▌ Junior VFX.md

--- tags: [project, youtube, ai-video, family, summer-2026] status: planning channel_name: Junior VFX privacy_mode: B (real face, persona name, no location) added: 2026-06-06 owner: Nick + son (11) target_audience: 8-25 --- # Junior VFX YouTube Shorts channel — Nick's 11-year-old son doing Zach King-style VFX magic using AI. Father-son summer 2026 project. ## Concept - **Son on camera**, real face, **no real last name**, no location - UK kid angle — accent is a HOOK, don't hide it - **AI does the impossible frame** — son scripts/plays, Nick shoots/edits - Magic reveal format: setup → final cut that re-frames the whole video - AI tools do the morph/transform/reveal; iPhone + AE do the rest ## Privacy stance: Option B (real face, persona name) - ✅ Son's face visible - ✅ Real first name only — channel uses persona name (Junior VFX) - ❌ No school name, no street signs, no "we live in..." - ❌ No last name in metadata, profile, or social links - ❌ YouTube account runs under parent's name (13+ rule) ## Location-leak scrub checklist (before posting) - 🚫 HK skyline / harbour / trams / double-deckers / neon - 🚫 School uniform or school name - 🚫 HK currency, Octopus card, MTR, bus stop names - 🚫 UK 3-pin plug sockets in shot (instant location tell) - 🚫 Car plates, street signs, addresses - 🚫 Reference HK weather, holidays, food - ✅ Film in bedroom / kitchen / garden — generic interior - ✅ Use English props, English text on books/phones - ✅ Don't say "we" implying a US/UK base. Just make content. Nobody assumes location unless you say it. ## Channel name: **Junior VFX** Why this name: - Niche + clear — parents know what they're getting - Kid-friendly, easy to remember - Works as a thumbnail - Tells the algorithm: VFX / magic / AI content - Future-proof if the kid grows into VFX tutorials, behind-the-scenes, etc. ## First 3 concepts (test week) | # | Title | Setup | AI does the impossible | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | **The Coin Trick That Shouldn't Work** | Hand on table, coin on table, classic sleight of hand setup | Coin morphs into something bigger each frame | | 2 | **I Made My Bed Into a Portal** | Bedroom, son looks surprised, pulls blanket | Blanket becomes portal to AI-generated world | | 3 | **The Last Candy in the Bowl** | Kid reaches for last candy | AI morphs candy into 100 candies / turns into a creature / something absurd | These are designed to work even if not viral — important for week 1 morale. ## Production pipeline (target: 1 short/week) 1. **Concept** — son + Nick brainstorm (Henry can supply 10/week on request) 2. **Script** — short beat sheet (3 lines max: setup, action, reveal) 3. **Shoot** — iPhone, key light, optional green screen (EZ-CorridorKey for clean key) 4. **AI generation** — Hedra (motion from still), MiniMax image gen for the impossible frame 5. **Edit** — After Effects: cut reveal to exact beat, music, sound effect 6. **Title/thumbnail** — kid picks, makes it fun 7. **Post** — Saturday morning release, weekly rhythm **Cost per short:** target $0-5 (mostly API costs for MiniMax + Hedra) **Time per short:** ~2-3 hours of actual filming/editing (excluding script time) ## Tools | Tool | Use | Cost | |---|---|---| | iPhone | Shoot | $0 | | Key light (cheap LED) | Lighting | $0 (have it) | | EZ-CorridorKey | Green screen cleanup | $0 (Python, saved to Obsidian) | | After Effects | Compositing, final cut | $0 (have it) | | Hedra | Image → video with motion prompt | Free tier / pay-per-use | | MiniMax image gen | The "impossible frame" still image | Token plan | | YouTube Shorts | Distribution | $0 | | MiniMax TTS (optional) | Voiceover if son doesn't want to talk every short | Token plan | ## Channel identity - **Tagline options (to test):** - "Magic, but make it AI" - "If Zach King was 11 and had AI" - "Junior VFX — the impossible, every Friday" - **Posting day:** Saturday morning (kids browse YouTube on weekends) - **Cadence:** 1/week to start. Build to 2-3/week once comfortable. - **Format:** 30-45s vertical, no intro, no outro, hook in first 1 second - **Music:** trending sounds when possible, royalty-free otherwise - **CTA:** "Subscribe for more magic" — NOT punchy/imperative (Nick's style) ## Differentiation from existing channels | | Nick Command Base / Bizmind | Comparativedata | **Junior VFX** | |---|---|---|---| | Voice | Henry (AI) | Music + VO | Son, real | | Subject | B2B / data | Data viz | Magic / VFX | | Cadence | Cron-driven | Daily | Weekly | | Audience age | Adults | Adults | **8-25** | | Volume goal | Few hits | Daily grind | Slow build | Different audience, different cadence, different energy. Don't retrofit existing systems. ## Summer 2026 timeline (rough) - **Week 1:** Setup, channel art, first 3 shoots, post concept #1 - **Week 2-4:** 1 short/week, test what works, refine persona - **Week 5-8:** Increase to 2/week if pace allows - **End of summer:** ~12-15 shorts live, 100-1000 subs range, learnings log ## Decisions to make before week 1 1. ✅ Channel name — **Junior VFX** 2. ⏳ Channel art / profile pic — son draws it? 3. ⏳ First 3 concepts — go with my picks or brainstorm with son first? 4. ⏳ Recording setup — iPhone + clip light + green screen? Or simpler? 5. ⏳ Posting day — Saturday morning confirmed? 6. ⏳ Comment moderation — Nick handles all replies (default for under-13 creators) ## Cross-pollination - **Bean Boy** — Bean Boy character could cameo in Junior VFX shorts (mashup episode idea) - **AI Beginner Course** — Junior VFX shorts could be shown as "real-world AI example" in the course - **Comparativedata YouTube** — separate channel, separate audience, don't cross-post ## Related - [[Projects]] — index of all active projects - [[Tools — EZ-CorridorKey]] — green screen tool, useful for Junior VFX - [[Henry — AI Assistant]] — preferences and decision log - [[Bean Boy Comic]] — sibling project