I may be stepping into a whole new world, and I want to know what am I getting into?
I've reached an interesting crossroads with my animated feature, STARWING.
I've spent a lot of time approaching managers, producers, and industry professionals, and I've realized something: I don't want to spend the rest of my creative life chasing people. I want to create.
So I'm seriously considering taking STARWING from an 84-page screenplay into an AI-assisted animated proof of concept—and potentially eventually the entire film.
And honestly, the transition from writer to creator feels both exciting and completely unfamiliar.
There's so much to learn about animation: character movement, performance, storyboarding, camera work, sound, editing, visual consistency, and all the things I never had to think about as a screenwriter. But AI is making some of those tools accessible to an individual creator in a way that wasn't possible before.
The part I'm struggling with is where AI fits within the animation industry.
I've learned that some animation festivals currently won't accept AI-generated work. That raises a question for me:
If I create something genuinely original, write the story, direct the creative vision, design the world and characters, create the music, and use AI as part of the production process—does that make the work less legitimate?
We've been using technology to make filmmaking more efficient for decades. Digital cameras replaced film. CGI transformed practical effects. Editing went from cutting physical film to working digitally.
So I'm wondering where AI belongs in that evolution.
I'm not trying to use AI to avoid creativity. I'm interested in using it to make creativity possible on a scale I couldn't otherwise afford.
And I'm perfectly comfortable creating STARWING even if it never gets into a festival, attracts an audience, or gets taken seriously by the industry. I have the drive to make it regardless.
But I'd genuinely love to hear from animators, directors, producers, and other animation professionals:
Where do you think AI-assisted animation is heading?
Would you pursue an independent animated feature this way today?
Do you think festivals and the industry will eventually adapt, or will AI-assisted projects remain largely outside the traditional animation pipeline?
I'm not looking to debate whether AI is “good” or “bad.” I'm trying to understand what this transition from screenwriter → filmmaker/creator actually looks like in 2026.
I'd really value hearing from people who are already working in animation - what am I getting into?
All the Best,
Amy
To be frank, I don't think AI belongs anywhere in the arts but brainstorming and organizing, and even that's questionable. Forget the ethical debates. The end results are just bad in their own right. Details get skipped or forgotten; poses look stiff; acting just feels flat; dialogue runs too cliche...you get the picture.
It also doesn't help that AI's not even profitable, yet companies keep trying to push it. No, seriously.
https://isaiprofitable.com/
Paul Hikari I see, so AI can provide a way to bring a story to life with second-rate results, perhaps for planning or my idea would be a proof of concept, but not for a professional production release.
As a writer the riches within the storytelling may have greater wealth than a second-rate external visual product. Thank you, Paul, for your feedback.
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No, not for proof of concept. People will take one look at that and reject it.
Paul Hikari So not for validation - for my personal pleasure and creative journey to see it come to life, not to convince the industry of it's value because that is the only resource that I have without finances to back it. It's not perfect, I just do what I can and roll it out. The song that I wrote to include in the movie will be perfect and that I create with GarageBand myself with very little Ai maybe for rhythm and percussion.
I wrote a song that goes with the movie and both are inspiring to the world. I have to honor the rest of my responsibilities to it.
So this creative conviction is a stand-alone that I'll add to my YouTube channel which is what I publish and give and get nothing back anyway. The only thing I get is creative expression, and I still love it, and gotta have it and just do it!
So now that I am clear that there is no industry involvement I feel good because basically I'd rather live on the wild side with my creativity.
"I’d rather be King Kong on the Empire State Building yelling from the roof top than a screenwriter waiting in the lobby." A.W. - that's my quote
Thanks Paul :)
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Amy Wilhelm Let me be frank with you, I'm neither for nor against AI. I see AI like fast food. It's doesn't beat a well-cooked meal, but it is something people will consume in a pinch. I have seen some good results with AI animation but it's not from prompting. It's more AI assisted. Which simply means there is some extensive human effort and some AI mixed into the process. Why I have no issue with this is because of what you said. There are many people who DO NOT have the resources or pathway to get the funding they need to achieve the ideas they have in their head. People will say, be patient and keep pitching. Easier said than done when even pitching is starting to cost a lot of money these days. Also Factor in that more and more people have written scripts with the aim of breaking in, so the competition is VERY stiff.
With that said, there is a HUGE caveat. I would say to you, figure out who your audience is first before you go down the route of AI. It is a technique that is not loved by mainstream audiences. you WILL be rejected and your reputation will take a hit.
1. If your audience is, you. You just want self-satisfaction, then go right ahead.
2. If you want to use it as an animatic (moving story board) to show your cinematographer the blocking, sure, go right ahead.
3. If you want to use it as a proof of concept for traditional producers, you will get rejected.
4. If you are presenting it to AI vertical distribution platforms, sure go ahead.
5. If you are using it to show animators what you want to achieve, you will be rejected.
I could go on and on with this list, but if I were you and my goal were mainstream TV, Streaming, Cinema, or Film Festival then avoid AI. YOU WILL BE REJECTED. If you simply want views on Youtube, or you want to make money via a Vertical AI content platform, then...you know the rest.
So be very cautious using AI. Your audience is the key. DO NOT give them what they don't want.
Kevin Jackson Kevin, I really appreciate your extensive knowledge and the specific details you shared regarding AI animation and its current acceptance within the industry.
Honestly, I see the audience for STARWING as the future of humanity. The story is four-quadrant, but its purpose goes beyond entertainment. It explores the evolution of humanity through a movement from fear, division, and disconnection toward creativity, harmony, responsibility, and connection, while putting the planet first in the sequel.
This isn't just entertainment to me, it's a mission. My goal is to have it in production in 2027, and I feel compelled to see it through however that may be.
Thanks for staying connected!