Following up on my last discussion about The Ethics of AI and Indie Filmmaking, I wanted to dig deeper into where the line might actually be.
In the last article, I asked what others thought about the ethics of AI and indie filmmaking, and I received a range of answers—from “anything goes, it’s the wild west” to “ethical AI use is an oxymoron.”
However, this made me realize what a wide range of interpretation this topic can have. Does AI in indie filmmaking mean an occasional consultation with Gemini, or does it mean creating an entire film with AI software and then stamping your name on it?
There’s a line somewhere (even if that line is zero tolerance), and I wanted to introduce these ethical dilemmas to get a sense of where people’s lines are.
To get more specific, I created six scenarios for using AI in filmmaking—specifically for indie filmmakers—each one handing over more creative control to artificial intelligence. I suspect some readers will take a zero-tolerance stance, believing none of these are okay, while others will have a George Lucas-CGI mindset of “if it can be done, it should be done.” Most, I imagine, will fall somewhere in between.
I want to know where your line is. Let’s do this.
Situation #1:
Dylan is writing a period piece set in the 1920s. He knows the time period pretty well, but there are little things he’s not sure about. Was applesauce around yet? Did people call their mothers “mom”? What were 30-year-olds nostalgic for then?
To save time and get more targeted results, Dylan asks ChatGPT about these details. He also runs some dialogue lines through it to make sure nothing sounds too unrealistic.
Is this okay?
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t. Not sure.
Situation #2:
Vidya is putting together a sizzle reel for a movie she wants to make. Her goal is to show it to investors and potential actors and directors. She wants the reel to include key moments from the movie, including a scene with a flying T-Rex.
She uses AI to make the flying T-Rex shot, along with several other assets. She plans to reshoot everything with actors and practical effects once the funds are raised—using AI only for proof of concept.
Is this okay?
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t. Not sure.
Situation #3:
Hannah is making a short and is ready to shoot a party scene with around 30 extras. She booked the actors, paid for the space, and is ready to go. But Murphy’s Law strikes. The bus system fails, a group of extras gets sick, and her DP gets locked in his apartment, delaying the shoot. She ends up with six extras. There’s no time or budget to reshoot. She does her best to cheat the shots, but when she reviews the dailies, it looks janky.
She decides to use AI to add extra bodies to the party scene. She’s not costing anyone jobs—she couldn’t reshoot anyway—and the extras were working for free. But half the people in the scene are fake.
Is this okay?
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t. Not sure.
Situation #4:
Andre is shooting the pilot for his high-fantasy series. It has some impressive effects that he could never afford on his indie budget. The script is strong and the cast is great, but the lack of money makes it hard to do the project justice.
Andre finds an AI-based special effects artist. The artist has created his own program and guarantees he’s not stealing from existing material—he feeds it only work that he made himself. Andre still pays the artist for the effects, but they’re generated through AI instead of by a traditional VFX artist.
Is this okay?
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t. Not sure.
Situation #5:
Orsen is thrilled to finally make his movie—a sci-fi action flick to rival Total Recall. He’s worked hard on it and has real actors and a paid crew. Most of it, though, is shot in front of green screens. He uses AI to enhance the visuals and fill in the environments, getting it to look as slick as his favorite sci-fi blockbusters.
He’s using AI a lot to assist him, filling in gaps and doing work he couldn’t afford otherwise, but he’s still employing real people for core creative roles.
Is this okay?
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t. Not sure.
Situation #6:
Mayte is making her dream project, a horror movie about unicorns. She knows exactly how it should look—the sets, costumes, music, everything.
But she’s doing it all herself. She uses AI for everything, from visuals to sound to performance. She’s great at prompting, and she’s not settling for lazy results—it’s her vision, but executed entirely through AI.
Is this okay?
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t. Not sure.
So where did you land? Where do you draw the line? Are none of these okay? Are all of them? Are there some extreme ones that actually feel more ethical than earlier ones?
These aren’t easy questions, and that’s the point. Indie filmmaking has always thrived on resourcefulness, and now we have a new kind of resource—one that might save us or break us, depending on how we use it.
I’d love to hear your thoughts as we keep this conversation going.