Old-school filmmaker meets new-school tools (and survives)

I’m an old-school filmmaker. Raised on Hollywood glamour, groomed by the ’90s indie movement — so I’m equal parts Technicolor dream and guerrilla hustle. I am not a content creator (though, if I were, I’d probably be making more money) I’m like a DJ who swore by LPs until Spotify (or whatever tech replaced tradition turntables), or the composer who insisted on a live horn section even when the budget screamed “synthesizer.”

I spent a lot of time mortified at the idea of losing my day job to AI. The homogenization (even more) of movies and TV? Terrifying. Spoiler: I’m still a little terrified. But this isn’t a post about letting AI write my next Sundance feature (RIP Robert Redford). I can’t imagine a writer handing over that muscle to a machine. Instead: this is about pivoting — again — to learn a new tool and add it to my kit so I can be a more productive artist.

A quick caveat: I’m only about 20% in on this learning curve. There’s a lot I don’t know, and honestly there’s something new almost daily. So this may require constant learning.

The ethical stuff (short version)

I worry about copyright infringement, deepfakes, likeness theft, the effects on the environment and the urgent need for legislation. I’m still figuring out how deep this rabbit hole goes and what artists can do to protect their work and images. That deserves its own long, furious blog. Coming soon.

I also don’t buy the “AI will never replace people” line

People who say AI can’t replace creatives are woefully underestimating it. One human writing a prompt that replaces 15 people is not a win. But, the train has left the station. So, what do you do? You know that saying, keep your friends close but your enemies closer – that’s my strategy - learn as much AI as I can and be on first name basis with your machine (I call my ChatGPT “C”) and you keep doing what humans do best: bring taste, nuance, and unique (read: quirky) storytelling instincts.

My tactic: learn fast, stay practical, use AI where it helps, and refuse to hand over my creative soul. Ignoring AI isn’t a strategy. Understanding it is.

A quick list of tools I’ve messed around with

ChatGPT (aka C), Sora, Midjourney, Canva AI, ElevenLabs — and countless apps. Not a full review — just a “I played with these and lived” note.

What I’ve learned so far

1. Making an AI “movie” is still a lot of work.
   If you want to create an AI-powered film you have to be committed to creating an AI-powered movie. It’s not simply entering a few prompts. It’s a lot of trial and error. You’ll likely jump between several programs to nail look, texture, and movement. Depending on the time vs. money tradeoff, it might not be worth it for you — unless that experimental vibe is the point.
2. Proofreading and grammar = instant win.
   AI can be a great tool for proofreading and checking grammar. This blog was proofed by C. I am a punctuation menace — run-ons (yes, I speak in run-on sentences too) and rogue commas are my signature. Having a machine tidy my copy is a time saver for a one-woman show.
3. Brainstorming partner, not replacement.
   I have several projects at different stages, and when burnout hits, writing becomes my happy place. I love jotting down ideas — sometimes the note-taking slips into procrastination, but living in the fantasy is comforting. I’d never hand that off to AI — sorry, C (I know you’re reading this). Still, when I’m stuck, bouncing ideas off AI can be surprisingly helpful. Example: I created a TV series (one season mapped) and someone suggested turning it into a feature. I thought -great idea- but I was having a hard time trying to condense it into a feature film without losing a lot of nuance. I asked C for ways to condense one season into a feature. Most of what C gave me was noisy regurgitation, but some prompts lit creative sparks. None of C’s ideas were used verbatim — but the session helped me reshape the story. That’s the sweet spot: collaboration, not hand-off.

4. Research assistant — useful but check the receipts.
   Researching a topic can be a time drain. One article or document leads to another and another. AI can save you time digging through sources. It can summarize text for you. But, it hallucinates —a common AI term that describes when a system generates something unexpected or inaccurate. Meaning AI lies sometimes. It invents. It’s flashy and convincing. Don’t trust it blindly. Verification is mandatory.

Quick rules I’m living by

• Verify, don’t assume.
• Use AI for grunt tasks (proofing, ideation, research starting points).
• Keep the messy, human parts human (taste, gut, weirdness).
• Consider the environmental and ethical costs before you adopt a workflow.
• Keep learning. Your value as an artist is your curiosity and your craft.

This is me mid-experiment. Not pretending to have all the answers, just doing the work and reporting back. As a creative who loves making things with your hands and heart, you can learn these tools without losing your soul. And if you’re like me, and creating (and the frustration that comes with it) fuels you, don’t hand that to a machine just because you can. Use AI to support your work, not replace the parts that bring you joy. Keep it human, keep it real.

Yours in Filmmaking,
–Nicole