At the 12th Silk Road International Film Festival, Oscar-winning VFX master Anthony LaMolinara sat down with CGTN's Zhang Meng to explore one of the hottest topics in entertainment: artificial intelligence. For LaMolinara, AI isn't just a buzzword1it's a "new frontier" that challenges the very essence of filmmaking.
"AI can generate an image," he explains, "but can it direct a movie?" Modern algorithms can dream up stunning visuals at the click of a button, but true storytelling demands more than static frames. Directors craft movement, frame by frame; they choose camera angles that spark emotion and guide viewers through a story's soul. Achieving that level of nuance with current AI tools remains a steep climb.
Quoting LaMolinara: "Control is the key challenge." Even with advanced models trained on thousands of clips, AI struggles to follow a director's precise vision for pacing, shot composition and emotional beats. That's why the VFX veteran and his team are pioneering a new "language"one that goes beyond simple text prompts and lets creators steer AI engines with surgical precision.
Early tests of this creative language show promise: AI-generated scenes that respond to nuanced direction and adapt in real time. While still in its infancy, these experiments hint at a future where filmmakers, animators and storytellers collaborate with AI as a flexible creative partner, rather than a black-box generator.
As the industry watches closely, LaMolinara's insights remind us that technology alone doesn't make art. It takes human imaginationand the right tools for artists to harness that spark. In the hands of visionaries like him, AI might just become the next chapter in digital storytelling.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
