EP 025 · 78 MIN ESCALATOR TO SANTANA AT HEAVEN'S GATES
Micro-Decisions in Midjourney: Small Choices, Big Impact
The short version
Episode 25 is a real-time walkthrough of Rory and Drew's 'decision tree': starting from the single word 'escalator,' they build a full scene through dozens of live micro-decisions on aspect ratio, stylize weights, remix, image references and retexturing, ending at 'Carlos Santana at the gates of heaven' surrounded by clouds. They close with two Discord tricks: recovering old personalization codes and rebuilding a lost Style Tuner look as a mood board.
Key takeaways
- 01
Midjourney's four-grid result is diagnostic: if none of the four hits what you want, change the prompt or a parameter instead of wastefully re-rolling, Drew's rule of thumb.
- 02
Use Very Strong, not Subtle, when you like an image's overall direction but want more creative latitude — it typically changes three or more elements at once.
- 03
When Editor or Remix won't add an element like graffiti or clouds, generate your own reference image and feed it back in as a weighted Image Reference.
- 04
Retexture keeps a composition's structure while completely reskinning its style with an SREF code, turning one escalator shot neon, then cloudy, then psychedelic.
- 05
Recover lost Midjourney personalization codes in Discord with '/list_personalized_codes' — Rory found three or four profiles he'd completely forgotten training.
- 06
Rebuild a discontinued Style Tuner look for free: gather your old Style Tuner-era images into a new mood board and regenerate from that instead.
- 07
Turn personalization off when testing raw parameters like stylize or style weight — otherwise it blends into every result and hides what the parameter alone is doing.
Receipts · said on the record
“There is no other tool. I don't care what you say. I will die on this hill. It has the most creative capacity in terms of like its own mind.”
“If I don't get what I want in any of the original grids of four, I'm not going to keep re-rolling at that, because that's a waste of time.”
“image references slept on. It's always been there. And I think people get obsessed with style reference, but image reference, it's the construction. Like, it takes the construction.”
“we started with what? The word escalator. And then we ended up with Carlos Santana at the gates to heaven with fluffy clouds surrounding an escalator with a cloak figure. You can't prompt for it.”
“You're wearing a big-ass tool belt. And when you first start, all you have is a f*cking hammer. And then you're adding the wrench, the screwdriver, all the other stuff that comes with it as you encounter these.”
Chapters
- 0:00:00 Hangovers, Twins, and New Year Laughs
- 0:04:30 Escalators: The Hero of This Story
- 0:08:00 Decision Trees: Your Creative Playbook
- 0:12:30 Small Adjustments, Massive Impact
- 0:16:45 Iterate Smarter, Not Harder in Midjourney
- 0:21:00 How Style Weight Changes Everything
- 0:25:30 Remix, Refine, and Reroll Like a Pro
- 0:30:15 Escalators to Heaven (Or Maybe Hell)
- 0:35:00 Troubleshooting Prompts for Better Results
- 0:39:45 Personalization Codes: Unlocking Hidden Potential
- 0:44:30 Layer by Layer: Building Visuals
- 0:49:00 Escalator to Awesome: Final Tweaks
- 0:53:30 Mastering the Evolution of a Concept
- 0:57:00 Experimentation: The Lifeblood of Creativity
Questions this episode answers
What is Fast Hours' 'decision tree' concept in Midjourney?
It's Rory and Drew's term for the branching series of micro-decisions — word choice, aspect ratio, stylize and style weight, personalization on or off, remix versus edit — that together shape an image far more than the initial prompt alone.
When should you stop re-rolling a Midjourney prompt?
Drew's rule: if none of the four images in a grid contains the core element you were going for, re-rolling is a waste of time. Treat it as a signal to change the actual prompt or a parameter instead.
How do you add an object, like graffiti or clouds, to an existing Midjourney image?
When Editor or Remix won't reliably place it, Rory and Drew generate a separate reference image of just that element and feed it back in as an Image Reference, tuning its weight until it blends in convincingly.
Can you get back a deleted or forgotten Midjourney personalization profile?
Yes — Rory shows that typing '/list_personalized_codes' in Midjourney's Discord returns every personalization code you've ever trained, including ones he says he had completely forgotten about.
Can you recreate Midjourney's discontinued Style Tuner look?
Rory's workaround: search your Organize tab for images generated during the old Style Tuner era, add them to a new mood board, and regenerate from that, effectively bringing the style back without the original tool.
Show notes
Season 2, Episode 1—Micro-Decisions in Midjourney: Small Choices, Big Impact
Drew and Rory kick 2025 (and Season 2) with a hilariously relatable ride, starting with their New Year’s celebrations (spoiler: lots of wine, some twins, and questionable bedtimes). But the real party begins when they dive headfirst into the creative chaos of Midjourney and the invisible x-factor that exists for all users to leverage.
With escalators as their quirky muse, they dissect the decision tree—a step-by-step breakdown of how micro-decisions shape the creative process. From choosing style weights and aspect ratios to remixing and editing, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for both personal projects and client work.
Drew and Rory share tips on using Midjourney’s latest features, like personalization profiles and editor refinements, while showcasing how iteration, experimentation, and a curious mindset can lead to unexpected (and stunning) results.
