“I Felt as Though I Got to Know Kev as I Would a Real Person” — Mike Bennion on AI, Character, and Winning the MetaMorph Award

"Kev" has received a Winner Award in the Doc/Mockumentary Category.

What was the original creative spark behind your film, and why did you choose to tell this story using AI? 

Mike Bennion: I tell all my stories in AI as I havent got the budget to shoot them for real. This one started as creating interesting faces in Midjourney that weren’t generic. Then it sat on my computer for ages as I didn’t know what to do with it. When I relooked at it later, it felt as though Kev had something to say so I let him talk in Veo3, initially about being blind, then as I made more clips, about other things. It was a very organic process, one clip led to another. At a certain point a narrative formed. It told me when it was done.

How did working with AI change your role as a filmmaker, artist or storyteller during the process?

Mike Bennion: I used to shoot this stuff on film with the odd bits of VFX when I directed ads years ago. Now I am a much better director using ai as I get to write the scripts and it costs next to nothing. Im not waiting on the funding anymore. And I’m not limited to 30 seconds selling stuff.

Where did you feel most in control of the work, and where did the technology surprise you?

Mike Bennion: The tech constantly surprises me and leads me into places I didn’t expect. I have ultimate control but I like to be surprised, much like working with actors. I am always alert to the ‘magic moment’, a look, a phrasing. I felt as though I got to know Kev as I would a real person. I thunk him up, but ai breathed life into him.

What part of the film feels most personal to you?

Mike Bennion: I am a Manchester United supporter, and I have suffered for 20 years now. So this was revenge on City. Plus I’m from the North West, and we all speak like this. And I miss my dad too.

What does being part of MetaMorph 2026 mean to you at this moment in the evolution of AI storytelling?

Mike Bennion: I love winning awards, I cant lie, I have an ego. And Metamorph looks like one of the bigger ones, so I’m delighted to win. It encourages others to have a go at ai, it’s not all slop out there. It helps raise my profile and gets me work, hopefully. Previously I’d only got this film into traditional festivals around the world as I wanted it to be accepted as a film first, regardless of how it’s made. And it’s been in about 20 now and almost no one has spotted its ai. Including the specialist Doc. Festival at the BFI recently. But now I’ve proved that point, it’s time to get into ai festivals. Kev is ready to come out of the shadows.