AI in Filmmaking: The Good, The Bad & The Inevitable

AI is increasingly being used in many fields, and AI in filmmaking is no exception.

AI is "resurrecting" deceased actors for new movies, and the ethics of this have been raising valid concerns. From Robin Williams to James Dean, people are undoubtedly concerned about this.

In order to better understand how AI is impacting filmmaking, we need to take a closer look at the good, the bad and the inevitable aspects of this shift.

It is imperative for anybody in the film industry to understand and explore ethical guidelines and governance within the field.

The Good: How AI is Transforming Film Production

From pre-production to marketing, AI plays a role in every stage of filmmaking.

So let's look at the ways AI is currently being used productively to help filmmakers streamline their work and improve the quality of their films for a fraction of the cost and time.

Pre-Production:

• Script analysis (predicting box office success)

• Location scouting using satellite AI

• Casting suggestions based on data

Production:

• De-aging actors

• AI-generated background crowds

• Real-time visual effects previews

Post-Production:

• Smart video editing

• Color grading automation

• VFX enhancement

• Subtitle generation in multiple languages

Marketing:

• AI-edited trailers optimized for engagement

• Personalized ads for different audiences

• Predicting best release dates

Real-World AI Applications in Film

AI can give you endless data-informed insight into the decision making process from pre to post production. Cinelytic Group uses an AI model to predict box office performance with 97-98% accuracy. Companies like Massif Network use AI to location match for filming sets. AI can analyze box office data from IMDb to predict success rates, and create a recommendation for a cast.

AI in Film Marketing

There is no doubt that AI is fantastic for marketing. It can quickly study trending topics, public opinions and predict the best times to release a film or the best ways to promote it. Its ability to analyze a lot of data can make it irreplaceable in the planning of how to market it, and can play a role in every aspect of marketing a film, from content creation to pre-release engagement.

VFX and Post-Production

Marketing is not the only area where AI excels. Visual effects, editing and subtitle creation have also just become worlds easier and less expensive with AI:

1. DNEG built a custom AI tool that turned months of timeline transitions into hours of work.

2. AutoCut cuts editing time from 6 hours to 30 minutes by removing silences and bad takes.

3. AI subtitle generators now transcribe in 99 languages, cutting time by 60-70%.

All of these things can be done while supporting the creative human elements of film, and without taking jobs. With all this being said, we wouldn't be having this conversation if the use of AI in film was a perfect, clear-cut process with no hiccups.

Now we will explore where much of the controversy lies.

The Bad: Job Loss, Deepfakes & Creative Concerns

AI's use in creative spaces is controversial, and with good reason. As we move into a world where AI is integrated into most, if not all aspects of our lives, we need to educate ourselves on its benefits and risks realistically to move forward ethically.

So, what are these controversial topics? Here are some general ideas of where AI may be falling short in the world of film.

Job Displacement:

• Writers, editors, VFX artists losing work

• 2023 WGA strike fought AI-written scripts

• SAG-AFTRA fighting for protections against digital replicas

Ethical Issues:

• Deepfakes

• Resurrecting dead actors

• Voice cloning actors for scenes they never filmed

• Questionable ownership of AI Generated content

Creative Problems:

• Movies becoming Generic

• Loss of human artistic touch

• Homogenization - everything feels the same

Technical Limitations:

• Uncanny valley - AI faces still look "off"

• AI lacks cultural sensitivity/nuance

• Bias in AI training data

Environmental:

• Massive energy use for AI rendering

• Carbon footprint of AI-heavy VFX

Hollywood's Labor Strikes

Even before AI had reached its way into every aspect of our digital lives, Hollywood knew this was coming. And the industry fought back.

The 2023 Writers Guild of America went on strike for about 4 months insisting that writers should be protected from replacement by AI. They demanded that studios couldn't use AI to write or rewrite scripts, that AI could only be used for research and assistance, and their work cannot be used to train AI without compensation or permission.

They won the protections and had their demands met.

The same year, another 4 month strike, the actors union SAG-AFTRA raised concerns about and asked for protection from studios scanning actors' faces and bodies to potentially reuse their image without proper compensation. They demanded proper compensation for usage of their likenesses, and this applied to background actors' images being recycled as well.

The Deepfake Problem

Another eerie example of AI's use in film, or a misuse we may say, is deepfakes, including of the dead who cannot consent to having their likeness used. An example of this is the James Dean Controversy in the movie Back to Eden. Robin Williams' daughter also received a deepfake of her late father, which is, for obvious reasons, unsettling.

Curious about misrepresentation in AI? Read more HERE

Denmark, in a landmark move, is one of the first to pass broad-scale laws that consider a person's likeness to be copyright protected. While the US, EU, Canada, China, South Korea, and Ireland have varying degrees of protection against spreading of deepfakes of a pornographic nature, or deepfakes to have clear disclosure, Denmark is the first to start protecting people's likeness from the source.

AI Slop: When Quality Is Sacrificed

Beyond the ethical nightmares of deepfakes and consent, there's something else unsettling about AI being used in film. Quality. We have all seen it while we scroll through social media. AI slop. AI can feel uncanny, lacking in soul, or monotonous. Marvel's series Secret Invasion on Disney+ is a classic example of this. Viewers immediately noted the almost soulless and distorted images, and felt that the film just wasn't… well, human.

Environment and Job Loss

To explore more about the environmental cost of AI, read HERE and HERE.

There are multiple examples of AI contributing to people in the film industry losing their jobs. An example is Pixar. They laid off 14% of their workforce in 2023, and while they didn't say it was specifically due to AI, it was widely acknowledged that AI was supporting this consolidation and elimination of jobs.

There is no doubt that as we see the increasing implementation of AI in most workplaces, it is likely we will also see increased regulation that will vary regionally.

The Inevitable: Preparing for AI in Filmmaking's Future

Regardless of the growing concerns and frustrations with AI in any field, it's imperative that we at least admit to ourselves that "this is happening" so that we can prepare and gain the knowledge of how to make sure it's happening in a palatable and ethical manner, and that includes in film.

There is a great number of ways we can do this as individuals. Let's look at some of the examples of the things that have been fought for or need to be advocated for:

Consent & Compensation:

• Nations must be held accountable to ensure laws around consent of individuals' likeness is protected appropriately

• Using replicas in sequels, prequels, or remakes is compensated again financially

Transparency & Disclosure:

• AI being used in creation process of a film should always be disclosed

• Clear labeling on marketing materials and credits

Worker Protections:

• Decision-making power over AI should be a bottom-up process, not something only the higher-ups have say over

• Three key principles: prioritize human creativity and stories, use AI to assist and not replace human creativity, and have human-led decision making

Training Data Ethics:

• Artists need to be compensated when their work trains AI models

Industry Standards:

• Collective agreements between producers' associations and unions

• Guild negotiations that set industry-wide standards

• Clear legal frameworks to prevent misuse of deepfakes and unauthorized appearances

What's Being Done: Consent and Transparency

The question isn't whether AI will transform filmmaking—it's how it will change it. As AI is still in its infancy, the time for the film industry to set regulations and boundaries in the use of AI in filmmaking is now!

Unions are fighting for these protections across all aspects of the filmmaking process, and in many cases, winning. Disclosure and consent is KEY in using AI in film. The 2023 SAG-AFTRA Agreement, Germany's Annex on AI, and another SAG-AFTRA agreement in 2024 that protects voice actors are all great examples of legislature and agreements that prioritize express consent for an actor's likeness to be reused or distributed. Much of the changes for the industry have come from the industry workers fighting for what is fair, and demanding measures be taken to protect them.

Broad and generalized laws are another great way to ensure these protections. In the EU AI Act of 2024, it made disclosure of AI-Generated content mandatory, and penalties of up to €35 million can be imposed if this regulation is not met. This avoids or at least slows down misinformation, deceit, and deepfakes in the use of AI.

In California the same year, laws were passed that require clear labeling of AI-generated content in entertainment and political advertisement. We see many countries joining the growing list of nations taking actions to accommodate the ever-changing world of AI.

Training Data Protections

Workers' protections are about more than just consent and transparency though. It's also about avoiding AI training their models and mining data unfairly. In France SACD in 2024, AI training on authors' works without consent was made illegal, and this was also passed in 2023 by the WGA in the US. This protected human creativity and made it harder for AI to replicate authors.

The "NO FAKES" act was reintroduced in the US this year to prohibit non-consensual use or reuse of a person's likeness or voice. While this did set industry standards, Denmark making people have legal ownership over all aspects of their likeness took this even further, with protection for up to 50 years after death.

AI in filmmaking is here. The question is whether we'll be passive observers or active participants in shaping its future in the industry.

FAQs

Q1. How is AI currently being used in filmmaking?

AI is being used in all aspects of filmmaking, but the extent of which varies. Everything from research, VFX, editing, casting, box office predictions, and especially in the business side of film, from managing crew sets to giving data-driven insights to creators.

Q2: Is AI going to replace actors and screenwriters in Hollywood?

It's not likely, at least not in the near future. AI in filmmaking still needs to be operated by a knowledgeable person operating it in order to make it useful. That is not to say AI may not replace some people's jobs, but humans will still crave human-centered films.

Q3: What did the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes accomplish regarding AI?

This strike established provisions where informed consent and appropriate compensations for the use of individuals' likenesses. The contract also requires notice and negotiation of use of “synthetic performers” which are not based on real people.

Q4: What are deepfakes and why are they controversial in film?

Deepfakes are AI-generated videos or audio that portray a person's appearance or voice. In film, they're controversial because they can be used without consent. Like the James Dean casting controversy where a deceased actor was digitally recreated 65 years after his death. The biggest concerns are consent, compensation, and overall film quality. Robin Williams' daughter received a deepfake of her late father, highlighting how disturbing this technology can be when used irresponsibly.

Q5: Which countries have laws protecting against AI misuse in filmmaking?

Denmark is leading the charge. In 2025, they passed groundbreaking legislation giving citizens copyright ownership over their own likeness (face, voice, body) with protection lasting 50 years after death. The EU passed the AI Act in 2024, requiring disclosure of all AI-generated content with penalties up to €35 million for non-compliance. California too has passed laws in 2024 requiring clear labeling of AI-generated content in entertainment. Other countries like France, Germany, and various regulations in Canada, China, South Korea, and Ireland are also taking steps, though Denmark's approach is the most comprehensive so far.