Technological advancements have continually transformed filmmaking. However, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the industry in unprecedented ways.
AI is opening new possibilities for filmmakers while simultaneously posing challenges. Aspiring filmmakers are exploring how AI technologies, including rapidly evolving generative software, can create original sounds, videos, and even scripts from simple prompts.
One area of tension is in the writing community, where recent strikes highlighted concerns over AI’s growing role. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) eventually agreed to a deal that said AI cannot be used to reduce compensation nor undermine a writer’s credit. Writers face unique challenges because AI can generate entire scripts in seconds. Despite this, human writers maintain key advantages: the unpredictability, wit, and emotional depth that AI struggles to replicate remain crucial.
Generative video software such as Runway and Sora can turn text into images and video. This is perhaps the most disruptive impact of AI on traditional filmmaking, one that empowers any filmmaker and gives the big film studios something to worry about.
