Statues have been springing to life across Scotland’s capital city through the work of an award-winning filmmaker from Edinburgh.
Walid Salhab, a media practice lecturer at Queen Margaret University, has been putting Edinburgh’s sculptures into motion using a blend of photography, AI and visual storytelling.
The bronze statue of Scottish boxing legend, Ken Buchanan, located at the back of the St James Quarter; Wojtek, the Soldier Bear Memorial, in Princes Street Gardens; and Paddington Bear in St Andrew Square Garden, have all shaken off years of immobility and are now strutting around the streets of Edinburgh.
Walid told STV News: “I love Edinburgh, it is my home. I owe the city a lot and I like to show it off.
“We take a lot of it for granted. Bringing it alive might bring interest and remind people what’s around the corner from their houses.”
Walid has been using AI software to create works of well-known statues in the city.
From Paddington the bear eating a marmalade sandwich in St Andrew’s Square to the Duke of Wellington fed up with having a cone on his head, Walid’s videos have already racked up thousands of views on TikTok.
He’s also used the technology to bring to life pictures of the Forth Rail bridge being built in the 1880s.
“I wanted to show the scale and recreate how they were built; it’s not historically accurate but it’s a bit of fun,” he said.
“People loved it. Some people even thought it was real footage and thanked me for finding it.”
He added: “When I do something, it takes a lot of experimentation, research, and different software and technology. You only learn by doing small projects.”
Walid has his sights set on creating a feature-length film based on his son’s storybook.
Despite the many criticisms of generative AI, such as copyright infringement and ethical issues, Walid believes it can be a positive tool for creativity.
“AI is a leveler; it allows people with less budget to create work that might match bigger studios,” he said.
“When I was experimenting with 3D animation, a film would have taken ten years on my own; with AI, I hope it would take around two years.
“In the future, every person will be able to tell their story. That is important.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
