AI Short Film / Proof of Concept
In the city’s automotive district, among mechanic shops and auto parts stores, lives Ruli: a puppet built from exhaust pipes and car parts who works as a street advertisement for a mechanic shop.
Ruli simply exists. He doesn’t question things too much. No one in the neighborhood seems surprised by his presence. They see him and tolerate him like an annoying little gremlin made of scrap metal.
Ruli has a knack for chaos. He moves freely through the maze of mechanic shops, gets drunk on motor oil, and goes out causing trouble and wrecking things. He has never wondered why he never gets punished, or why he’s a living puppet and no one seems surprised by it.
During a heated argument, Gomez, the owner of the shop, tells Ruli to take it down a notch, but Ruli is ready to go all in.
Characters
RULIA puppet built from exhaust pipes and car parts. He works as a street advertisement for a mechanic shop in Warnes. He constantly causes chaos, without guilt or self-reflection.GOMEZOwner of the mechanic shop where Ruli works. He has to deal with Ruli’s antics on a daily basis and answer for him to the neighborhood and the other mechanic shops. His patience is reaching its limit.TALITACamaro’s 18-year-old daughter. A car enthusiast who works at the shop. She gets caught up in Ruli’s chaos but tries to guide him and keep him out of trouble.CAMAROA longtime employee at the shop and Talita’s father. He wants to put an end to Ruli’s constant cycle of chaos.BUJIAA promotional puppet from a rival mechanic shop. He and Ruli tend to compete over just about anything, but they also share occasional conversations and brief moments of friendship.
Technical Details
The process began with several research trips through the mechanic shops of Warnes and the surrounding streets, photographing workshops, signage, and textures. From that exploration, we narrowed the art direction toward more local, neighborhood spaces, creating a very particular world.I started by developing an initial storyboard, generating each shot as a still frame and defining the locations. In parallel, I worked on early tests of the character, which didn’t make it into the final short, gradually shaping his personality somewhere between an adorable creature and a psychopath.Generative AI tools were used to create images and scenes through an iterative process of direction, selection, and refinement. Retouching, sound design, and color grading were then completed by the editor, director, and colorist.Music and sound effects were created using AI.Runtime: 1 min 37 sec
Original language: Spanish (with English subtitles)
Format: Short Film / Proof of Concept
Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / Dark Comedy
Aspect ratio: 16:9 and 9:16
Sound: Stereo
Crédits
Title: ExhaustOriginal spanish title: EscapesCountry / Territory of Origin: ArgentinaYear of Production: 2026Production Company: Pattern.tvDirector, Producer, Screenwriter & AI Generation: Santiago IdelsonDigital Photography: Sergio IdelsonEditor: Jonas MarmorOnline & Color Grading: Mariano Toledo
Contact info
SANTIAGO IDELSON
Director / Producer
santiagoidelson@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +5491154556359
Production Company: Pattern.tv
AI Short Film / Proof of Concept