Ready Creator One: AI Workflows for Filmmakers – Watch my BILD Expo Presentation

by Nino LeitnerOctober 3^rd, 2025

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When I stepped on stage at B&H’s BILD Expo in New York City this summer, I was struck by the sheer number of creators in the room. It proved to me that the conversation around AI in filmmaking is not only urgent, but also deeply personal. In this article, I want to share the main points of my talk: the parallels between past revolutions in our industry, the risks and opportunities AI brings, and practical ways filmmakers can use it today: AI Workflows for Filmmakers.

We really attend all the major trade shows, but B&H’s BILD 2025 felt unique. It brought together a community of creators hungry for education and inspiration, all in one place. It was really all users there, creators, filmmakers and photographers, hungry to learn more. In a world where technology is moving faster than ever, I believe these gatherings remind us of something crucial: human connection can never be replaced by machines. Not even by AI.

Learning from the 5D revolution

To make sense of today’s AI discussion, I compared it to what happened in 2008 with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. At the time, nobody imagined that a DSLR would change filmmaking. Traditionalists laughed at the idea of shooting with a photo camera, yet the 5D created a revolution. This site – which used to be called cinema5D – was born, as a forum for DSLR filmmakers. The crazy ones filming with a “photo camera”, and none of us were taken seriously on set at the beginning. But we networked and prevailed, and the rest is history.

That camera was a pathway to democratizing access to large-sensor video and it changed the trajectory of filmmaking. Those who dismissed it were left behind, while those who embraced it paved the way for a new generation of creators.

I see AI as a similar moment of disruption – albeit a much more significant one as it’s affecting basically every industry, not just ours.

The uneasy truth about copyright

Generative AI has been trained on massive datasets, much of it copyrighted work. None of us gave permission, and yet the technology is now out in the world. Only recently have companies like Disney and NBCUniversal started suing Midjourney over its output, which often resembles existing IP almost frame-for-frame. (Since I gave the talk, much more has evolved in the world of AI: OpenAI’s Sora 2 video model and the newly available iOS app are also easily re-producing copyrighted work, so let’s see who will go after them in court.)

This could become a Napster moment for AI: legal battles may force the industry to adapt, potentially leading to more legitimate platforms — just as streaming services replaced illegal music downloads.

Where AI is already a threat

Some parts of filmmaking are more vulnerable than others. I believe the following areas will be hit hardest in the short term:

• Stock footage: why license a generic office shot if you can generate one instantly?
• Commercials: more and more short-form ads are already being created entirely with AI.
• Animation: styles can be mimicked in seconds, often raising legal and ethical concerns.
• Mass-produced fiction: formula-driven shows could soon be auto-generated once character consistency improves.

Filmmaking genres in which authenticity will continue to matter more

Other genres are safer, at least for now. Documentaries, news, reality TV, and wedding films all rely on real people, real stories, and real events. These cannot be generated, though AI can still support them with cost-saving tools for reenactments, translations, or archival visuals.

I suspect many displaced professionals will shift into these areas, which could increase competition but also push innovation.

Instead of handing the keys to the AI kingdom to some tech pros who have never held a camera in their lives, filmmakers should rather beat them at their own game, because they don’t know how to visually tell a story.

The AI train has left the station

Nevertheless, with all the challenges ahead, it’s important to note that the train has already left the station. It’s time for filmmaking professionals to learn the tools and stay on top of things as they’re not going to go away. And instead of handing the keys to the kingdom to some tech pros who have never held a camera in their lives, filmmakers should rather beat them at their own game, because they don’t know how to visually tell a story. There are lots of AI workflows for filmmakers that will save you a lot of time in tasks you never wanted to do yourself in the first place.

AI workflows for filmmakers in pre-production

I’ve begun experimenting with AI tools in my own workflow. In pre-production, they can save enormous amounts of time:

• Script analysis with large language models can create draft shot lists.
• AI mood boards help visualize lighting, colors, and design directions.
• Storyboarding tools generate quick iterations that clients can approve or refine.
• Location scans using photogrammetry and Gaussian splatting apps on a phone create usable 3D models for planning camera positions and set design.

These tools don’t replace my creative vision, but they allow me to arrive on set better prepared.

Post-production advantages

In post, AI has already transformed the way I work. Automatic transcription and text-based editing let me assemble documentary edits far faster than before.

Masking has also become dramatically easier with tools like Apple’s Magnetic Mask in Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve’s Magic Mask. Restoration and upscaling tools such as Topaz bring new life to archival footage.

The result is more time spent on creative choices and less on repetitive tasks.

Resistance is nothing new

Every innovation in cinema has faced resistance: the move from silent films to talkies, the introduction of nonlinear editing, the shift from film to digital, and the DSLR revolution. In every case, those who refused to adapt were left behind.

With AI, we are still somewhere between fear and early adoption. The innovation stage is coming, and it will unlock storytelling possibilities we cannot yet imagine.

New AI workflow and generative AI video courses on MZed

To help our community adapt, we have launched a new MZed course series called The Efficient Filmmaker. It focuses on workflows that integrate AI and other modern tools. The first course on subtitles and captioning is already online, and so is the second one on AI video masking in various NLEs. A third course in the series on 3D visualization is coming soon.

On top of this series which is mentioned in my BILD talk, we are also about to launch our first generative video course by Drew Geraci, called “Directing the Future – Ethical AI Video for Filmmakers”. Drew is best known for his work on “House of Cards” (he is the DP behind the timelapse intro) and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story”, and already has a very popular course on MZed called “Cinematic Timelapse“. As a professional filmmaker he is diving deep into generative AI to enhance his own creative vision, and he does so ethically, working on his own footage and photos to advance his vision. This course will launch next week, so watch this space.

All of the courses are available as part of an MZed subscription (annual or monthly) and will be regularly updated so subscribers can stay current as the technology evolves.

Final thoughts

I see AI as a tool, not a replacement for creativity. By taking advantage of it in pre-production and post-production, we can spend more time doing what matters most: telling meaningful stories.

Are you already using AI workflows for filmmakers, and if yes, how? Share your perspective in the comments below.