Personal Blogs

Over the last 24 hours, I’ve stepped deep into the world of AI video generation, experimenting with Google's Veo 3 to bring my novella Watersprites to visual life—one 8-second sequence at a time.

What began with curiosity quickly became something closer to directing again. And like all filmmaking, it’s part discovery, part compromise, and part pure stubborn joy.

Using text prompts, composite reference images, and a generous helping of trial-and-error, I’ve generated a series of clips exploring Freya’s transformation—from a feral woodland sprite by the High Pond to a disciplined, world-record-holding swimmer in a 50m pool. Some clips surprised me with subtlety. Others wandered into sci-fi parody. A few moments struck gold.

🎬 Lessons Learned

• Clarity matters. If you want Freya in a swim cap, you need to say “hair tucked in under swim cap.”

• Consistency is key. I now reuse visual templates to keep character design coherent.

• AI has a mind of its own. Sometimes the “wrong” result becomes the most interesting one.

• Editing saves everything. iMovie allows me to stitch short sequences together, add sound design, and shape something more cinematic.

I’m not producing a final film—yet. I’m developing a visual language, a storyboarded aesthetic, and a deeper understanding of what’s possible when human creativity collaborates with machine suggestion.

Expect more clips. More experiments. And more strange magic, half from the woods, half from the code.

If you'd like to see the progress, here’s a blog post with a series of efforts, fails and final success > http://bit.ly/3HLmfII

More to follow! Watch this space. 

I coach two squads: PC1 (10–12 years) is chasing County times, and C2 (14–16 years) has already achieved them. That means early mornings, evening sessions, and everything in between. Like most coaches, I wear many hats: planner, motivator, communicator, administrator, mentor, and fixer of kicks and breaks.

But now I’ve got help.

ChatGPT is my AI assistant—and honestly, it’s been a game changer.

Here’s how I use it:

1. Session Planning, Done in Seconds

I give it the squad, time, and focus:

“PC1, 1 hour, butterfly kick + dive + backstroke start skills.”

It delivers a full Swim England–aligned session, with HR zones, drill ideas, rest intervals (e.g. 10”, 1’), and even formats it for the whiteboard.

2. Instant Feedback for Stroke Corrections

Poolside, I describe a problem:

“Fly kick loses rhythm after breakout.”

It suggests cues, drills, and fixes on the spot. I’ve used this live off my phone. It works.

3. Swimmer & Squad Summaries

I upload swim times, and it:

• Highlights who’s near County/Regional qualifying
  

• Tracks progress
  

• Helps me prep one-to-ones or squad updates
  

4. Emails, Reviews, and Admin

Need to reply to a parent query?

Need to write a swimmer review?

Need to update the coaching team?

I ask. It writes clean, clear, professional responses instantly. I tweak and send.

5. My Daily Schedule, Managed

Coaching life means early starts, late finishes, and the risk of caffeine-fuelled burnout. So I ask ChatGPT to help manage my day.

It builds me a schedule with:

• Meal timing
  

• Nap windows
  

• Caffeine cut-offs
  

• Creative time
  

• Travel buffers
  

• Realistic rest
  

My brief? More rest, less coffee! It listens.

Bottom Line?

This tool doesn’t replace me—it supports me. It frees my brain for what matters: coaching, connection, and care.

If you’re a swim coach spinning too many plates, give it a try. It might be the most reliable assistant you’ve ever hired.

If you’d like a demo, or want to know how I integrate it with spreadsheets, whiteboard plans, and daily logs—just ask. Happy to share what’s working.

The world is changing fast, and this is why. I’ve been using AI across various creative, analytical, and practical aspects of my work and life. 

This is a summary of what I’ve learned and achieved:

1. Writing & Story Development

• Use AI to refine and tweak your novel Wishful Thinking, mainly by listening to ElevenLab’s voice reading. This process has helped me identify nuances, stumbles, and areas for refinement.

• Recognised how AI can assist in adapting Wishful Thinking into a screenplay with ease.

• I began revisiting and cataloguing older stories (Sardines, CC & Susie, The Girl in the Garden), considering their potential for development. My next novel project should be Angel of the North, setting a structured two-hour daily writing slot to work on.

2. Audio Performance & AI Voices

• Amelia’s voice from ElevenLab provides an authentic, brilliantly performed reading of Wishful Thinking.

• Used the AI reading to catch errors and fine-tune dialogue and pacing.

• Reading a piece aloud reveals a new layer of clarity in storytelling.

3. Productivity & Time Management

• Realised that structured creative work, with set hours and pacing, prevents burnout.

• Experimented with using AI for planning and project organisation, recognising the benefits of AI-driven analysis without over-reliance.

4. AI in Memory & Reflection

• Continued deep exploration of past diary entries, using AI to stimulate reflection and extract stories.

• Discovered how AI challenges and enhances your recollections, appreciating different perspectives on past events.

• AI helps clarify and structure your thoughts on past relationships, experiences, and creative choices.

5. Artistic & Creative Exploration

• Used AI to assist in organising Open Houses Art Week preparations.

• I began considering AI’s role in producing creative work beyond writing, potentially in visual art, historical research, and film adaptation.

6. Historical & Documentary Research

• Applied AI to WWI project research, expanding your understanding and planning for a larger project.

• Use AI to fact-check and recall details from past experiences, reinforcing your work as a historian of memory.

7. Future Considerations

• Considering AI’s potential in film production, especially for adapting Wishful Thinking as a youth theatre screenplay or live-action short.

• Noted that AI could assist with editing and improving past short stories to bring them up to publishable quality.

• I am interested in AI’s ability to enhance storytelling across different media, from voice performance to screenplay formatting.

Key Takeaways

AI has helped me refine my writing, making it sharper, more immersive, and more effective.
AI-assisted voice performance has revealed story weaknesses and allowed me to refine my writing precisely. AI also helps challenge and expand my memory, making my reflections richer and more layered.
AI-powered tools offer a structure for writing and creative projects, helping with pacing and avoiding burnout.
I’m thinking critically about AI’s role in film, theatre, and historical research, exploring its potential without overreliance on it.