AI overview
AI is increasingly influencing the role of directors in both scripted and unscripted TV and film.
AI offers new tools that can support and assist from pre-production planning and shot design to real-time feedback during filming.
AI-powered systems allow directors to experiment with multiple creative choices, analyse potential outcomes and make data-informed decisions faster than ever.
These advancements enable directors to focus more deeply on storytelling while benefiting from streamlined workflows and enhanced visual insights.
AI can improve previsualisation of a production, film, location or set with increasing accuracy, enabling directors to clearly see and understand creative implications, enabling some elements of decision making to take place without the high costs of a production in progress.
AI offers the opportunity to improve the efficiency of collaboration between the director and production teams. By automating repetitive tasks, such as shot-list creation, storyboarding and scene tracking, AI tools allow directors to spend more time on high-level creative decisions.
In unscripted television, where quick adaptability is often essential, AI is especially valuable, providing directors with fast response or even real-time analytics that help them anticipate audience preferences and adjust their future approach accordingly.
As the potential benefits of AI grow, directors are finding themselves increasingly able to improve the balance between creative control and production efficiency.
Download a PDF version of this page.
How do I prepare for the future?
To prepare for the future, directors could consider prioritise learning about emerging AI-driven tools that support creative processes, improve efficiency and also critically enhance communication with others.
By developing familiarity with AI for previsualisation, audience analytics and real-time production feedback, directors can use these tools to their advantage while maintaining control over their creative vision.
The future ability to create rapid and accurate immersive prototypes of scenes and shots, along with the ability to simulate the cost, time and technical impact of decision-making gives directors the opportunity to step through the production process before engaging with the entire crew on set.
This gives them the opportunity to reduce the number of large changes of direction on set, saving time and money in the process.
If used effectively it will help them and the production team stay focused and commit resources to the elements that can really benefit.
Engaging in training through ScreenSkills and other online resources will be valuable for directors aiming to stay at the forefront of the industry.
Directors who embrace these new technologies will be better equipped to lead projects, delivering a blend of technical understanding and precision with great creative flair.
What tools can I use right now?
Directors have access to several AI tools that assist at different phases of production, enhancing both efficiency and creativity. Here’s how AI can support directors across various production stages.
- Script breakdown and storyboarding: AI tools can analyse scripts, breaking down scenes and characters, and automatically generate detailed storyboards. Directors can visualise how scenes unfold, experiment with camera angles, and plan shots that align with their vision.
- Casting recommendations: Some AI platforms provide casting suggestions based on script analysis and character profiling. AI can also predict audience responses to different casting choices, helping directors select actors that are likely to resonate with their target viewers.
- Location scouting and scene planning: AI-powered tools can analyse prospective locations and offer recommendations for optimising scenes within each space. These tools help directors visualise lighting, angles and set design, tailored to the unique features of each location.
- Camera angles and scene composition: AI-driven platforms can assist with visualising proposed camera angles and compositions for each shot, enabling directors to communicate their intended aesthetic and visual style to others rapidly. This is particularly useful in multi-camera setups and complex scenes.
- Continuity and scene matching: AI tools help maintain continuity across shots by tracking costume details, props and character placements. Directors will soon be able to employ systems that will automatically alert them if any predefined element is out of place, ensuring consistency across scenes without extensive manual checks.
- Real-time audience engagement analytics: In unscripted TV, AI tools can provide insights into real-time audience reactions, offering suggestions or highlighting specific elements that are engaging viewers.
- Department efficiency: When employed effectively, AI has the ability to speed up communication on the impact of decision making, allowing departments to more readily respond to requests and in the moment changes with a detailed answer, rather than simply ‘we will have to go and find out’.
- Automated rough cuts and scene suggestions: AI editing tools can create initial cuts of scenes, identifying the most impactful moments and arranging them into sequences. This gives directors a base to build on, saving time and helping refine pacing.
- Audience analytics and predictive feedback: AI systems can simulate audience reactions and predict engagement for different narrative choices, providing directors with data to help them make final adjustments. This predictive feedback is invaluable in fine-tuning elements for maximum impact.
AI-driven pre-visualisation: AI tools that generate visual concepts, suggest compositions and develop storyboards to streamline the visualisation process.
Advanced casting analysis: AI systems that analyse audience preferences to suggest casting choices that will resonate with specific demographics.
Real-time scene composition tools: AI tools provide scene and shot composition suggestions based on the director’s intended visual style, aiding in creative decision-making on set.
AI-assisted editing tools: AI platforms that generate rough cuts, match scenes and check continuity, allowing directors to make high-level editorial decisions with ease.
Audience analytics for predictive feedback: AI that simulates audience engagement for different story choices, providing directors with data to help refine their vision.
These resources help directors stay proficient in using AI tools, enabling them to harness the efficiency of these technologies while upholding their creative vision across all stages of production.
- Coursera has resources for digital previsualisation
- Online training in real-time scene composition is available on platforms like Unreal Engine
- LinkedIn Learning offers video editing courses with an AI component
- Udemy has resources in predictive feedback and data analytics.
ScreenSkills resources:
- Director (film and TV drama) job profile
- Director (unscripted TV) job profile
ScreenSkills offers a variety of training opportunities for people at all stages of their career. Explore all training, events and opportunities.