Director of Yung Lean's viral "Storm" video considered quitting filmmaking due to AI copies

Romain Gavras, the director behind the widely circulated "Storm" music video for Yung Lean and Gener8ion, says an avalanche of AI-generated deepfake imitations of the video—some featuring controversial figures like Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein—pushed him to consider abandoning filmmaking altogether. The original video was shot on 16mm film in a single unbroken take after an extensive two-month casting search and three days of rehearsals with choreographer Damien Jalet, all on an extremely low budget. "A trend like this can make even good work look lame," Gavras told Vulture.

Gavras says he is exploring legal action against the anonymous creators of the AI copies, though tracking them down presents logistical challenges. He has also declined licensing offers from AI companies, stating he didn't want to participate in "an economic model coming that we didn't want to be a part of." Yung Lean's live VMA performance of the song was partly intended to demonstrate what AI cannot yet replicate—specifically the human imperfection and presence Gavras describes as "the swagger of Yung Lean."