Santa’s Bucket List: An AI-driven Christmas tale brings cheer to Christchurch
This Christmas season, Christchurch takes center stage in Santa’s Bucket List, a delightful short AI film that combines technology and storytelling to showcase the city’s charm and versatility through the eyes of none other than Santa Claus himself.
The independently produced short film uses AI as a creative tool to tell the story of Santa, fresh off a busy holiday season, as he plans an adventurous world tour to unwind. However, Mrs. Claus offers a simpler solution that has everything Santa could dream of—right here in Christchurch.
Blending playful storytelling and quirky transitions, Santa’s Bucket List uses innovative AI techniques to highlight Christchurch’s unique blend of outdoor pursuits and vibrant urban offerings, capturing the essence of what makes Christchurch a perfect post-Christmas destination.
Arthur Machado, the creator behind Santa’s Bucket List, managed every aspect of the film independently, from concept development to execution
Says Machado: “I like to use AI with intention and purpose in the productions I experiment with. In this one, I was inspired by some transitions I wanted to test out and thought they could be a great trigger to explore how Santa could transition between different activities in Christchurch. The result is a playful Christmas story that celebrates the city I call home.”
Machado is the executive producer at Resonate, a Christchurch-based film production company that leverages the city’s diverse locations to the benefit of its productions for agencies and clients. In addition, Machado is an internationally represented AI Film Director, with Paranoid BR in Brazil and The Moon Unit globally. His innovative work includes award-winning projects like LLM – Modello Linguistico Divino and Solace, the latter in collaboration with acclaimed New Zealand writer Ian Sweeney. To explore more of Machado’s AI-driven projects, visit arthurmachado.com/ai.
Santa’s Bucket List is a charming reminder of the magic of the season and the beauty of exploring one’s own backyard.
The film is now available to watch above and here, spreading Christmas cheer and celebrating the city of Christchurch as a world-class destination.