Generative AI has reached a level no one could have imagined five years ago. If you follow the VFX world, you know algorithms — or what we now call “AI” — have been around for quite some time with great results. Today, anyone with a good prompt and some budget can turn a script into images or even a “finished” video.
I’m not going to get into the ecological issues of AI here, nor deny its usefulness in many fields. If you’re a VFX artist using AI to automate part of your workflow, great. If you’re a writer using it as an assistant or translator, also great. But if you plan to use AI-generated material to pitch your script to producers or directors… don’t do it.
Think of it this way: it’s like bringing a Big Mac to a chef and saying that’s your idea of a hamburger. The chef won’t think it’s clever. In fact, it might come off as offensive. No matter how realistic or impressive your AI video looks, the problem isn’t the video itself — it’s what it communicates about you.
Producers and directors understand the craft, the collective work, and the team effort required to turn an idea into a film. When you show them something made by AI, the message is the opposite: that you don’t value that process.
If you really want to show a concept, build partnerships, shoot a short scene, use illustrations, storyboards, or even simple animations. Anything born out of human collaboration carries far more weight than an AI-made video.
If your goal is to make AI films, that’s fine — there’s already a market and even festivals for that. But if you want to bring people on board to produce your script, using AI as your pitch could end up pushing away exactly the people you need the most.
Well, that’s my view on it. What are your thoughts?
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This is such a thoughtful perspective, and I really appreciate how you framed it around the message that AI pitches send rather than just the tool itself. Filmmaking has always been about collaboration; producers and directors want to see that you understand the craft and value the team effort required to bring a project to life.
I think AI can have its place as a behind-the-scenes tool for brainstorming, organizing, or even testing out visual ideas for yourself, but when it comes to pitching, I agree that storyboards, concept art, or a proof-of-concept short carry so much more weight. They show initiative, resourcefulness, and an ability to work with others.