How to Use Showrunner AI to Create Your Own TV Shows

TL;DR

Showrunner, made by the company Fable, is now open to the public as a free alpha where you generate animated TV episodes from text prompts. You work inside a Discord server, use the /scene command to pick characters, actions, a set, and a dialogue prompt, and the AI writes the dialogue and animates the clip. Amazon just invested in Fable.

Transcript

All right, you two. This is it. AGI, the real deal. And uh we need to decide what the hell to do with it. Decide, Sam. This is the goddamn Prometheus of our time. We use it to terraform Mars, obviously. Imagine AGI powered Martian cities. Terraform Mars? Are you out of your mind, Elon? Guys, guys, let's not get ahead of ourselves. What if we just, ... Read More

Key Insights

• Showrunner is a tool from the company Fable that lets anyone create animated TV shows using only AI and a text prompt, removing the need for capital, actors, script writers, or animators.
• The tool is now open to the public as a free alpha, described as the very first stage of what Fable is trying to accomplish, yet already capable of producing full animated scenes with generated dialogue.
• Amazon announced an investment in Fable on the same Wednesday that Showrunner became available to the public, and the video suggests a lot more money is likely coming to the company.
• Fable CEO Edward Sachi described Showrunner as the Netflix of AI, framing it as a platform of different worlds and shows rather than a single-use generator.
• The whole experience runs through a Discord server, similar to how Midjourney started, so users must learn a few commands but get to see the community building live and troubleshoot prompts together.
• Exit Valley is the only world currently available in the alpha, featuring characters like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Peter Thiel, with more themed worlds such as western and sci-fi planned to roll out.
• Scenes are built with the /scene command, where you fill in fields like character one, an action, character two, a set, and a dialogue prompt, then the AI generates the dialogue and animations automatically.
• Users can create their own characters by uploading images or descriptions and selecting, recording, or uploading a voice sample, giving them a backstory and location to bring custom ideas to life.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is Showrunner and who made it?

Showrunner is an AI tool that lets anyone create their own animated TV shows using only artificial intelligence and a text prompt, with no need for capital, actors, script writers, or animators. It was made by the company Fable, which was first heard of the previous year when it put out AI-generated South Park episodes. Fable CEO Edward Sachi describes Showrunner as the Netflix of AI.

Q: How much does Showrunner cost and is it available to the public?

Showrunner is free and available to the public. It launched as an alpha, which the video describes as the very first stage of what Fable is trying to accomplish. Despite being an early alpha, the presenter says it is already pretty impressive and capable of producing full animated scenes with AI-generated dialogue that you can create in seconds and download.

Q: How do you get started with Showrunner?

To join, you go to the URL showrunner.xyz and click the join button near the top, which invites you into a Discord server where everything happens. Once inside, you scroll down on the left to find Exit Valley and choose one of the create channels. All content is created through text messages in the chat, and there is a slight learning curve to learn a few commands.

Q: How do you create a scene in Showrunner?

You type slash to see a list of commands, and the main one to remember at first is /scene. Typing /scene and hitting enter expands it into fields you fill out: character one, an action, character two, a set or setting, and a dialogue prompt describing what is happening. You can add more options like a third character or a filter. After filling it out and hitting enter, the app generates the dialogue and animations automatically.

Q: Why did Amazon invest in Showrunner?

The video reports that Amazon announced it invested in Fable, the company behind Showrunner, on Wednesday, the same day Showrunner became available to the public as an alpha. The presenter says there is probably a lot more money coming to the company. The broader appeal is that Showrunner lets anyone create TV shows with AI, positioning it, in the CEO's words, as the Netflix of AI.

Q: What world and characters are available in Showrunner?

The only world currently available for alpha users is Exit Valley. Looking closely, you will find characters you have heard of before, including Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Peter Thiel, plus many more, some of which are community created. There are also customization abilities to create your own. Future worlds are planned, including a western-themed one and a sci-fi one that will slowly roll out.

Q: Why does Showrunner use Discord instead of a normal app?

Showrunner runs inside a Discord server, which the presenter suggests borrows a page from Midjourney's playbook, since Midjourney also required Discord when it started. While some people find Discord not the most intuitive and there is a slight learning curve of a few commands, the benefit is you get to see everyone else in the community building live, share your work, get ideas, ask questions, and troubleshoot prompts together.

Q: Can you create your own characters in Showrunner?

Yes. Using the characters command takes you to a page where you can create a new character or see available ones, including sets, places, and props. To create your own character you can upload images or describe them, then select an existing voice or record or upload a voice sample to generate a brand new character. You can also give them a backstory and specify where they are located, such as San Francisco.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Showrunner, from the company Fable, has reopened to the public as a free alpha that lets anyone create animated TV episodes with AI. First known for AI-generated South Park episodes last year, the tool now removes the need for capital, actors, writers, or animators.

• The platform works through a Discord server reached by joining at showrunner.xyz. Inside, users open the Exit Valley world and use the /scene command to choose characters, an action, a set, and a dialogue prompt, and the AI then generates the dialogue and animations.

• Amazon invested in Fable the same day Showrunner went public, and CEO Edward Sachi calls it the Netflix of AI. Users can create custom characters with uploaded images, voices, and backstories, with more themed worlds like western and sci-fi planned to roll out.