The AI Arms Race Hits Film School

When I was in film school, everyone wanted to take this class called "Tech Topics." It was super hard. You had to learn the basics to use every technical piece of equipment on set, and the professor, Richie Sherman, did not let anyone off the hook.

Aside from algebra, that was probably my lowest grade. But it taught me a ton of respect for every job on the crew, and it made me a better writer because I could think about all the different ways things happen on set.

Anyway, it seems like film school has changed a ton since I was there fifteen years ago. No one is learning their way around a RED V-Raptor or mastering a three-point lighting setup. Now. they're they're learning how to talk to the machine.

In a dizzying two-week stretch, three of the most prestigious film and drama programs in the U.S. have doubled down on Generative AI.

This signals a massive shift in how the next generation of storytellers is being trained.

Let's dive in.

USC: Actors vs. The Machine

While the School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) usually gets the tech spotlight at USC, the School of Dramatic Arts (SDA) just made a major play. It's been backed by Adobe, and together, they launched the Institute for Actor-Driven Innovation.

It's a sort of "think tank" designed to help actors navigate a world of digital doubles and AI-generated scripts.

• The Goal: Teaching "actorpreneurs" how to wield AI rather than being replaced by it.
• The High-Tech Twist: Students will reportedly practice reading scenes opposite deepfaked A-listers, preparing them for the technical and psychological demands of the modern, high-budget virtual set.

And I am sure A-listers do not want to be deepfaked, especially by college kids learning to read lines.

Call me crazy, but I'd prefer these kids learn how to help each other in auditions and read across from one another. Otherwise, will they ever learn to act?

NYU Tisch: The "Hyper Cinema" Experiment

Over at NYU, the Tisch School of the Arts has struck an expansive deal with Runway, giving students access to near-unlimited video-generation credits.

The deal is currently centered on the Hyper Cinema Lab and the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP), and not notably the "mainline" film school.

But again, how long does that last before there is crossover?

To me, this seems like NYU is testing the AI waters in its tech-heavy experimental labs before fully unleashing it on the traditional "film school" purists.

And while I think learning to use things as tools makes sense, in such a volatile industry where people are losing their jobs, what are you really training these people to do?

Film schools are trying to get ahead of the industry so their kids can get jobs, but I'm not sure aligning with AI, which may take those jobs anyway, is a good version of helping students get ahead.

Chapman: $40,000 for "AI-Heavy" Cinema

Finally, in the news is Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, which invited Tilly Norwood, the "AI actress," to deliver a lecture.

The backlash for this stunt was swift and brutal. Dodge’s Instagram post was flooded with over 1,000 comments calling the move "tone deaf" and a "betrayal" of human performers. You can read more on Deadline.

The program also announced $40,000 in grants for students who use AI with "originality and inspiration" in their film projects.

The donors remain anonymous...which to me signals they are in the AI landscape and want to make sure the next generation embraces the tech. But they're not brave enough to say they're influencing students.

The Broader "Generative" Landscape

It's so much more than these three schools. Even digging a little, I came up with all this info on who else is embracing AI.

• Loyola Marymount University (LMU): Their "AI and Screenwriting" course has reportedly become the fastest-filling elective in the School of Film and Television. While I think this course is devoted to the ethics around it and not using AI to write scripts, it was hard to tell from the course description. These kids need to learn how to write on their own and develop good habits, I do not think this is a good answer to creativity or procrastination.
• CalArts: The Chanel-funded AI center (CCAT) is now integrating machine learning specifically into its world-renowned Film/Video program.
• Sundance Institute: In a massive industry move, Google.org gifted Sundance $2M to train 100,000 artists in AI literacy, bridging the gap between independent film and Silicon Valley tech.

Summing It All Up

What it feels like I am seeing is a bunch of rich companies buying the approval of a generation whose jobs they are actively trying to take.

We have unions in Hollywood fighting to make sure humans make money and take precedent, but film schools seem to be undermining this stuff.

What’s your take? Should film schools stay "analog" to protect the craft, or is AI literacy now a mandatory skill for any working director?

Let us know in the comments.