KenoGO
Brand Stills
Project Category
AI / Art Direction / Design
Agency
The Idea Shed
Client
KenoGO
More Thrill into the Wait
KenoGO needed a versatile library of evergreen brand stills for everyday use. New shoots were costly, while existing TVC assets came with expensive usage rights and weren’t designed for always-on brand communications.
We developed a hybrid production approach: photographing real talent, props, styling and gaffer-led lighting in studio, then combining the imagery with AI-rendered environments displayed on an LED background. This gave the brand greater flexibility without losing the realism and craft of a traditional shoot.
The brief & my role
The project was delivered in collaboration with Chronicle, our production partner with experience in hybrid AI-led shoots.
A key consideration was creating backgrounds that enhanced the scene without becoming its focal point. The environments needed to feel dimensional and atmospheric while remaining practical for production: considered camera angles, believable lighting, simple scenarios, and efficient post-production were all essential.
My role included:
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Leading the art direction and presenting work to the client
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Developing visual directions, moodboards and reference stacks
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Building a custom Gemini Gem to generate rapid scamp renders
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Testing the workflow in pre-production to identify creative and technical limitations early
I presented a moodboard to demonstrate how a clear, focused visual direction could create energetic and distinctive imagery within the constraints of the format.
The Approach
My process began with more than a moodboard. I built a detailed reference stack covering camera angles, composition, lighting, talent expression, styling and props. In AI-assisted production, these references are critical: they define the visual language and help make generated environments feel intentional rather than generic.
I also brought the client into the process early through working tests and visual explorations. This created confidence in the production approach, aligned stakeholders around what was achievable, and built excitement around the creative potential of AI.
Testing examples
1. Concept Alignment
2. Scamp of background.
3. Image generation.
4. Final result with talent. Example only.
1. Concept Alignment
2. Scamp of background.
3. Image generation.
4. Final result with talent. Example only.
Results
I presented a set of visual directions, shown below, designed to balance KenoGO’s sense of anticipation and energy with the practical requirements of an evergreen asset library.
For early client presentations, I use a deliberately “backward” scamping method: rough, fast visualisations that prioritised the strength of the concept over a falsely polished final image. The custom Gemini Gem agent I built streamlined this process, significantly reducing the time required to generate and iterate on initial renders.
The shoot was ultimately paused due to changes to NSW gambling advertising regulations. However, the project established a tested hybrid-production workflow and a clearer understanding of how AI could support efficient, high-quality brand asset creation.
