TL;DR Filmmaking should not be done by AI, ever.

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology continues to grow and evolve, its potential in creative fields has sparked both excitement and concern. Recently, we've seen some major studios start experimenting with generative AI in areas like screenwriting, animation, and even directing. Blumhouse, for example, announced a partnership with an AI company just this week. AI may be here to stay, but we will stand firm in our stance that it should not be used to replicate art.

Movies should make you feel.

At its core, filmmaking is a truly emotional craft. It's about telling stories that connect with people, provoke thought, and stir emotions. As a filmmaker, if you can evoke a feeling, you've done your job. Whether it's the painful heart-wrench of a love story gone wrong or the increased pulse of a thriller, films resonate with us on a level deeper than the surface.

Generative AI lacks this core human ability to feel. Sure, it can process data and produce patterns based on past works quite well, but it simply can't replicate the nuances that human intuition and/or the depth of personal experience that give stories their emotional weight. The power of film lies in its ability to make us feel seen, understood, or inspired—something that only human creators, with their complex emotions, can achieve.

True Innovation Requires Risk and Imperfection

AI thrives on data, recognizing patterns and recycling what's worked before. But filmmaking has never been about following a formula; it's about breaking molds and taking risks. Films that push the boundaries of storytelling, like The Dark Knight or Pulp Fiction, weren’t successful because they followed trends—they set new ones. They dared to be different, imperfect, and innovative.

Generative AI, at its deepest levels, can only reassemble pieces of the past, creating variations of what's already been done. It doesn't have the capacity for original thought or the creative leaps that come from human collaboration. Without the unpredictable, messy, and sometimes flawed process of human creation, we risk losing the very spark that makes film an art form rather than just a product.

Filmmaking Is Collaborative, Not Automated.

One of the most beautiful aspects of filmmaking is its collaborative nature. People from all walks of life come together to bring a story to life, each bringing their unique perspective. This shared effort allows for creative friction, where ideas are refined, challenged, and expanded. Cinematic breakthroughs happen through thoughtful discussion, not chatGPT prompts.

When technology automates creativity, we lose the spontaneous interactions and problem-solving that make filmmaking so dynamic. While AI may be able to speed up certain tasks, it strips away the human connections that elevate films from mere entertainment to something deeply meaningful.

What about the hard-working people in Film?

The rise of AI also poses well-documented ethical concerns for the future of the industry. While not unique to the film industry, the existential threat AI poses to jobs for writers, designers, animators, and many others who dedicate their lives to this craft is very real and we, as an industry, should fight back against it. Handing these deeply human tasks over to machines undermines the livelihood of talented professionals but also strongly diminishes the value of their expertise.

At OFFBEND, we see film as an art that requires years of practice, patience, and skill, and even then, no iteration is universally perfect. Film is not an assembly line, and treating it as such ignores the depth that humans bring to every frame.

Why We Stand Firm:

Let me say this clearly: We strongly oppose the use of generative AI in filmmaking. Put it on the record. While it can seem tempting to embrace AI as a tool to cut costs or streamline production, we believe that the heart of cinema will always be human. Filmmaking is about connection, collaboration, and risk-taking. AI may be able to assist in certain technical aspects, but it should never replace the human mind and heart behind a story, every aspect of it.

Blumhouse and other studios may choose to experiment with generative AI, but we’re taking a different path and staying committed to preserving the soul of storytelling and keeping the magic of human creativity at the forefront of everything we do.

Stay true to yourselves, your dreams, and your vision. The rest will fall into place.

Best,

The OFFBEND Team