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Misty and the Great Trash Can Time Machine: The First Olympics

Misty the rat terrier time-travels to Ancient Greece—and crashes the first Olympic Games in this playful AI-animated adventure.

  • Nikki Gagas
    Director
  • Nikki Gagas
    Writer
  • Nikki Gagas
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    animated, family, adventure, historical
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 55 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 29, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    200 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital / AI-generated
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • New York Short Animation Festival
    New York City
    United States
    Honorable Mention
  • Ai Short Film Festival *LARISSA LUMINA*
    Larissa
    Greece
    Offical Selection
Director Biography - Nikki Gagas

Nikki Gagas. is a seasoned graphic designer and art director with over 20 years of experience in the television and film industry. Her background includes motion graphics, set design, and visual storytelling for major productions. Blending traditional skills with emerging technology, she now explores the creative possibilities of AI-assisted animation. Misty and the First Olympics is her animated directorial debut, inspired by her beloved dog Misty, whose adventurous spirit lives on through this time-traveling tale.

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Director Statement

This project was a deeply experimental journey into AI-assisted storytelling. All visuals were initially generated using ChatGPT, then animated using OpenArt.ai with Kling 2.1 and Hailuo Live and hailuoai.video with Hailuo 02. The soundtrack was entirely created with Suno.ai, while the voiceover was created with ElevenLabs. I edited the film in After Effects, where I crafted the title sequence and applied color correction. A few additional sound effects were sourced from Pixabay. Each tool was chosen to amplify the surreal tone and rhythm of the piece while pushing the boundaries of AI-driven narrative.