Today at Tocat del Bolet (Nuts), we have the honour of interviewing Uri Carva, one of Catalonia’s best AI creators. Perhaps, without knowing it, you have already seen and shared one of his videos, as more than one has gone viral. Uri is a renowned AI filmmaker, trainer, and consultant specialising in Audiovisual Artificial Intelligence. He is particularly well-known for viral creations such as the popular project “MĂłn Ganxet” (Crochet World), his masterful and humorous historical recreations, and for democratising the use of generative technology within the local business community. With over 18 years of experience in retail management and close ties to Masnou Comerç, he blends a classic retail vision with the latest cinematic digital video applications.
Without further ado, let’s kick off our interview with the genius of El Masnou:
How did you go from managing a traditional shop for nearly two decades to becoming an expert and communicator in next-generation AI?
I’ve always been passionate about new technologies and the audiovisual world as a hobby. I’ve always been very curious and self-taught. When audiovisual AI emerged, it completely hooked me, and I threw myself into it 100%. I spent hours and hours learning and creating content, and whenever I got stuck on something, I wouldn’t stop researching until I managed to crack it. As I gained views and followers on Instagram, people started asking me for lessons, so at a certain point, I decided to take the leap. My wife’s taken charge of the business, and I can now say that I work full-time on audiovisual AI.
From your position at Masnou Comerç (Masnou Retail), what are the main fears or barriers you detect among local shopkeepers when it comes to adopting advanced digital tools?
Lack of time is the main one. They have limited time and are rushed off their feet, let’s not kid ourselves: Managing a small business is becoming increasingly difficult; they are fighting against giants. And let’s face it: public authorities also make it harder and harder.
What was the original inspiration behind the “MĂłn Ganxet” (Crochet World) video series, which has captivated audiences in Catalan towns like El Masnou, TeiĂ , and Alella?
I quickly realised that people found it really amusing to see their town portrayed in different ways. Before “Masnou Ganxet” (Crochet Masnou), I did El Masnou as if it were 1920s Sicily to advertise a panettone for a friend’s business, and also a video for the “Bruixes del Masnou” (Witches of El Masnou). But what really marked the turning point was “The Simpsons in El Masnou”. People were congratulating me in the shop and on the street. They absolutely loved it. I stumbled across a reel of the city of Caracas made with crochet figures, and I decided to adapt it once again to my home town, and that one just blew up. So I thought: “If they loved it so much in El Masnou, they’ll love it in other towns too,” and I just went from there.
What kind of research and background documentation do you do on historical locations before starting a complex digital recreation process, like those of Barcelona in the 1920s or 1960s?
To be honest, not much. I’ve only done historical reels for Barcelona because that’s what I know. Although I’ve lived in El Masnou for years, I’m originally from Barcelona, from the Sant Antoni neighbourhood, so I don’t need to do extensive research because I know my city well enough. I’ve always really enjoyed learning about its history and curious facts.
How do you select and combine cutting-edge tools like OpenArt AI, Seedance, Kling, or Suno to maintain a consistent cinematic style across such diverse projects?
Each tool is the best at certain things. It would be a mistake to make an entire video using just one tool. Once you know the kind of content that will be in a video, you start to see which workflow and tools you’ll use. After that, the trick to making sure it doesn’t look like the content was generated by different tools lies in the video editing, which I do manually, without AI.
You firmly maintain that AI has democratised high-quality audiovisual production… but how can a small business take advantage of this reality without having large budgets?
In the training sessions I run for local businesses through town councils, I teach them how to use Google Flow. It is a tool with which they can create unlimited images with AI for free, as well as up to three 10-second videos free per day. It’s very simple, and I genuinely notice that after the classes, their social media content changes a lot. It’s not about the difficulty; It’s about taking the plunge and getting started.
How do you structure your practical workshops so that someone with absolutely no background in programming or design can learn to generate high-impact video pieces from scratch?
First, I give them a brief theoretical introduction to AI in general—very brief, about 10 minutes. I teach them concepts like prompts and very basic things. After that, we dive straight into audiovisual AI and learn to create images by speaking naturally to our chosen AI model. Finally, we animate them in the same way.
What do you think of the criticisms from certain sectors that view generative AI as a threat to traditional creative professions?
I understand them. They are afraid, and that’s normal. But a graphic designer working today with a tablet, or Photoshop, or simply a computer, should ask themselves what a designer from the 1970s would think of them. And this can be extrapolated to any sector. AI is unstoppable, and anyone who digs their heels in and fails to adapt will go the same way Blockbuster did with Netflix for refusing to adapt to the Internet.
Now we’re going to ask you to make a prediction: when will we see the next blockbuster made by ordinary people creating from home?
We are already seeing animated series made by a single person from home. But by “ordinary people”, do you mean people who don’t work in cinema professionally?
Exactly…
I highly doubt that someone without professional knowledge could make a blockbuster with AI. Ultimately, what AI does is enhance your knowledge and judgement. If you don’t have enough of it, what gets enhanced is the fact that everyone knows you haven’t got it. If we are talking about a top-tier production made by someone who doesn’t work in the audiovisual field, I don’t think that will happen anytime soon.
What projects are you working on right now?
I’m really glad you asked me that question because on the 7th of November, I am launching the first Skool community for audiovisual AI in Catalan. It’s already open, but the first courses aren’t up yet. It is free, though in the future there will be more specific paid content. Even though we officially start on the 7th of November, the community is already open, and people can join and participate. Here is the access link: https://www.skool.com/uri-carva-i-ia-audiovisual-8073/about
Thank you very much, Uri. We look forward to continuing to enjoy your fantastic videos.
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