The Future of Directing and Post in an AI-Driven World

In the ever-evolving landscape of filmmaking and advertising, a new chapter is unfolding: one shaped by the rise of generative AI. Traditional boundaries of authorship, craftsmanship, and visual storytelling are being redrawn, as machines become creative collaborators alongside human artists. The question is no longer if AI will be part of the directing and post-production process, but how.

​Let it Rip Pictures is diving headfirst into that question with the launch of The Athletica. As a trailblazing AI studio, Athletica merges the immense capabilities of AI with the production know-how of professionals who’ve long overseen complex, high-stakes shoots. And at the heart of this model remains the human - the producer, the director, storytellers, creative teams, and postproduction specialists. Their experience, vision, and artistic judgment are irreplaceable when it comes to shaping emotion, tone, and storytelling. AI doesn’t replace these roles, it enhances them, accelerating production timelines and optimising costs without compromising quality.

“We’re entering a new era where AI is no longer just a tool, but a foundational creative partner in film and commercial production. The boundaries between craft, authorship, and storytelling are being reshaped. AI is not a question of if, but how it will be integrated, and Athletica is leading that integration with transparency, control, and creative integrity” says Tomek Kulesza, partner at Let it Rip.

Over the past months, the studio has tested multiple approaches to producing content using AI-generated materials. As a result, it has developed a new production model that meets the needs of creative agencies and clients alike - while still preserving the essential creative roles that define the filmmaking process.

Recognising the narrative and emotional specificity of film as a medium, the studio has built a workflow that continues to rely on directors and other key creative contributors throughout. Their involvement is not only respected, it’s essential.

Yet, as with all evolution, tension exists. Directors and post-production teams are navigating a shifting terrain - one in which the rules are still being written. We asked a few of them what the future of directing might look like in this rapidly transforming era.

Directing in the Age of AI

For director Das Tassos / Bartosz Dombrowski, the conversation isn’t about resistance, it’s about intentionality. “The fact that AI is, and will increasingly be, part of the creative and production process is a given,” Das says. “So the real question is not if it will be involved, but how.” Das envisions two parallel futures:

In one, The Hybrid Director thrives.

As content becomes faster and cheaper to produce with AI, some clients may paradoxically invest more in traditional filmmaking. This model blends classic methods: actors, sets, and human crews with AI-powered previsualisation, post, and production tools. Directors can move through editing, colour, and sound with AI support, while maintaining collaborative and human-led creative decisions.

“The key is that AI becomes an invisible collaborator,” says Das. “It speeds up the workflow without removing the beautifully imperfect, organic nature of filmmaking.” In this future, handcrafted storytelling becomes a kind of luxury reserved for those who value time and the human touch.

In the other future, The Solo Visionary emerges.

Here, the director becomes a creative 'prompter,' working closely with AI to generate visuals, tone, and entire narrative arcs. The process is more solitary, driven by the director’s sensibility and relationship with the machine. The results can be dreamlike, abstract, and highly stylised, unbound by physical logistics but often disconnected from lived human experience.

Das sees both modes coexisting. Visual-heavy formats like automotive, product, or food campaigns will likely lean toward AI-generated content, maximizing aesthetic control. But narrative-driven projects will still require the irreplaceable human spark: a director’s instinct, an actor’s performance, the nuance that no algorithm can authentically replicate.

“And maybe that’s the real frontier,” he says. “Not whether AI can tell a story - but whether it can feel one.”

From Director to Prompter?

For director Miguel Murciano, the rapid pace of AI development is both thrilling and concerning. “We’re moving incredibly fast without a strong foundation,” he says.

Miguel uses AI to develop visual treatments and explore tone early in the process. But he draws a clear line when it comes to authorship. “I worry about the moment when directors become just prompters. Once AI surpasses us in intelligence and creative execution, as some predict could happen within a few years, we risk becoming ineffective within the very system we helped create."

Miguel emphasises the need to reaffirm the value of the director as a storyteller. “To me, now is the time to reaffirm the value of creativity and authorship that we bring to the advertising process: telling emotional, entertaining, and memorable stories to enhance the value of the entire consumption chain. On the other hand, we’re clearly seeing how combining AI with live action makes the post-production phase far more versatile, saving both time and cost. We're still struggling with consistency, but there's no doubt this will soon transform the industry and the world entirely. It’s up to us to adapt, evolve, and innovate, as we've always done, in a market that has inherently navigated through trends and innovations in audio visual language and technique to deliver impactful messages to audiences.”

Post-Production in the Loop

For VFX company Televisor, AI is one tool among many: enhancing realism, identifying inconsistencies, and speeding up the path from idea to execution. While it’s not the centre of their workflow, its presence is growing.

“But it’s not just about speed. It’s also about efficiency and flexibility. AI helps us deliver faster turnarounds, adapt on the fly, and stretch creative possibilities - often with leaner resources. It’s smarter production, without cutting corners. More importantly, it’s changing how we approach creativity. What used to take weeks, from rough drawings to mood boards, now takes hours. AI gives us first drafts, pre-vis elements, even realistic 3D forms, which we then layer with human craft and intent.”  says the Televisor team. “AI doesn’t replace the artist - the team explains. It eliminates bottlenecks. It allows us to focus more on the emotional and narrative decisions that machines still can’t make.” Their philosophy is pragmatic: AI should support, but never define, the creative process.

The Case for Creative Friction

Director Karol Kołodziński acknowledges the efficiency AI brings but warns against losing the essential struggles that define the creative process. “Directing is about the journey, not just the destination” he says. While AI can streamline production, it can also erase the messy, uncertain moments that often lead to creative breakthroughs.

“I’m not against AI. I actually use it all the time. I just make sure I’m the one still calling the shots. To me, that’s what directing is really all about - making decisions. Some will be spot on, and others might flop, but that’s where the learning happens. As long as AI helps us explore ideas quickly and keeps us in the driver's seat creatively, while leaving room for failure, we’re in a good place. What really concerns me is the potential loss of the collaborative spirit that defines this field. Creating something incredible has always been about people coming together, so I truly hope we find ways to preserve that magic." - says Karol.

Reimagining the Production Model

The Athletica AI is clearly at the forefront of this production revolution in the industry and beyond: driving the future of filmmaking while addressing real-world concerns around AI, creativity, and control. The studio invites partners to move forward, toward a space where imagination and innovation coexist, and where production becomes more agile, expressive, and inclusive than ever before. AI is opening new creative horizons: dramatically faster production timelines, reduced budgets, and the ability to do things that were previously out of reach - often at a fraction of the cost.

However, The Athletica AI also approaches these tools with care and realism. The team acknowledges the current limitations of AI - especially in delivering brand-specific details, product shots, or precise visual fidelity. Maintaining creative flexibility is key and so is collaboration between the creative agency, director, client, and production team. Each project is treated as a living, evolving creative ecosystem.

Equally important is tight production management. While AI speeds up many stages, it also requires disciplined approvals to avoid runaway costs from excessive iterations. The studio emphasises structured checkpoints and collaborative decision-making at each phase.

As Miguel reminds us, the advertising and film industries have always evolved through visual innovation. AI is simply the next transformation. The challenge is to embrace it without losing what makes filmmaking meaningful.. Whether we lean into hybrid models, solitary machine-driven storytelling, or something entirely new - one thing is clear: The future of directing is not about humans versus machines. It’s about how we choose to direct the machine and whether it helps us tell stories that still matter.