1. Memory Anchor Workshop Exercise

Purpose: Train students to build authentic foundations for AI visualizations from verified sources.

Materials Needed:

• 3-5 family photographs or historical images per student
• Research materials (historical texts, maps, articles)
• Midjourney access
• Documentation template

Exercise Steps:

1. Source Analysis Form: Have students document each photograph’s:
   • Origin and authentication information
   • Visual elements that can be verified
   • Historical/contextual details that can be researched
   • Emotional significance to the subject
2. Visual Element Extraction: Using image editing software, isolate specific visual elements from original photographs (architecture, clothing details, lighting patterns, facial expressions)
3. Contextual Expansion Planning: Create storyboards indicating:
   • Which elements from original photographs must remain unchanged
   • Which areas can be expanded through AI generation
   • Where historical research will inform the expansion
4. Prompt Construction Guide: Build structured prompts for Midjourney that:
   • Incorporate specific visual references from source materials
   • Include historically accurate contextual details
   • Maintain period-appropriate visual style
   • Preserve emotional essence of original
5. Verification Protocol: Develop a checklist for reviewing generated results against source material for accuracy and authenticity

2. Visual Bridge Technical Exercise

Purpose: Master the technical workflow of creating seamless transitions between archival and AI-generated elements.

Tools Required:

• Midjourney subscription
• RunwayML account
• Adobe After Effects (or similar video editing software)
• Reference archives (photographs, film footage)

Implementation Process:

1. Before/After Location Pairing: Select historical photographs of locations and obtain contemporary photos of the same place
2. Reference Material Database: Create organized folders of:
   • Period-specific architectural details
   • Lighting conditions from the era
   • Weather patterns relevant to the time
   • Human activities appropriate to the period
3. Midjourney Generation Sequence: /imagine: Historical railway station from [specific year], black and white photograph, authentic period details, [reference specific architectural elements], documentary style, historical accuracy, 35mm film grain --ar 16:9 --style raw
4. RunwayML Animation Pipeline:
   • Import Midjourney generations as keyframes
   • Use Gen-4 for consistent video generation
   • Apply subtle motion elements (smoke, crowds, environmental movement)
   • Maintain period-appropriate light quality and film characteristics
5. Transition Techniques Practice:
   • Crossfade layering between archival and generated footage
   • Matching film grain and optical characteristics
   • Color grading for temporal consistency
   • Frame rate adjustment for period authenticity

3. Subject Collaboration Protocol

Purpose: Develop methodologies for working with subjects to enhance rather than replace their memories.

Exercise Format:

• Paired student teams (one acting as filmmaker, one as subject)
• Series of structured interviews about memorable locations
• Iterative visualization process

Implementation Steps:

1. Interview Template: Create a structured interview guide focused on:
   • Sensory details (how did it smell, sound, feel?)
   • Emotional associations with the space
   • Specific physical details that stand out in memory
   • Temporal elements (time of day, season, weather)
2. Initial Generation Review Sheet: What elements feel authentic to your memory? What details are incorrect or missing? How does this visualization make you feel compared to your actual memory? What's the most important element to correct in the next iteration?
3. Visualization Diary: Maintain documentation of:
   • Original interview notes
   • Initial prompts and generations
   • Subject feedback (recorded with permission)
   • Iteration history with changes highlighted
   • Final version with subject’s emotional response
4. Refinement Workflow Chart: Create a standardized process for:
   • Isolating elements requiring change
   • Maintaining consistent elements across iterations
   • Tracking emotional responses to each version
   • Determining when the visualization achieves “recognition”

4. Ethical Framework Development Tool

Purpose: Help students establish their personal and project-specific ethical boundaries.

Workshop Format:

• Individual reflection exercises
• Small group discussions
• Written framework development

Key Components:

1. Ethical Decision Matrix Template: Category Acceptable Conditional Unacceptable Historical scene recreation Based on multiple accounts Based on single testimony with disclosure Pure speculation Facial recreation For missing parts of existing photos For documented individuals with clear disclosure For undocumented individuals Environmental extension Extending documented scenes Creating scenes based on oral history Inventing locations for dramatic effect Emotional enhancement Subtle atmospheric elements Emphasizing documented emotional aspects Manufacturing emotional content
2. Transparency Documentation System:
   • Creation of standardized “AI integration notes” format
   • Developing viewer-appropriate disclosure methods
   • Establishing consistent visual language to distinguish degrees of authentication
3. Case Study Analysis Exercise: Present students with borderline scenarios and have them:
   • Identify ethical concerns
   • Propose solutions that respect both subject and audience
   • Create practical workflow suggestions
   • Design appropriate transparency measures

5. Technical Integration Pipeline Tutorial

Purpose: Establish efficient workflows between different AI tools for cohesive results.

Practical Exercise: Create a complete pipeline demonstration using:

• Midjourney for initial visual concept development
• RunwayML for motion and temporal continuity
• Adobe After Effects for integration with archival material

Workflow Document:

1. Pre-Generation Research Steps:
   • Historical reference collection methodology
   • Visual analysis of period-specific elements
   • Creation of consistency guidelines
2. Midjourney Master Prompt Structure: /imagine: [specific historical period] [specific location], [documentary/historical photography style], [reference to specific verified elements], [period-appropriate lighting], [authentic details of era], --ar [appropriate to reference material] --style raw
3. RunwayML Integration Steps:
   • Import Midjourney output as keyframes
   • Configure Gen-2 settings for historical authenticity
   • Animation parameters for subtle, period-appropriate movement
   • Export specifications for consistency with archival footage
4. Final Integration Checklist:
   • Visual coherence between sources
   • Temporal consistency
   • Historical accuracy verification
   • Emotional resonance assessment
   • Transparency documentation completion

6. Audience Trust & Transparency Exercise

Purpose: Develop methods for maintaining audience trust through appropriate disclosure.

Implementation:

1. Disclosure Design Workshop:
   • Create varying levels of disclosure statements
   • Design visual indicators for different types of content
   • Develop interactive elements allowing viewers to explore the process
2. Audience Testing Protocol:
   • Screening methodology with disclosure variations
   • Feedback form focusing on trust and emotional impact
   • Analysis framework for balancing disclosure and narrative immersion
3. Process Documentation Template: Scene: [Description] Original Sources: [List with authentication details] AI Integration Purpose: [Explanation of why AI was used] Generation Process: [Technical description] Subject Verification: [Details of subject feedback] Historical Authentication: [Research support]

7. Visual Testimony Creation Project

Purpose: Apply all learned techniques in a complete short-form project.

Project Structure:

1. Subject Selection & Interview Protocol:
   • Ethical approach to subject selection
   • Recording methodology preserving authentic testimony
   • Identification of core memories for visualization
2. Production Pipeline Implementation:
   • Memory anchor establishment
   • Historical research integration
   • Visual bridge development
   • Subject feedback mechanism
   • Refinement workflow
3. Documentation Requirements:
   • Process journal detailing all decisions
   • Ethics statement explaining boundaries
   • Transparency documentation for audience
   • Subject response recording
   • Technical workflow documentation

These tools and exercises create a comprehensive curriculum that balances technical skills with ethical foundations, helping students develop thoughtful approaches to AI integration that honor both subjects and audiences while advancing meaningful storytelling through new technologies.