New York has been the backdrop that never sleeps in many of the films we grew up with. Cine City, an AI-amplified research project, tells the city’s cinematic evolution from the 1970s to a projected 2030, using the past to imagine what comes next.
To enhance research on New York’s past eras and future (filmic) trajectory, various sources have been analyzed and synthesized using LLM models. Additionally, Gen-AI tools have been employed to help visualize future film productions. The models utilized include GPT-4o, OpenAI o1, Claude 3, MidJourney 6, Runway, and Sora.
vineshgayadin@gmail.com
On CineCity.nyc
A decade-by-decade walkthrough of the evolution of New York City
From the 1970s to the 2010s, Cine City explores the evolution of New York City through cultural, social, and economic shifts which traces the backdrop that gave rise to some of its most iconic films.
A look at the films that mirrored the city’s moment in time
For every decade, we highlight landmark films that reflect the spirit of New York at that time, supported by backstories, design, and (motion-based) visualizations rooted in the city’s evolution.
Projecting New York City's future and its films
Finally, understanding the previous decades culminate in shaping the production of future films. Beyond the storyline, this includes art direction and AI generated characters and scenes that can be explored on the 2025-2030 page.
Behind CineCity.nyc
THE PROCESS BEHIND MAKING CINE CITY
To understand where New York’s cinematic identity might be headed, Cine City begins by looking back. Through deep data collection spanning five decades, focusing on urban development, social economics, cultural shifts, and technology, I identified key patterns that shaped the city and its films. These insights became the backbone for projecting forward: tracing genre evolution, modeling new narrative structures, and ultimately generating speculative futures that blend realism with creative possibility.
1 – Data collection
Historical data across 5 decades (1970-2010) and 4 factors (Urban development, Social Economics, Cultural & Social Dynamics and Technological Advances) is gathered, focusing on key factors that have shaped New York City and its films.
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Contextual embedding via LLMs
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Mapping film and cultural data (Institutional report sources and media sources)
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Combining generative AI outputs with human curation (qualitative sources through data and questionnaire's for NY based experts for this project)
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2 – Patterns to narrative
Identifying recurring themes, visual cues, and socio-cultural dynamics across decades to uncover how New York has been reflected and reimagined in film.
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Using LLMs to surface recurring narrative themes
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Linking cinematic trends to real-world urban and social data influenced film narratives and genres (through our 4 research factors)
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Transforming findings into visual systems (timelines, maps, graphs)
3 – Projecting
Building on step 1 and 2, we extrapolate past and present trends to imagine NYC's future films narratives that might reflect the city’s evolving identity.
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Using LLMs trained on historical data to extrapolate shifts in genre, tone, and themes
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Data fusion: Combining our research factors (including cultural and film data) to simulate projected cinematic futures
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Mapping the evolution of genre conventions (e.g. from crime drama to techno-thriller) in response to shifts in city life, using LLMs to simulate how these may blend or diverge in the future
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Projecting future character archetypes based of Social-Eco trends
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4 – Generating
Grounded in research and projections from earlier steps, this phase generates speculative films with narratives, characters, scenes, and imagery - creative outputs that reflect New York’s possible cinematic future.
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Scenario modeling: Constructing a speculative matrix of potential film narratives and story beats that align with our projected socio-technological conditions in NYC’s near future
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Specifying tone, genre, pacing, and point of view to reflect the projected cultural and cinematic shifts unique to each film concept
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Designing protagonists, supporting characters, and environments rooted in projected socio-technological dynamics of New York’s near future
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Generating speculative imagery using Gen-AI tools (image + video) to visualize tone, environments, and aesthetics of future films
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5 – Design and Motion
Building a storytelling platform that uses illustration, motion, and visual design to bring New York’s cinematic transformation from past to future into focus.
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Structuring the overall flow of the story (decade by decade) and speculative future insights, ensuring clarity and emotional resonance
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Design: Developing a cohesive visual language to enhance storytelling
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Design fundamental design elements (typography, color, layout, motion language) for editorial purpose in telling NYC's future
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Motion: Creating visual metaphors that capture key concepts in culture, and cinematic portrayal.
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About
About
Behind CineCity.nyc
created as a passion project with educational purposes
Sources & Knowledge
All data sources are drawn from publicly available reports, articles, and publications by official agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau, NYC departments, and other recognized institutions, including select non-governmental sources widely trusted in research.
Insights from New York–based experts shaping the future of education, technology, and film
David Altman
Christina Fraioli
Lori Robinson
Nicole Kaplan
Creative, Design & Motion
Cine City was created by Vinesh Gayadin, shaping design, creative strategy, motion, video generation and editing, illustration, and light coding.
Creative support from friends and family
Chris Jung (motion)
Jen Jung (design, illustration)
Virgil Spruit (coding)
1970 – 1979
ANARCHY IN THE CITY
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45 Hoyt Street, 14S
11201, Brooklyn
New York
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1970 – 1980
A WAVE OF ANARCHY
With a fiscal crisis around the corner, high unemployment and wealthy people escaping the city, there was a breakdown of social order in NYC
With a fiscal crisis around the corner, high unemployment and wealthy people escaping the city, there was a breakdown of social order in NYC
1980 – 1990
NEW BEGINNINGS
1990 – 2000
CULTURAL RENAISSANCE
With a fiscal crisis around the corner, high unemployment and wealthy people escaping the city, there was a breakdown of social order in NYC
2000 – 2009
CHALLENGE AND TRANSFORMATION
With a fiscal crisis around the corner, high unemployment and wealthy people escaping the city, there was a breakdown of social order in NYC
2010 – 2019
A GROWING CITY
With a fiscal crisis around the corner, high unemployment and wealthy people escaping the city, there was a breakdown of social order in NYC
2025 – 2030
FUTURE YEARS
The filmic future of NYC, envisioned through Gen-AI -amplified research, exploring projected trends and the city’s evolution for the years to come
Made in NYC by Vinesh Gayadin – Learn more
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