Inside the Truesdell Brothers' Human-First Approach to AI Filmmaking

For the Truesdell Brothers, directors known for crafting emotionally resonant, visually inventive work, AI isn’t a shortcut, but a strategy. “The real magic of AI,” say the Truesdell Brothers, “isn’t in typing a prompt and hoping for the best. It’s using it with intentionality to guide a vision, not replace it.”

Will and Tim Truesdell are part of a new wave of directors integrating AI into filmmaking in ways that elevate what's possible. From AI-assisted previsualisation to motion capture, deepfake-style realism, style-transfer, and creative collaboration tools, the brothers use AI as a set of modular components, deployed precisely where they can make the biggest impact. Their goal is to create the most premium outcome for the project.

Human Intent Drives Creative Output

The brothers strive to wholly retain creative intention and control when it comes to utilising AI in their process. “When used properly, AI can be a power tool in the filmmaking toolkit – one that enables us to dream bigger and take bolder swings creatively,” they explain. “It’s imperative, however, that human intention always drives the creative output. Allowing an AI process to make most of all of the creative decisions goes against what makes filmmaking a unique storytelling medium.”

AI as a Creative Multiplier

The duo likens AI to a style transfer or a render engine – something that translates creative intent into visual execution. They feed in the performance, the style they want, and the camera movement they’d use to get back what they intended.

This precision lets them move faster without compromising quality, particularly in the final phase of VFX work. Often it's the most expensive, time-consuming and least creatively fulfilling phase. If they are precise and intentional, they can expedite this phase and get to 100% faster.

Case Study: Allen Iverson x AI Face Realism

Concept: There’s only one real AI: Allen Iverson. The challenge we set out to overcome was to create a high-impact spec spot where Iverson crosses up a robot with his legendary crossover, set in a larger-than-life cinematic world. And ideally, to use AI not just behind the scenes, but in the storytelling itself.

Challenge: The spot was full CGI, and the team didn’t have access to Iverson himself. The biggest hurdle? Crossing the uncanny valley.

Solution: The Brothers began by building a photoreal metahuman of Allen Iverson and animated it using AI to replicate his signature crossover. While the body movement and clothing felt accurate, the face still fell into the uncanny trap.

“We realised the majority of the uncanniness was coming from his face,” they say. “So, we deepfaked realism back in.”

They trained a model on 100 images of Iverson and used AI-driven deepfake technology to map a more lifelike version of his face onto the CG character. The result was a seamless blend of performance, animation, and emotion that pushed the believability of the spot far beyond what was previously possible.

The Homework Phase Is a Superpower

For the Truesdells, preproduction is sacred. They use Unreal Engine and AI previs tools to create versions of their spots before ever stepping on set. “We usually come to set with an edit already done,” they share. “It gives us room to pivot on the day if a better idea arises, because we’re starting from such a solid base.”

This preparation has redefined their role as directors, not just visual storytellers, but creative strategists. “Filmmaking is inherently technical. Learning these tools just makes us better storytellers.”

A Case Study: Oakley x AI Previs

Concept: Building off the previous year’s TVC, the brothers set out to combine a brutalist, futuristic sci-fi world (a nod to Oakley’s brand identity), the brand’s 50-year legacy in motorsports, and visuals that capture the flow state of motocross, all in one high-octane film.

Challenge: Accomplish all of this with just one shoot day.

Solution: “The most expensive part of filmmaking is not knowing,” they explain. To eliminate guesswork, the brothers used AI to create a 3D version of both virtual and real-world sets. These digital environments powered a complete animatic/previsualisation of the entire spot. “We essentially had a rough cut of the film before we stepped foot on set.”

This not only informed the shot list and schedule, but also solved post-production challenges in pre-production, allowing the team to plan, with precision, how their actor would interact with the virtual world, and how transitions between live action and VFX would play out. The result was a cinematic, elevated campaign that hit every creative and technical note, on time and on budget.

Ethics, Ownership, and Intent

The brothers are also not blind to the ethical landmines of AI. “We don’t want to be part of filmmaking that replaces people without compensation or consent. AI is powerful, but it needs to be guided. It should support the story, not tell it,” they share.

One solution they’re excited about? Partnering with artists who own their IP to train custom models. “It’s a way to make work richer without crossing ethical lines,” they explain. “Whether it’s a graffiti artist or a fine artist, that kind of collision between worlds is creatively thrilling.”

Human First. Always

They’re betting on a future where the director’s role is both expanded and redefined. One where AI tools are simply part of a broader toolkit, and where heart, vision, and collaboration still drive everything. “We’re not here to let the computer make the decisions. We’re here to use it so our decisions go further.”