekends, and now I'm making these things from my couch. I don't have to rent the cameras and travel somewhere and all of that. So it's, it's, it's absolutely also.

[00:07:27] erich: An opportunity for people to, uh, make some extra money. 

[00:07:32] shilpa: Absolutely. And, um, what also came to mind, this is kind of where I had warned you. There's a lot of triggers among people when we say the word AI, and some of it might be valid. And then there's also the need to demystify what it is. And one thing that came to mind that I've heard from people, um, it was a comment that was made by a really [00:08:00] well established artist.

[00:08:01] shilpa: She had to go through getting the art degree. And going through her due diligence and now teaches art. And so when she sees people talking about using AI for, let's say, making a comic strip that normally somebody who's creative couldn't create their own comic strip, I think it really triggers some people.

[00:08:22] shilpa: And I wanted to just have a candid talk about your thoughts on that. 

[00:08:28] erich: I completely understand and I share a lot of those concerns, I think the majority of them are valid concerns, you know, and there's going to be a lot of instances of, um, piracy and copyright infringement and things of that nature, uh, and that's unfortunate, and, um, I can completely understand how if you're an artist and you've made a body of work, the idea that someone could capture it in a description and then use that is [00:09:00] Kind of wild.

[00:09:02] erich: Um, you know, I had to go through all those sort of expected rungs on the ladder too. And I, I don't have any resentment about that because it's. The only reason I'm good with AI now, like you have to have the subject matter expertise, I believe, to be able to do anything very meaningful with it. Uh, not necessarily all the time, but I think that's a pretty winning recipe is if you.

[00:09:32] erich: gone through all that education and practice and learning and like, um, all of that, then, um, and then you incorporate AI, then you can really blow things up because you're applying your unique intelligence with these really powerful tools. And that's really all I've done is just try to learn these tools and point them at my own use cases.

[00:09:54] erich: And I think Because these tools are so general purpose in most cases, anyone can do [00:10:00] that. You can be, you can do anything at all and utilize these tools to sort of superpower your efforts. 

[00:10:08] shilpa: And, um, Eric, maybe remind me, was your education also in graphic design? what you're now practicing as your day job?

[00:10:19] erich: My college degree was film studies. Uh, and back then where I was going to school, they didn't even have a film studies program. I had to self design it with photography and directing for theater and whatever they did have. So I had to craft my own major back then, uh, just to give you a sense of how far it's all come.

[00:10:42] shilpa: Well, the reason I'm curious is because I feel that you, are illuminating something that I think is often missing with those who are very skeptical of AI. And again, I can be it as well at times, for [00:11:00] reasons you and I've discussed. But if you already have that foundational background, and it was built on so much credibility like yours is, because you had to learn it, truly learn it.

[00:11:13] shilpa: And I can tell you when I received my degrees and background, a lot of it was just getting creative, like figuring out who can teach me and becoming the apprentice and, you know, going to the library before people would go to the library. In your case, it was also a creative endeavor because you probably had that seed of passion to do it.

[00:11:37] shilpa: So your day job now sounds like an extension of the AI part sounds like an extension. built on that foundation. I mean, what are your thoughts on that? 

[00:11:47] erich: Yeah. I mean, I've been very lucky to like be able to pursue my interests from college all the way to now to over 20 years. I've been trying to do the same thing.

[00:11:59] erich: [00:12:00] Um, I went to New York, I went to L. A., I got the degree, I did all the programs, I did all the stuff, um, and um,

[00:12:15] erich: I'm sorry I lost my train of thought, um, so, I've got it, so, I, I feel very lucky to have like stayed adjacent to the dream, the original dream of like being a filmmaker, but I never got to do that, and I had kind of given up on that, Dream because I was happy to be being creative with video cameras and you know I was doing that and then along came AI and put this whole other dreamy layer back into the picture of like oh wow like I can just Be creative on top of all this in a way that like wasn't [00:13:00] possible before.

[00:13:01] erich: Um, and uh, so How how to sum that up? I'm not sure but it's just uh, it's a really amazing thing that it's brought this, um opportunity and creative outlet into the picture. Um, I'm not sure how well that answers your question, but a lot of this stuff just sort of takes you, you 

[00:13:27] shilpa: know, no, no, that's six. You answered it.

[00:13:29] shilpa: I just wanted you to kind of share with me that insight on knowing that you had already been on that path, maybe hadn't quite achieved or experienced some of the Um, career dreams and coming now full circle at some point in your career, you can, and the world's your oyster now, right? I mean, cause you can do so much more.

[00:13:53] erich: It really does change your potential, like fundamentally change your potential as an individual. I've, [00:14:00] I've experienced that and it's, it's, it's pretty profound and exciting, you know? 

[00:14:06] shilpa: Now, what would you say to those who are, say, skeptical? And unaware of that potential yet. I mean, given that now, unless you're living under a rock, most people know AI is there.

[00:14:25] shilpa: It's under everything. But there's also a lot of fear. How do you address that? 

[00:14:31] erich: I think the easiest thing is to find a fun use case that's very personal to you. Like, what are the things that you find yourself thinking about and questioning and working out on a daily basis? And just bring those things to Chachapiti and see if Chachapiti can't You know, I've helped people create plans to, uh, retire their service dog as an [00:15:00] introduction to AI.

[00:15:00] erich: I've had help people, you know, make simple workout routines or diet plans or things like that. Or, you know, and if you apply it to your work life, I think it can, it can really help you a lot because we all have gaps in our work knowledge. Uh, and you know, if you have ambitions about your career or you're at a big company and you're trying to navigate that or whatever your experience is, just bring that in and treat it like a thought partner and I can guarantee you you'll get value out of that experience at the free level.

[00:15:35] erich: And then just go from there, you know, like stay in your lane, stay where you're applying your thinking every day, you know, don't try to be an innovator out of the gate and you don't have to do, there's so much like low hanging fruit with just looking around at like inefficiencies that might be solved this way or like, um, just, just [00:16:00] simple little low risk areas of your life that, uh, could be leveled up a little, I think you'll find a lot of value just right there.

[00:16:10] shilpa: The word efficiencies or finding efficiencies really resonates with me because I feel like a lot of what bringing balance means or being holistically balanced in life. It is about where can I bring in efficiency so I can then free up my energy for what's more important to me. And so like you were saying though that it could be even a non work area like helping with your retiring your service dog as you mentioned.

[00:16:40] shilpa: Or it could even help with somebody who might be retired but may not, um, have fully recognized how their life could be enhanced. 

[00:16:50] erich: Yeah, I think that the change to the conversational nature of the tool from like a search bar to a conversation is the big shift [00:17:00] and you can now have a conversation with an expert in anything, um, at any time.

[00:17:07] erich: Which is powerful. If you're going to the doctor and you want to, like I did that the other day, I got labs back and was like, you know, just wondering what to ask the doctor. And I was like, here, what do you think? And it gave me some great questions. Like, I mean, there's just, it's a general purpose tool. So you can point this thing anywhere.

[00:17:27] erich: And you could do that all day without getting into any of the more advanced things and make your life more efficient, explore ideas, you know, find opportunities, whatever it is. 

[00:17:40] shilpa: That's great. Now, what is your vision for your future as it evolves, especially your, what you call your side hustle? 

[00:17:51] erich: Um, well, I, I love.

[00:17:52] erich: My day job and have no plans of going anywhere, but I am absolutely enjoying exploring all these tools and continuing to create. [00:18:00] I'm just going to try to keep creating every day and exploring the edge of these tools. And, um, you know, it's, uh, it just feels like, uh, the world is my oyster. As you said, in terms of, um, content creation, you know, if there's an idea now I can just go get started on it.

[00:18:18] erich: I don't have to, I don't have to do any of that other stuff. Um, that almost always. Shut the idea down some somewhere along the line. So, uh, and I, I want to spend a lot of time teaching and encouraging people also, because I think it's a really important time where, uh, you know, the divide will be significant between people who.

[00:18:40] erich: Learn this stuff and don't, and I want to help people learn it and get on the right side of that. So, uh, that'll be a part of the program going forward too. 

[00:18:49] shilpa: I'll definitely connect with you about the teaching aspects because I'm also interested in teaching and also making Or demystifying as I would call [00:19:00] it some of the aspects for day to day life.

[00:19:03] shilpa: Um, so to wrap up one thing I really wanted to make sure that I included in our conversation is The fact that storytelling is such an inha Inherently human aspect of information and from the beginning of time, there's been stories and tribes and passing down of stories. It sounds like you've really zeroed in on the power of storytelling, especially if you work with films.

[00:19:30] shilpa: Can you speak to that, um, just in terms of how you think AI and storytelling will have a impact for future communication? 

[00:19:41] erich: Yeah, it's, it's been an incredible, uh, couple of years from a storytelling evolution perspective. I mean, I look at everything now like a creative brief. If I'm at a museum and I see a plaque with some information on it, or if I'm walking down the street [00:20:00] and there's like one of those historical plaques walking by, or my kid opens a textbook and there's a page on it, everything's a creative brief now because, um,

[00:20:13] erich: You can take in all of these things and, and learn so much more about the world so quickly, like uh, I made my first piece about an ancestor of mine, uh, based on three pictures and some dates and some text, you know, and I was able to really get to know an ancestor of mine from the 1800s and the time that, that he lived in and, and who he was in a way that Nobody was familiar with and felt very real and honest and then I was my last piece I explored uh Early humans 35, 000 years ago making cave art and learned all about the area and the people and the traditions and practices and [00:21:00] like shared that with my children and it felt like so both of these cases are like really deeply getting in touch with humanity on some level or humans and like it feels very personal and um and um emotional and educational and so I think that it.

[00:21:21] erich: While a lot of this AI stuff looks very inhuman and unemotional and stuff, we can, as creators, put that back in in different ways. I think people are just kind of learning how to do that, you know, like where does this new technology and our humanity and all the good human stuff Work best. You know, how does it work in harmony?

[00:21:46] erich: Um, it's not just going to be, let's just make all these lazy, crappy digital looking pictures a substitute for all this great human stuff. That's not how I see it at all. 

[00:21:58] shilpa: Yeah, when you were talking [00:22:00] about just reenacting, if that's the right word, recreating that story period, it kind of reminded me of my dad who came from India.

[00:22:09] shilpa: In the late fifties, and there was so much going on historically in India and his life makes me want to go back and recreate that story for him using these tools. 

[00:22:21] erich: Now, you could take like an interview with him and you could apply, you know, if let's say he had passed, you could. Get voiceover from an AI platform.

[00:22:32] erich: You could bring in Google image searches to learn about the area during that time and then build imagery around that. Get music from the era, color, like. And then bring it to life. It's amazing. And then you're telling your dad's story in a vivid video way when you just, that was impossible two years ago.

[00:22:54] shilpa: Oh, wow. I'm so excited. I'm, you know, I'm using another tool. You probably know of it. [00:23:00] If not, I'm going to send you my link to a tool that I use. It's called Syllabi. Have you heard of that tool? 

[00:23:06] erich: No. 

[00:23:07] shilpa: It's, um, evolved quite a bit in the year I've been using it, but you just type in, let's say, I did one video that went viral within a day of 500, like, looks or views on YouTube, but it was on the history of meditation in India, and I would give it just enough facts and type it in.

[00:23:30] shilpa: And it basically can adjust a few things, but it gives you a video then of whatever length you ask, and it, it is factual because then I would do cross reference on different tools, and it's just fascinating what can happen. 

[00:23:46] erich: Yeah, and it's just, it's fun. It's educational. Uh, yeah, I find it to be a really rich experience, uh, and one I would encourage people to, to try, because even if your content isn't [00:24:00] great, you'll find that it's, uh, just an exciting kind of a treasure hunt type of experience, and it can be very rewarding.

[00:24:08] shilpa: Yeah, um, So what tools do you use? I tend to jump into different tools and go deep and then walk away. For now, it may not be this case in a year from now, ChadGPT is the one I'm training very heavily. And it's gone to know everything about me, my voice and everything, but you know, there's Claude and there's a lot of other ones that's mostly when you're talking about script, but when it comes to, um, visuals and like you're saying stories, which tools do you gravitate to?

[00:24:47] erich: So everything sort of starts in chat GPT in the ideation phase. And I'll often use Dolly for some quick conceptual stuff. It actually does pretty well with like. Storyboard type of drawings and stuff like that and then [00:25:00] mid journey is my primary tool for image generation and runway is my primary tool for image to video, uh, 11 labs for all the audio stuff.

[00:25:10] erich: Um, and then I use. all kinds of other tools when I feel I need them. I've used everything from like silly little consumer tools to, um, you know, some of the other fancy AI tools that are out there, but the ones I mentioned are the primary ones. 

[00:25:28] shilpa: That's really good to know. Well, that is a wealth of information and I am honored that you were here.

[00:25:35] shilpa: Maybe we can have a, like a part two in the future as we, as we 

[00:25:40] erich: do. Yeah. Anytime. This was a lot of fun. 

[00:25:43] shilpa: It was a lot of fun. Yeah. And I actually will create that video for my dad and maybe I'll connect with you about that as well. 

[00:25:49] erich: Yeah, that'd be awesome. 

[00:25:51] shilpa: Okay. Well, thank you, Eric. I hope you have a lovely day and thanks for spreading your knowledge.

[00:25:57] erich: My pleasure. Thanks for having me. 

[00:25:58] shilpa: [00:26:00] Welcome.