Make an AI fake trailer in a famous director's style: 3.3M views
A known director's look applied to a known universe.
A recognisable style is an instant hook, and one viral piece can sell a course or a service.
Figures as shown on YouTube (checked Oct 19, 2026) · source
From @curiousrefuge on YouTube · Apr 2023
The workflow
Made with
MidjourneyImages · AI image generation with a strong art styleTry Midjourney AIMore casesWhere & with what
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What they did
- 1The moveCaleb Ward of Curious Refuge, an online school for AI filmmaking, made "The Galactic Menagerie", a fan-made trailer imagining Star Wars directed by Wes Anderson.
- 2Step 2Script the trailer with an AI assistant
- 3Step 3Make each shot as a still image
- 4ResultThe trailer has 3,288,728 views and 63,723 likes, and the channel has 277K subscribers (YouTube, Oct 19, 2026).
Quick answers
What tools do you need?
ChatGPT (ai assistant for ideas, scripts and planning); Midjourney (ai image generation with a strong art style); ElevenLabs (ai voice-over).
How much does it cost?
You can start for $0: ChatGPT, ElevenLabs have a free plan. Midjourney is paid or trial-based. Check each tool's site for current prices.
Is it allowed?
Yes, if it is original. YouTube does not monetize mass-produced or repetitive content. Source.
Watch out: Reach, not income. Fan trailers use other people's IP; keep them non-commercial or switch to original worlds.
Try it yourself
(Our template, not the creator's prompt.) Write a 60-second trailer script for [your own story] in the style of [director], with 10 shot descriptions I can turn into image prompts and 4 lines of voice-over.
Your first step
Open ChatGPT, paste the prompt above and swap the [brackets] for your own niche.
Full write-up & sources
More detail: School of Motion reported the workflow: ChatGPT for the script, Midjourney for the stills, ElevenLabs for the voices and D-ID to animate the faces.
Results: Curious Refuge sells AI filmmaking courses, and the trailer doubles as a showcase for them.
Source: @curiousrefuge on YouTube · Apr 2023. Summarised in our own words; figures as shown on YouTube (checked Oct 19, 2026). Updated .
