How AI is quietly transforming behind-the-scenes filmmaking for directors and cinematographers

AI’s Real Impact on Filmmaking Goes Beyond the Screen

When people think of artificial intelligence in Hollywood, they often imagine deepfakes, synthetic actors, or AI-generated scripts and video. Tools like Google’s Veo3, Pika Labs, and Kling AI have made headlines for producing photorealistic AI-generated video clips—OpenAI’s Sora 2, for example, was announced in March before the company later revealed plans to shut it down.

However, for freelance filmmakers, the most significant shift is happening behind the scenes. Cinematographers and directors have long juggled multiple roles: artist, technician, project manager, and negotiator. Now, AI is quietly taking over some of the more repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing creatives to focus on storytelling.

From Fear to Function: How AI is Being Adopted in Filmmaking

Michael Goi, former president of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) and current co-chair of its AI committee, recalls the widespread panic in the industry just a few years ago. “There was this blanket fear that AI would completely replace jobs,” he says. Goi emphasizes that this fear has been overblown.

Last year, Goi presented an ASC seminar highlighting one of the biggest challenges to AI adoption in video: consistency. In a live demonstration with six-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel and AI creator Ellenor Argyropoulos, the team attempted to use AI tools to generate a specific shot. “Caleb had a very clear vision,” Goi explains, “and it was a struggle to even get close.”

While AI video tools have improved since then, they remain primarily suited for short-form content. Most tools can only generate clips up to two minutes in 4K quality. This limitation is actually beneficial for filmmakers working on vertical series, including Goi himself, who often test new video-generation models before their public release.

AI-Generated Microdramas: A Case Study in Viral Success

A prime example of AI’s growing role is Fruit Love Island, an AI-generated “fruit slop” microdrama from the TikTok account @ai.cinema021. The series became TikTok’s fastest-growing account ever, amassing over 3 million followers in nine days and 300 million total views before being flagged for low quality and abruptly halted in late March.

Each two-minute episode allegedly took around three hours to produce, reportedly using text-to-script tools like Object Talk before feeding the output into an AI video generator. While the project’s sudden removal highlights ongoing concerns about AI content quality, it also demonstrates the platform’s appetite for AI-generated short-form video.

Behind-the-Scenes Gains: How AI is Streamlining Filmmaking Workflows

For most freelance cinematographers, AI’s benefits are not on-screen but in the planning and pre-production phases. Tools like Midjourney and Runway are now commonly used to create storyboards and visual references quickly.

Rob Berry, a freelance cinematographer who has worked with clients like Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom, recalls his first experience with AI-generated storyboards on a commercial project. “[The clients] were able to make them very quickly, change them the day before the shoot, and hand them to me,” he says. “I was like, wow—the future’s here.”

Director Sage Bennett, who has shot campaigns for brands like Dior and Jim Beam, has observed a similar trend. “Budgets are getting smaller, and expectations are rising,” she notes. “AI tools help us meet those demands by speeding up the creative process.”

Why AI Won’t Replace Filmmakers—Yet

Despite the hype around AI-generated video, industry experts agree that fully AI-produced feature films are not imminent. The primary hurdles remain consistency, control, and creative nuance. Goi’s ASC seminar underscored these challenges, proving that human expertise is still irreplaceable for achieving a director’s vision.

Instead of replacing jobs, AI is becoming a powerful assistive tool, helping filmmakers work more efficiently. From rapid prototyping to streamlined pre-production, AI is carving out a niche in the filmmaking process—one that enhances creativity rather than diminishes it.