[Community Challenge #20] Retro Sci-Fi ( sh.itjust.works )

Theme

This week's theme is Retro Sci-Fi!
Specifically any science fiction from the 40's - 60's. It's all about clunky robots, giant computers with dials, ray guns, and all the other old cheesy sci-fi tropes you can think of :)
There's a bonus point if the image matches the media of that era, for example by including cheap effects, obvious costumes, blurry film or anything else you can think of.

Prompt for post image:

a 50s cinemascope movie still of a clunky robot with an blinking lights on it's chest, in a fake looking space ship, a pilot is flying the ship, scene is shot with 8mm film --ar 16:9 --v 6.0
The image turned out better than how I intended :)

Rules

  1. Follow the community’s rules above all else

  2. One comment and image per user

  3. Embed image directly in the post (no external link)

  4. Workflow/Prompt sharing encouraged (we're all here for fun)

  5. At the end of the week each post will be scored according to the following grid

    Prize Points
    Most upvoted +3 points
    Second most upvoted +1 point
    Theme is clear +1 point
    OP’s favorite (me, this week) +1 point
    Most original +1 point
    Last entry (to compensate for less time to vote) +1 point
    Prompt and workflow included +1 point
    NEW Era appropriate effects +1 point

  6. Posts that are ex aequo (tied) will both get the points

  7. Winner gets to pick next theme! Good luck everyone and have fun!

Past entries

  1. Dieselpunk
  2. Goosebump Book
  3. Deep Space Wonders
  4. Fairy Tales
  5. A New Sport
  6. Monsters are Back to School
  7. War and Peace
  8. Distant lands
  9. Unreal Cartoons
  10. Sustainable Ecumenopolis
  11. Masks
  12. Mascots
  13. Old Gods, New Jobs
  14. Winter Festivities
  15. High Tech, Low Life
  16. Character Limit
  17. Gatsby's Jazz Hands
  18. Reel to Canvas
  19. Cruelly Cute Characters

This round's winners:

Place Winner Points
1 @BallShapedMan 6
2 @merde 5
2 @Trollivier 5
3 @Deceptichum 4
3 @Reverendender 4
Trollivier ,

My first submission. I wanted to recreate a Jetsons kinda look of the future, using the colour patterns and designs popular in the 40s.

https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/3fb51fb1-2d26-42f5-bfd2-30dadb4fd005.png

Here's the prompt :

a retro futuristic city where all buildings have colour patterns that are popular in the 40s. The city looks like the 1940s version of the year 3000. In the back, we can see the ocean with humongous machines shaped like old appliances. We see flying retro robots shooting lasers from their eyes and attacking the city --s 250 --v 6.0

BallShapedMan ,
@BallShapedMan@lemmy.world avatar

The style here is fantastic!

Trollivier ,

Thanks!

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Second most upvoted +1
Last entry +1
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 5 points

Wow, a great first entry! Thank you for joining the fun, I hope you'll participate again next round! You got 2nd most upvoted and last entry! That's quite an achievement :)
You ended up on shared 2nd place, congratulations!
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1125046315932459019/1199800195106471967/thelsim_product_placement_photograph_of_a_silver_trophy_in_the__dc969d51-4b75-4484-b64b-b44d6627e6c3.png?ex=65c3dc01&is=65b16701&hm=ea9233cc1ecf3947613a2f60ec9b0ca584d490d5e12f13660f9175eaec035d8c&

PeriodicallyPedantic ,

https://lemmy.ca/pictrs/image/cd37d8ed-1ea8-45f0-a3d5-82bfafa1f675.jpeg

prompt

1940s sci-fi movie poster, in which alien spaceships are abducting 2 New York pedestrians via a luminescent beam. people on the street abandon their cars in panic as they flee the spaceship. Giant humanoid iron robots with a threatening appearance and segmented legs herd citizens towards the spaceship. the poster showes the movie title "alien robot attack!" in dynamic text.

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 3 points

This has so much going on in here. I love the person being abducted in the center. Also, the idea of an Alien Root Attack is intriguing :)

PeriodicallyPedantic ,

Thanks!
I couldn't get dall-e to stop making the street super wide and absolutely packing it full of people. Where are these people all coming from?!?!

This is one of the only results where it was a human being abducted instead of the robots, no matter what I prompted, so I just cut my losses and committed to it lol

Deceptichum ,
@Deceptichum@kbin.social avatar

https://i.imgur.com/LgNnNaA.jpg

It kept giving everyone mohawks for some reason, even the robots.

Final prompt was: 1960's sci-fi show, Thunderbirds style puppet is arm wrestling a robot with a plasma globe head, text saying 'AMAZING ADVENTURES: man vs machine', Technicolor, grainy VHS,

Also apologies if embedding isn't working from Kbin, I've tried two different methods so hopefully one of them shows for you Lemmy users.

quinacridone ,
@quinacridone@lemmy.ml avatar

https://lemmy.ml/pictrs/image/539fee82-cf04-4d32-bf7a-47c0e4a9939b.jpeg

I've re posted your image above so it shows up for everyone (I'm just getting a link), I hope that's okay?

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
OP favorite +1
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 4 points

Really nice work. I love the concept and the dynamics of the image. Never would have thought of Thunderbirds myself, that's great touch. You got a shared 3rd place, congratulations!
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1125046315932459019/1199812822952063026/thelsim_product_placement_photograph_of_a_shiny_bronze_trophy_i_d0b85cdd-75d9-4dd7-9d37-3fc7f74ea481.png

M0oP0o Mod ,
@M0oP0o@mander.xyz avatar

Loving this weeks challenge.

Prompt:
"Sailor moon as Office worker of the future: The Atomic Secretary. In a 1960s thunderbirds sci-fi style. There is a toy spaceship hanging on a string with a lit sparkler on it." In the bingilator 13 tries and messing with the words.

https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/674fe4a5-fee9-45a1-98b9-38b1dd8d9ff2.jpeg

Other neat ones not in the running:

https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/a33d4afe-616b-4e87-ae4e-f412f29bf37d.jpeg
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/3392b95c-814b-43a1-9051-cb38fb91f542.jpeg
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/4d07ca9d-1daf-4242-85a7-b79a10fc6f3f.jpeg
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/2b956fb7-ce82-4a13-96fe-e36dae3f8744.jpeg
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/c839007f-2634-4102-8b8d-9cee8932c747.jpeg
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/1d469277-9199-49bc-aebf-4738409d6634.jpeg

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 3 points

Oh Sailor Moon, is there anything you can't do? :)

can ,

https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/8d7d7b6a-c312-4ad2-a43e-63213277966f.jpeg

I don't have the exact prompt because the chat encountered an error but I started by asking Bing to imagine it was born in the 1920s and grew up reading SciFi mags. I asked what it would imagine the future would look like in 20-40 years and if it could draw it as if they grew up to be an illustrator.

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 3 points

I like the multiple images, and the workflow is quite original. When I was little we went to Epcot center and they had these really old visions of the future presentations. These images remind me so much of them for some reason :)

medusa ,
@medusa@sh.itjust.works avatar

"Private iDetective" starring ai-Rick Rossum and Veronica Lake.

https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/fbc9e961-f295-4631-b6dd-32ca22f68e15.png

I tried oh-so hard to get it with text, but I haven't secured a contract with that particular demon yet... curses Midjourney

spoiler

"Private iDetective" film poster starring veronica lake, and a robot sidekick. in the style of sci-fi noir, graffiti-inspired illustrations, film noir, golden age, retro-futuristic, 1940s-1950s, medium shot, balanced, three-point lighting, high-key lighting --ar 24:36

I added my own quick title just for fun afterwards

spoiler

https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/f6ba9f19-3180-4e7f-903a-0a09db0acfad.png

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 3 points

Again, too bad about the text. Still, I really like the style of your image. It's very refined.
Next time just add the text in by hand, I'm pretty sure some light post-processing is allowed. Especially if you are honest with it up front.

Reverendender ,
@Reverendender@sh.itjust.works avatar

https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/533f5eb7-78dc-4804-89a9-59768c448e92.webp

DALL-E via ChatGPT 4 - Prompt for the image I ultimately went with: 5. Fifth Image (Retro Futuristic Cityscape with Jodorowsky Style)
“Create a retro futuristic cityscape inspired by the 1950s sci-fi theme, incorporating elements of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surreal and imaginative style. In this scene, a 1950s style man and woman are running through the streets of a futuristic city, characterized by its vintage architecture blended with futuristic elements. They are fleeing from an army of giant robots firing lasers. Above, flying saucers swarm the sky, raining down destruction. The scene is rich in photorealistic lighting, shading, and textures, capturing the dramatic and surreal essence of Jodorowsky’s unique artistic vision, while maintaining the classic 1950s sci-fi look.”

The route to get there:
1. First Image (Retro Sci-Fi with Clunky Robot in Spaceship)
“Imagine a scene from a 1950s sci-fi movie, shot in the style of an old cinemascope film. The setting is inside a retro, slightly cheesy-looking spaceship with large, bulky controls and flickering dials. At the center, there’s a clunky robot, typical of the 1950s style, with large, boxy limbs and blinking lights on its chest. The robot stands near a human pilot, who is intently operating the spaceship. The pilot wears a classic space suit with a clear bubble helmet. The scene has the grainy, slightly blurry quality of an 8mm film, capturing the essence of retro sci-fi media.”
https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/a3dc55a0-9306-403a-b23e-b03ec0cc8901.jpeg
2. Second Image (Updated with Hard Shoulder Rings)
“Reimagine the previously generated scene from a 1950s sci-fi movie, now including distinct hard shoulder rings on the spacesuit worn by the pilot. The setting remains inside the retro spaceship with large, bulky controls and flickering dials. The clunky robot, typical of 1950s style, stands near the pilot. The pilot, focused on operating the spaceship, now wears a more elaborate classic space suit, featuring prominent hard shoulder rings, enhancing the retro sci-fi aesthetic. The scene still has the grainy, slightly blurry quality of an 8mm film.”
https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/61905206-5135-4096-a6e3-0351f92594b7.jpeg
3. Third Image (Larger and More Distinct Shoulder Rings)
“Modify the scene from the 1950s sci-fi movie by making the hard shoulder rings on the pilot’s spacesuit larger and more distinct. The setting remains the same: inside a retro spaceship with bulky controls and flickering dials, and the clunky robot from the 1950s style is still present. The pilot, now with significantly larger and more pronounced hard shoulder rings on his spacesuit, is operating the spaceship. The overall scene retains the grainy, slightly blurry quality of an 8mm film, emphasizing the classic sci-fi theme.”
https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/e967fdcd-15a0-4445-bcb7-588a6c073074.jpeg
4. Fourth Image (Disc-Like Shoulder Rings)
“Revise the 1950s sci-fi movie scene by adding large, disc-like hard shoulder rings to the pilot’s spacesuit. The interior of the retro spaceship, with its bulky controls and flickering dials, remains the backdrop. The clunky 1950s-style robot is still a part of the scene. The pilot, now featuring oversized, disc-like shoulder rings on his spacesuit, is more prominently showcasing the classic sci-fi aesthetic. These rings are very noticeable and iconic of the era’s design. The scene maintains the grainy, slightly blurry quality of an 8mm film.”
https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/5dc2ce43-f707-45ef-8cf3-d716c1cbd716.jpeg
5. Fifth Image (Retro Futuristic Cityscape with Jodorowsky Style)
“Create a retro futuristic cityscape inspired by the 1950s sci-fi theme, incorporating elements of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surreal and imaginative style. In this scene, a 1950s style man and woman are running through the streets of a futuristic city, characterized by its vintage architecture blended with futuristic elements. They are fleeing from an army of giant robots firing lasers. Above, flying saucers swarm the sky, raining down destruction. The scene is rich in photorealistic lighting, shading, and textures, capturing the dramatic and surreal essence of Jodorowsky’s unique artistic vision, while maintaining the classic 1950s sci-fi look.”
6. Sixth Image (Analog Film Style of the Same Scene)
“Recreate the retro-futuristic cityscape scene with a 1950s sci-fi theme and elements of Jodorowsky’s style, now rendered in an analog film photorealistic style. The scene features a man and woman running through a futuristic city with vintage architecture, fleeing from giant robots firing lasers and flying saucers causing destruction overhead. This version emphasizes the textures, grain, and lighting qualities of analog film photography, adding a layer of realism and depth to the dynamic, surreal scene.
https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/4bc792fa-3e6a-49f4-9ba6-f4e14c831bbc.jpeg

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 3 points

Really nice work, thank you for including the workflow and the extra images. I really like the cockpit images with all the dials and switches.

Reverendender ,
@Reverendender@sh.itjust.works avatar

Yeah, I dug the cockpit images too. So many options it was hard to choose! I could not get that sweet lighting from the cockpit into the invasion scene though.

PeriodicallyPedantic ,

Oh nice!
This turned out a lot like mine, only I couldn't get dall-e to stop adding like 200 people to the street. It kept making the street like the width of a football field and absolutely packed with pedestrians.

Halcyon ,
@Halcyon@discuss.tchncs.de avatar

Office work of the future: The Atomic Secretary

https://discuss.tchncs.de/pictrs/image/a4eeaf14-cfd8-428f-8aa5-00f1cd2e16e0.jpeg

I first asked the AI how people it the 1950s might have imagined office work in the future. It came up with a short love story of a typical day at the International Space Agency, where John Smith worked as a senior engineer. He had just finished his morning coffee and was ready to start his project: designing a new rocket engine for the next lunar mission. He works with his lovely secretary, Alice. She is an atomic-powered robot with a feminine voice and a pleasant face, but her body is made of metal and wires.

Then I prompted to generate a picture based on the story.

Prompt: A picture of John working with Alice, his atomic-powered robot secretary, at his sleek metal console desk in the office of the International Space Agency. Alice has a metal and wire body, but a pleasant face. There are some plans of a rocket and a rocket engine on the screen and on the desk. The picture has a retro-futuristic style, like a movie poster from the 1950s.

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Most original +1
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 4 points

I love the image and the story that comes with it. It adds another dimension to it and it was fun to read. You got a shared 3rd place, congratulations!
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1125046315932459019/1199812822952063026/thelsim_product_placement_photograph_of_a_shiny_bronze_trophy_i_d0b85cdd-75d9-4dd7-9d37-3fc7f74ea481.png

merde ,
@merde@sh.itjust.works avatar

https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/6ba3a4a4-cdd9-444d-8307-123164e5227f.jpeg

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Most votes +3
Theme is clear +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 5 points

So close! Almost a shared 1st place if you included your workflow. Still, you got to a shared 2nd place! Great work!
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1125046315932459019/1199800195106471967/thelsim_product_placement_photograph_of_a_silver_trophy_in_the__dc969d51-4b75-4484-b64b-b44d6627e6c3.png?ex=65c3dc01&is=65b16701&hm=ea9233cc1ecf3947613a2f60ec9b0ca584d490d5e12f13660f9175eaec035d8c&

merde ,
@merde@sh.itjust.works avatar

i will have a golden robot one day 🤞

galoisghost ,
@galoisghost@aussie.zone avatar

This took some direction to get it from being nazis and boring grey aliens

entry 2

Prompt: 1950 science fiction novel cover with a “transgender alien” being as a partner to an African man both with “futuristic guns” watching satellites on a weird planet

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 3 points

Nice work! I like the cover art style. I just wish I could see the rest of the text in the upper left corner, it's driving me crazy :)

galoisghost ,
@galoisghost@aussie.zone avatar

Lunch Lady D0-R1z

Prompt

photo realistic image of a Stanley Kubrick style robotic lunch lady in a 1960s high school cafeteria students grainy film clockwork orange

thelsim OP Mod ,
@thelsim@sh.itjust.works avatar
Category Points
Theme is clear +1
Workflow included +1
Era approriate effects +1
Total 3 points

Technically I shouldn't be judging this one since you're only allowed to post one entry. But it's my fault for not noticing it until now :)
Between the two, this one is my favorite. It looks very creepy and realistic.

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