&Barr marked the tenth anniversary of our rebrand from Fry Hammond Barr with Tenth Wave, a film festival inspired by both legend and the agency’s philosophy of adapting like water, always moving forward, looking to the future, and creating work that rises above the sea of sameness. The series of films were produced by &Barrians, to showcase our internal creative and storytelling capabilities leveraging AI tools and traditional production. You’ll find synopses of the films below, each reflecting a different facet of our creative spirit.
Legend of the 10th Wave
“There’s a legend among sailors that, of all the rolling swells, the tenth wave is the most powerful—stronger, bolder, and unforgettable.” Narrated by &Barr’s own Fleur O’Hara, the words filled The Abbey as the audience listened in stillness.
The tale became the night’s theme as &Barr marked ten years since our rebrand—a celebration of where the agency began,
where we stand today, and where we’re going. Waves of water rippled across the screen, blending with moments from past campaigns to symbolize a legacy constantly evolving—transforming into its ideal state to thrive.
Littlest Giant, Monumental Task
The short film The Littlest Giant tells the heartwarming story of a little giant boy searching for a place where he can be the towering giant he yearns to be. Animated with CG-style quality and brought to life through song, the original film was produced using several AI tools to achieve what would have been impossible just weeks earlier.
The team used Nano Banana to generate imagery that retained character consistency, something AI has long struggled with. According to &Barr’s Associate Creative Director, Jacqui Garcia, that consistency is what made the film possible. Using text/frame-to-video generator Veo 3, the filmmakers transformed images into animated clips… LOTS of animated clips. The original script became an engaging song through Suno, providing the animated short’s lyrical soundtrack. The soundtrack and clips were edited using Adobe Premiere Pro. In all, the team generated hundreds of images and clips to create the final three dozen or so that comprised the film.
The result is a moving story about belonging and finding where one is meant to be, backed by an infectiously catchy song, made possible by AI tools and the people who use them.
With the Push of Several Buttons…
The Johatsu film tells the story of a Japanese man who, tired of his old life, turns to “the night movers” for a new identity and a fresh start. The film, inspired by classic Japanese-style ink paintings, was entirely generated by and animated on Revid.ai. But when an update caused unwanted anomalies in the image generation and animations, production slowed significantly. A frustrating reminder that although AI has advanced, it still takes a skilled creative behind the screen to produce optimal results. Thanks to the persistence of the team, the result was a visually striking and memorable film.
The Heart of Any Story: People
The social media team’s goal for their film was to showcase the people in the community who are our audience. Smiling faces met the camera as people from around Orlando, including &Barrians, were interviewed about what makes Orlando great.
Because at the end of the day, behind the screen, it’s people—not bots—who connect with brands and their stories. Community is built through shared experiences and history. With 68 years in Orlando, &Barr has shared both with the people, and even a few geese, of this city.
Not That Deep, But Far from Shallow
The final film of the night, A Heated Debate, reminded everyone that advertising should be entertaining—for both the audience and the advertisers. In today’s oversaturated world, nothing cuts through the noise quite like a chuckle.
The film starred two &Barrians, Sergio and Tyler—close friends in and outside of work—whose natural chemistry, wit, and charm carried the performance. Unscripted and with minimal direction, they delivered a lively debate over the internet’s latest “what if” scenario, “Who would win in a fight? A hundred men or a gorilla?”
The creators showed that storytelling does not have to be deep to find the room to play. The film closed the festival on a high, and rather delightful, note.
Now Starring: Our Clients
The creative minds at &Barr brought our clients into the movies—literally. The team created posters that cleverly tied each client to iconic films and genres. As the audience found their seats, they were greeted by posters like Massey Services A Bug’s Last Life, featuring a tiny ant peeking out from behind a large green leaf, a playful parody of a certain 1998 Pixar film. In total, 19 client-inspired posters were created, each highlighting our clients in a dramatized, lighthearted fashion.
Today’s Trends May Involve AI But the Future Is, as Always, Human
It takes a small army to bring a film to life. Blockbusters often rely on more than 3,000 crew members to make just one. &Barr, on the other hand, produced five short films in several weeks with a lean crew and significant help from AI. From writing and producing to animating, directing, and filming, every element was created in-house with the talent and dedication of &Barrians across multiple departments.
As new AI tools emerge almost daily, we continue to embrace the challenge, adapting to an ever-shifting creative landscape and using technology not as a replacement for imagination, but as a catalyst for it. Out of that spirit of innovation came the Tenth Wave Film Festival.
And while the tenth wave may be the biggest according to legend, its momentum will carry us into next year, where we will begin to rise above the confines of myth. Water, like &Barr, is ever-changing, and when its momentum builds, it moves beyond all expectations, adapting against obstacles to ultimately transform the landscape of our industry.
If you are interested in watching our movies, contact us here.
