Studio notes · October 2026
It started with a headshot client who told stories
How Gold Miner’s Daughter happened, and who it belongs to.
By Anfon Ha
Rick Steeby was originally a headshot client of mine. During our sessions, he would tell me stories about his books, and I always found them fascinating. Around that time, I was exploring AI video production and looking for the right project to push myself creatively. I thought Rick’s Gold Miner’s Daughter would be a great story to bring to life, so I asked him if he’d be willing to take that leap with me.
Neither of us knew exactly how it would turn out, but that’s part of what made it exciting. We were exploring something new together.
The hard part
The challenge was where to start. The AI video pipeline at the time was in its infancy, and it was very hard finding the right tools to get the right look and feel. It took lots of trial and error, and finding anyone already doing this work to learn from was difficult.
I think this project represents where our industry is heading. AI is opening doors to stories that might never have been told visually because of budget, location, or production limitations. But the technology is only part of it. You still need a good story, creative vision, and the patience to make it all work.
Who it belongs to
To Rick Steeby, for trusting us with his story. To Rourke Sefton-Minns and the GenHQ community, for jump-starting my AI pipeline and workflow. And to my wife, who watches my videos from the terrible first drafts to the final.