When everyone is super… no one is.
This line from The Incredibles has been living in my head rent-free.
It’s what the villain says when he reveals his plan to give everyone superpowers — effectively making no one special anymore.
Sound familiar?
Last week, I sat down with Arne, co-founder of Garlic VFX, to talk about the AI elephant in the creative industry. He’s an ex-Scanline layout artist (Star Wars), now running a full production house with his wife Polina that delivers complete TV documentaries.
And he told me something I didn’t expect.
He downloaded 600GB of AI models. Tested every ComfyUI workflow. Went so deep into the addiction that his machine was bursting at the seams.
Then he stopped.
Not because AI doesn’t work. But because he discovered something more important.
🤖 Try this now
Before you keep reading, copy this prompt into your favorite AI:
“I’m a creative professional in [your industry]. I’m worried about AI making my skills obsolete. Help me identify: 1) Three specific elements in my workflow that come from my personality, not just technical training. 2) What makes my approach to problems distinctive. 3) One thing I do that would be impossible to replicate with a prompt.”
What came up might surprise you. 👀
The “Garlic” Philosophy
When I asked Arne why his company is called Garlic VFX, he paused.
“It’s about love,” he said. “Garlic in soup — if you put too much, it’s overwhelming. Too little, something’s missing. The craft is in the dosage.”
This isn’t fluffy motivational talk. He’s delivering TV documentaries in 10 days with a team of three. Him, his wife, and sometimes his daughter building props.
The secret? What he calls “thought process compression.”
When you have 10 people working on 4 shots, you need coordination, handoffs, meetings. Information gets lost. Decisions get diluted.
When ONE person holds the complete vision — and has the generalist skills to execute — certain projects are literally faster.
Not cheaper. Faster. Because the thought process can’t be compressed by adding people.
The Christopher Nolan Lie
Arne brought up something fascinating about Oppenheimer.
Christopher Nolan famously said “no CGI was used” — while 250 VFX artists worked on the film.
At first, Arne was angry. “They’re hiding us.”
Then he understood: Nolan was selling the VALUE of human effort.
Audiences don’t want to know a computer generated Tom Cruise’s stunts. They want to believe a human being risked something for their entertainment.
This isn’t about deception. It’s about understanding what people actually pay for.
They pay for the knowledge that someone cared.
🤖 Prompt to explore this
“I’m considering whether to build a team or stay lean as a creative. Analyze my situation: [describe your work].
Help me identify:
1) Which parts of my work benefit from ‘thought process compression’ (one person = faster).
2) Which parts genuinely need collaboration.
3) The hidden costs of coordination I might be underestimating.”
What AI Actually Taught Him
After 600GB of models and countless experiments, Arne’s conclusion:
“AI is really good for research. It gives you the most uncreative version of something — which is exactly what you need to see the components clearly.”
When designing a pirate ship cabin, AI gave him the most “basic” version. Wooden floor. Treasure chest. Candles.
Perfect. Because that generic output helped him see what was MISSING — the creative layer only he could add.
The tool became useful when he stopped expecting it to be creative.
📥 Free Resource
To help you apply these insights to your situation, I created a guide with 3 AI prompts:
AI Guide — The Garlic Philosophy
Use it with ChatGPT, Claude, or your favorite AI to:
→ Identify what makes YOUR work authentically irreplaceable
→ Analyze which clients energize vs drain you
→ Build your positioning against AI commoditization
🎥 Full Conversation
The 2-hour version goes WAY deeper — including the family documentary story that almost made me emotional.
→ To be added soon
🔥 Creative Lounge
If you want to apply these principles alongside other creatives who understand your reality.
Ideal if: You’re navigating a creative transition and want structured support.
→ monExpansion.com/lounge
💼 1-on-1 Coaching
If you want to work through your unique situation with my 4 perspectives (artist/manager/HR/entrepreneur).
Ideal if: You’re at a decision point and need clarity fast.
→ monExpansion.com/coach
P.S.
When I asked Arne what project he’s most proud of, he didn’t mention Star Wars. He talked about a 5-minute documentary he made with his wife and daughter in 10 days. “It felt like the dream,” he said. “Everyone knew what to do. Pure harmony.”
That’s the Garlic Philosophy in action.
