The Mermaids is a cinematic brand film that reimagines cruise travel through the lens of ancient mythology, positioning Virgin Voyages as a catalyst for personal transformation.
The film follows the narrative of four mystical mermaid archetypes - Scarlet, Valiant, Resilient, and Brilliant - each representing different facets of the human travel experience. Told through the voice of the "mother of the mystic seas," the story weaves together underwater fantasy sequences with aspirational real-world travel vignettes, creating a powerful metaphor for self-discovery through adventure. Originally conceived as a premium brand positioning piece, the film successfully elevates Virgin Voyages beyond traditional cruise marketing by tapping into deeper themes of empowerment, courage, and personal growth.
As AI Lead, I was deeply involved in bringing The Mermaids to life, sketching, generating, animating and compositing the majority of shots as well as editing. The film required some pretty extensive compositing and motion design work. I was given creative freedom to define the shots and refine the story. The film was directed by Nik Kleverov. Made possible with art director Karoline Søreide, who assisted with the shots and served as a creative partner.
The film’s aesthetic draws heavily from retro-Hollywood glamour - rich, golden-hour lighting, soft focus, and a textured cinematic grain that feels pulled from a 1950s adventure epic. The signature Virgin Red dominates the palette. The mermaids move with a theatrical grace, their presence framed in sweeping, deliberate shots that let the characters breathe.
Transitions between fantasy and reality are fluid - circular vignettes give way to split screens, aligning each mermaid’s archetype with moments of human experience. Valiant becomes a boxer in mid-strike, Resilient appears in scenes of quiet endurance, Scarlet pulses through moments of passion, and Brilliant emerges in spaces of reflection.
Typography and motion graphics reinforce the vintage sensibility with bold 3D letterforms and flowing transitions that echo the movement of water. The orchestral score builds in swells, strings and brass carrying the voice of the Mother of the Mystic Seas as she guides the audience through the narrative. Every element - from color grading to audio mixing - was crafted to feel cohesive, immersive, and true to Virgin Voyages’ brand promise of transformation through travel.
Most shots were created using image-to-video techniques, with custom LoRAs ensuring character consistency. Stills were primarily generated in Flux, and composited in Photoshop. For animation, around 80% of the shots used Kling (versions 1.6 and 2.1). Final compositing and motion graphics were completed in After Effects, and editing was done in Premiere.
