Track 2: AI in Film, Animation, & Photography
✅ This track positions AI not just as a tool for speed and access but also as a critical subject of media ethics and literacy, ensuring educators leave with teaching strategies that balance creativity and responsibility.
Session 1
Narrative Generation & Storyboarding
Objective: Show how AI accelerates pre-production and ideation in film education.
Key Points:
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AI script generators for first drafts, character arcs, and world-building (ChatGPT, Sudowrite, Jasper).
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Visual storyboarding with platforms like Runway, Pika, and MidJourney.
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Teaching iterative workflows: AI drafts → student rewrites → visual prototypes.
Exercise: Students generate a 2-minute short film concept using AI, then refine storyboards manually.
Potential Speakers: Indie filmmakers integrating AI; creative directors from animation studios.
Takeaway: Students learn to leverage AI for faster ideation without sacrificing originality.
Session 2
Synthetic Media & Deepfake Literacy
Objective: Build critical awareness of the risks and potential of AI-generated video.
Key Points:
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Deepfake detection tools and ethical implications in journalism and art.
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Teaching responsible use of synthetic actors, voices, and likenesses.
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Classroom debates: “Where should we draw the line in AI-assisted storytelling?”
Case studies of harmful vs. positive applications (fake news vs. performance art).
Demo: Show both real and AI-generated clips side by side; students identify tell-tale signs.
Takeaway: Educators can instill media literacy and ethical frameworks for working with synthetic video.
Session 3
AI for Editing & Postproduction
Objective: Demonstrate how AI enhances efficiency in editing and finishing.
Key Points:
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AI auto-cutting and scene detection (Descript, Adobe Premiere Pro Sensei).
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Color grading assistants and sound sync automation.
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Replacing costly green screens with AI background replacement.
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Scaling up editing instruction: more students can complete polished projects with less bottleneck.
Workshop Idea: Students edit a raw 2-minute clip with both AI tools and traditional methods and compare speed and quality.
Takeaway: AI becomes a time-saving ally in postproduction training.
Session 4
Virtual Production & World-Building
Objective: Explore how AI reshapes animation and VFX pipelines.
Key Points:
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AI scene generation for environments (Luma, Kling, Kaiber).
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Integration into Unreal Engine workflows for virtual production.
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AI character generation, rigging, and lip-sync tools.
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Accessibility: lowering barriers for schools without major studio budgets.
Demo: Faculty team generates a short animated scene in real time with AI-assisted environments.
Potential Partners: Runway, NVIDIA Studio, Kaiber, Unreal Engine educators.
Takeaway: Students gain entry-level experience.
Case Studies in AI Filmmaking & Photography
Objective: Highlight real examples of how professionals are adopting AI creatively.
Key Points:
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Film festivals now screening AI-augmented shorts (e.g., Cannes Court Métrage 2024).
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Award controversies: winning AI-assisted film entries.
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AI-based photography competitions (and debates around originality).
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Industry panel on where jobs are shifting in production and cinematography.
Case Study Options: Showcase a 3–5 minute short created fully with AI (script, visuals, music).
Takeaway: Educators and students gain real-world context for how AI is entering the professional creative market.