15-episode AI series teaches Anchorage professor's storytelling methods

Jess Stainbrook has launched a 15-episode artificial intelligence series designed to teach students the mechanics of storytelling. The project, titled Digital Jess, features a digital twin of Stainbrook guiding viewers through writing, production, and directing processes. Stainbrook, a former media professor in Colorado, stepped away from the classroom to spend four months constructing the program.

The series is currently available on LinkedIn and YouTube under the handle Cheesesteak Theology. Stainbrook releases a new episode every Monday. He describes the digital character as a virtual intern that performs tasks alongside the learner. In one segment, the AI avatar explains that it will help Coach Jess manage the material so that students benefit from the process.

Stainbrook said he initially planned to use the character for university-level instruction. However, he shifted his approach when he felt constrained by traditional digital media teaching methods. He noted that he often operates outside standard rules and believes the new technology allows for more active participation from students. He compared the learning experience to working with a colleague who handles the technical workload.

Building the series required Stainbrook to become a student of AI technology himself. He described the four-month period as a time of intense trial and error. The process involved starting from scratch, which resulted in significant financial and temporal costs. He called the experience frustrating but necessary to master the techniques he now teaches.

Each episode takes approximately one day to produce. Stainbrook writes a complete script with detailed specifications for every element. Despite the planning, the AI still generates errors in faces, words, and visual details. He argues that while production tools are becoming accessible to everyone, the skill of storytelling remains distinct. He stated that having the technology does not automatically make a person a storyteller.

Katrina Davis, a former student of Stainbrook, praised his hands-on teaching style. She said he was her favorite professor because of his direct approach to learning. Davis now works in the industry and sees AI as an essential component of modern media work. She said professionals must learn to use these tools effectively as they become a larger part of the field.