Wrexham filmmakers take on AI challenge to promote mental health programme

Wrexham filmmakers have taken on a unique AI Challenge to help promote a new national mental health programme.

Written by chatbot and virtual assistant – ChatGPT – and produced by 73 Degree Films, the films tells the story of an unlikely friendship when two people meet by chance in Wrexham’s Bellevue Park.

Back in 2022, Public Health Wales had a callout for Welsh artists to send creative ideas to support their new mental health programme, ‘Hapus.’

One of the successful artists was Robert Corcoran, from 73 Degree Films.

“I applied with an idea to ask people the question ‘What makes you happy?’ and use AI to transform the answers into a story we could film in Wrexham,” explained Rob.

“The opportunity to spark a conversation about how technology influences mental health was really exciting.”

Robert gathered 179 answers, feeding these into ChatGPT (the AI text generator that made headlines in 2023), to write a script.

The final story features a student befriending an elderly man who teaches her how to play the violin.

A local crew, including Emmy-winner Leighton Cox, shot the film in the bus station and Bellevue Park on 16mm film.

The physical film was developed at the famous Kodak lab in Pinewood Studios, outside of London. Finally, editing was completed, including an original score from DAACI, using new AI tools.

Now that the project is complete, a short documentary has been released on Youtube, covering the eventful process.

Rob said: “The ‘making of’ this project is wild. We filmed in Wrexham on 16mm film. I got to go to Pinewood Studios.

“I met the composition team (DAACI) in Texas, while I was there with FOCUS Wales at SXSW festival.

“Then finally I ended up in Los Angeles when it was completed, right before the strikes.”

Public Health Wales are holding a workshop at Ty Pawb to support the launch of Hapus on August 7. Robert will be there to present the film and get involved in conversations too.

You can watch the final 16mm film written by ChatGPT here. And the documentary here.