A FULL-DAY LIVE ONLINE WORKSHOP
STORYTELLING
IN THE ERA OF AI
Learn the secrets that shape the best stories of our lifetime. From emotional hooks to creative processes to the AI tools that bring it to life, we’ll show you everything in a full day online live workshop.
In this one-of-a-kind full day live online workshop, former Pixar storyteller Andrew Gordon and former Adobe & Intuit principal product manager Demian Borba team up to teach you how to craft unforgettable stories that connect. It is hands-on, highly interactive, using the latest AI image and video generation tools.
A Breakthrough Approach: Learn the timeless principles of great storytelling straight from a Pixar veteran, and then supercharge your creativity by using AI tools to visualize and iterate on your ideas in real time. This workshop marries proven storytelling methods with today’s most powerful AI image & video generators, giving you an unfair advantage in crafting stories that wow.
Hands-On and Interactive: Not just lectures, you’ll practice as you learn, from writing a 6-word story to producing a short animated film in a day. Work in creative teams, get live feedback from Andrew and Demian, and use AI tools (for image creation, voice, music, and video) to rapidly prototype your story world. No prior technical experience with AI required!
Real Outcomes: By the end, you won’t just have new knowledge, you’ll have a finished 1–2 minute story video and a pitch-ready story deck created in our virtual studio. Walk away with tangible portfolio pieces and the confidence to tackle your own projects using these techniques.
For Creatives, Educators, and Innovators: Whether you’re a filmmaker, animator, designer, writer, educator or just a story enthusiast, you’ll gain skills to elevate your work. Past participants (from ad agencies to film school students) report feeling “like I gained a mini Pixar internship and an AI bootcamp in one.”
Chief of Storytelling at EyeTell | Former Pixar, Illumination
With over 20 years at Pixar Animation Studios, Andrew has helped bring to life some of the most beloved animated films of our time. Ever laugh at Mike Wazowski in Monsters, Inc.? That’s one of Andrew’s characters. He animated on classics like A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Toy Story 3 and more, and even led Pixar’s internship program in story and animation for 4 years. After Pixar, he headed animation at DNEG and supervised on Minions: The Rise of Gru, among other projects. Now, as Chief Storyteller at the AI platform EyeTell, Andrew is passionate about empowering the next generation of storytellers with technology. He’s an award-winning animator (VES Award for Finding Nemo) and an inspirational teacher who’s taught at California College of the Arts and around the globe. Andrew’s warmth, humor, and treasure trove of Pixar insights will energize your creativity like nothing else.
Demian is a trailblazer at the intersection of technology and creativity. As the founder of Pactto, he’s building an AI-powered collaboration platform from the ground up, the very tool you’ll use in this workshop to brainstorm and share. Previously, Demian taught design thinking all over the world, has been product manager for Adobe’s innovative design tool XD, shaping the software used by millions of designers. He’s also worked at Intuit as principal product manager, PayPal, and BlackBerry in product and developer roles, and even taught programming & design at UC San Diego. With nearly 20 years in tech and design, plus experience as a LinkedIn Learning author, Demian excels at making complex technology accessible and fun. He’s here to guide you through the latest AI creative tools, from image generators to voice clones, ensuring you come away confident and equipped to use them. Also an avid surfer and family man, Demian brings enthusiastic energy and real-world practicality to every session.
Part 1: The Heart of Story (Theory + First Practice)
Why we tell stories and what makes them stick. Andrew reveals how the best storytellers create emotional connection and meaning. You’ll discover what truly changes (and what stays eternal) when adding AI into the mix. Exercise: Write a compelling 6-Word Story and get quick feedback. Then, witness magic: let’s turn a written idea into concept art using AI, watch words become visuals in seconds. You’ll generate your first images and share in our Pactto virtual room.
Part 2: Building a World That Works (Structure & Tools)
Give your story solid bones. Learn Pixar’s famed “Story Spine”: a 7-step narrative framework (“Once upon a time…” to “And ever since then…”). Practice developing a “Controlling Idea”, distill your world, character, and conflict in one potent sentence. In teams, you’ll apply these structures to your story idea, refining it step by step. Plus, discover the visual grammar of emotion: how staging, color, and even music/sound design influence feeling. Insider bonus: Andrew shares how Pixar’s “notes” feedback process works, and why iteration is key to every great story.
Part 3: Story Production Sprint (AI-Assisted Creation)
Ready, set, create! Now the real fun begins. We’ll form “mini-studio” teams with roles like Director, Editor, and AI Technologist. Over ~2 hours, each team will turn an idea into a short animated film:
• Brainstorm & Refine: Lock down your controlling idea (10 min).
• Storyboard Key Beats: Sketch out the critical moments (30 min).
• Generate Assets with AI: Use cutting-edge AI tools to create images, character visuals, even voice and music (50 min). It’s like having an animation studio at your fingertips, watch your story come alive through some of the best tools in real time.
• Edit & Polish: Assemble your visuals and sound into a coherent 1–2 minute narrative, adding titles or voiceover as needed (30 min).
Throughout the sprint, Andrew and Demian drop into teams’ breakout rooms to provide guidance, unblock creative challenges, and ensure your story is on track. It’s an exhilarating creative rush, by the end, you have a rough but complete mini-film!
Part 4: Story Showcase & Future of Storytelling
Show and celebrate. Each team will present their short story to the group (with live reactions and applause via Pactto). You’ll get supportive feedback from instructors and peers. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a forward-looking talk: “The Future of Storytelling: What Humans Do Best, How AI Extends Imagination”. Andrew and Demian share inspiring takeaways on staying creative in the AI era, ensuring you leave motivated to apply what you’ve learned.
Creatives: Filmmakers, AI artists, animators, writers, designers, game artists, and content creators who want to level up their storytelling skills and learn how AI can accelerate their creative workflow. If you’ve ever dreamed of a Pixar-level story but felt limited by time or resources, this is for you.
General Enthusiasts & Lifelong Learners: Anyone passionate about storytelling (even if you’re not a pro). Movie buffs, fans, and the intellectually curious will love peeking behind the curtain of how great stories are made, and playing with the latest tech to make your imagination visible.
Educators & Students: Teachers, professors, and students in media, literature, or arts can gain new techniques to incorporate into curriculum or projects. Learn how to use AI tools to engage your classroom or bring imaginative student ideas to life. This workshop provides cutting-edge material at the nexus of storytelling and STEM, great for inspiring the next generation.
Professionals & Teams: Marketing executives, brand storytellers, advertising creatives, and innovation leaders: learn to craft compelling narratives for your brand or clients by borrowing big studio playbooks. Plus, discover AI tools to create storyboards, campaign concepts, and prototypes at lightning speed.
We also offer private team sessions: contact us via support@pactto.com for enterprise pricing.
“Absolutely mind-blowing.”
As a freelance filmmaker, I’ve taken many courses, but nothing compares to this. In one day we went from a rough idea to a fully realized short film with music and animation! Andrew’s feedback on our story was pure gold, it felt like getting one-on-one mentorship from Pixar. And Demian’s AI tricks… I was producing visuals I never thought possible. Worth every penny.”
Storytelling in the Era of AI gave our agency team a huge creative spark.
The format was so engaging and fast-paced, the 7 hours just flew by. We particularly loved the Story Sprint, it was like a hackathon for storytelling, and the AI tools helped us iterate ads concepts super fast. Andrew and Demian are a phenomenal duo. Highly recommend for creative teams looking to innovate.”