{"id":33,"date":"2025-11-26T00:53:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T00:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/?page_id=33"},"modified":"2025-12-16T19:57:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T19:57:28","slug":"33-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/","title":{"rendered":"AI in the Entertainment Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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AI in the Entertainment Industry<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

How students, professors and industry professionals are reacting and adapting to the changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Shruthi Narayanan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The poster for Zhang’s movie “The Song of Drifters,” designed by Zhang. Courtesy of Xindi Zhang.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Xindi Zhang<\/a> is a filmmaker who\u2019s a recent graduate of USC\u2019s Expanded Animation program. Her thesis film \u201cThe Song of Drifters\u201d was partially made with the AI tool ComfyUI. \u201cThe Song of Drifters\u201d recently won the \u201cGold\u201d<\/a> award at the Student Academy Awards, making the film eligible for an award at the 98th Academy Awards.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI took a deep dive into this medium…”<\/p>– Xindi Zhang<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think people who liked my work, it’s not because I used this tool. It’s more about what story and how I deliver the story,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cAnd I think this whole process of recognition also makes me more confident.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI has upended all aspects of the film and entertainment industries, from creatives to curriculums, and while some embrace the new opportunities it offers, others are strongly opposed to its increasing hold on creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of AI\u2019s uses in filmmaking, it\u2019s not only typing something into a platform like ChatGPT and having it generate images or videos from prompts. There is thought and creativity in how AI is used, and Zhang emphasized how she worked with AI, rather than letting it take her creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while she\u2019s made several films in the past, her thesis film, an experimental documentary called \u201cThe Song of Drifters,\u201d was the first film that she made using AI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI took a deep dive into this medium and figured out the way that I can use that to support my creation, rather than replace my creativity,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cThen, I made my thesis film recently, and now I’m kind of digging deeper towards AI and seeing more possibilities.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Xindi Zhang’s headshot. Photo Credit: Brittaney Smoothers. Courtesy of Xindi Zhang.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

ComfyUI<\/a> is a node-based AI video and image-generation application. A node-based platform allows the user to connect different points to a flowchart and doesn\u2019t require much technical experience, making it easier to use for beginners compared to other platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhang enjoyed using ComfyUI because of its customization aspects, compared to other AI tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first time was definitely the biggest challenge, because honestly, the way I use [AI], it’s almost like visual coding,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cTo figure out how to use that and test out each parameter takes a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of her workflow, Zhang had the entire story and structure of the film complete before she even started using ComfyUI. She transcribed the interviews using ChatGPT, then she talked with her editor to discover the structure of the story, and then she started working with ComfyUI to create the visual effects and illustrations. The illustrations were based entirely on her own work, not of other artists\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhang was satisfied with her workflow and how the film turned out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf I would change, then that might be a different version of the story,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cI might be digging deeper into the editing, rather than the technical aspects\u2026 I don’t think going back, I can do more with it, and I’m satisfied with what ComfyUI gave to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chara Campanella’s headshot. Photo Credit: Adrea Bright. Courtesy of Chara Campanella.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just students fresh out of school that are embracing AI in their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chara Campanella<\/a> is an Emmy-nominated creative producer who currently works as a Sora Alpha artist at OpenAI, one of the leading companies behind AI-generating tools. In her workflow, she uses a variety of tools, ranging from popular and known tools like ChatGPT and Sora to lesser known alternatives such as Dreamina and Rev AI.\u00a0Dreamina is the platform she’s using to create “Shredlings,” and a still from that project is on the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A still from “Shredlings,” a project Campanella is currently working on, done in Dreamina. Created by Chara Campanella. Courtesy of Chara Campanella<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Campanella, who has been using AI for a variety of uses in her work since it first became popular, also stresses the idea of viewing AI as a collaborator rather than something that makes her films for her. For her, AI is mainly used to help her \u201cpush past that blank page.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s not like I prompt the AI and it goes off and it brings me back a movie,\u201d Campanella said. \u201cIt’s really eager, and it\u2019s excited to bring you back stuff, but you’re the one who provides the sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Campanella encourages students to take AI courses and learn how to use these tools in their work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven if you hate it, you have to learn it,\u201d Campanella said. \u201cIt’s a tool that can help you just tell a story. So even if the AI is not the main character of the class, it can be a secondary character in the class for whatever you’re learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI create a really nice community where everybody’s very supportive and helpful and excited and working together.”<\/p>– Elizabeth Strickler<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In her program at USC, Zhang didn\u2019t have any AI courses, but her professors encouraged students to try cutting-edge technologies, like AI. Zhang\u2019s also currently a visiting professor at the University of South Florida. She teaches digital drawing and visual storytelling. She incorporates a little bit of AI into her classes, but not that much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a crucial difference between people who are not in this field and who are a pro,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cThe outcome of using the same tool will be totally different. So for my courses, I want them to have a good foundation before they jump into this tool, because this tool could be very misleading.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elizabeth Strickler<\/a> is the Director of Media Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Georgia State. Over the summer, she taught a course<\/a> on how to make an entirely AI-generated film. She shared that in her experience, the people who were filmmakers made \u201cinteresting and compelling work\u201d compared to the people who were newer to filmmaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elizabeth Strickler’s headshot. Photo Credit: Alex Taylor. Courtesy of Elizabeth Strickler.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Strickler\u2019s class was a weekend-long class that she\u2019s now condensed to one-day. It\u2019s open to the general public. She walked through what a typical day in the class was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The classes run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, with \u201cthe first half of the class learning and the second half of the class making.\u201d She shared that in her classes, the environment is one \u201cwhere everybody\u2019s very supportive and helpful and excited and working together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strickler emphasized that students should come in with a story beforehand, either generated from a form or a pre-existing script that they were working on. Next, she runs the script through a \u201ctreatment creator\u201d that creates a \u201crobust treatment.\u201d Then, the storyboard with the characters, locations, and scenes is created by another software called FilmPro. Students can then refine those images, or jump straight to \u201cimage to video prompting.\u201d At 5 p.m., everyone shows their films, designed to be complete products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“I’d rather just draw my idea as is. It’s really difficult to talk to a computer.”<\/p>– Zen Thai<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For a few USC students, however, the idea of using AI in their courses has been a struggle on their creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zen Thai is a junior studying film production, specializing in cinematography. Her goal is to be a DP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI like to tell stories, whether it was through media in a flat physical form, or through videos, or through a music video or just singing,\u201d Thai said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Zen Thai (left) working on a film. Courtesy of Zen Thai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thai is currently enrolled in CTPR-295: Cinematic Arts Laboratory, a required class for all film production majors. The class is split up into three parts. In one part, students direct a narrative film, in another part, they direct a documentary, and the last part is experimental. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While traditionally, the \u201cexperimental\u201d part of the class involves the production of a music video, for this semester, that was changed into an AI class. The AI part of the class is used as pre-production for their CTPR-310 films, which is their junior year thesis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Thai, using AI has come with its own set of challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An infographic showing 5 statistics on different artists’ views of AI, highlighting the debate surrounding this topic.
Sources: AI Art Statistics: The Ultimate List in 2024<\/a>, Survey Reveals 9 out of 10 Artists Believe Current Copyright Laws are Outdated in the Age of Generative AI Technology – Book An Artist Blog<\/a>, Text-to-Image, is it art? what artists think? How artists use text-to-image?<\/a>
Graphics Credits: Scale: \u00a9sketchify via Canva.com, Copyright Icon, Lightbulb, and Copied Papers: @pixabay via Canva.com, Paint Palette: @natalieosipova via Canva.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI’m not a huge fan [of the AI use] just because I am an artist myself. I’d rather just draw my idea as is. It’s really difficult to talk to a computer.\u201d Thai said. \u201cI remember once I was trying to explain to it: I want this shot of the camera revolving around the character, it’s like a 360. Can you do that for me? And it put out a PowerPoint 360 turn. I was like, \u2018oh, that’s exactly not <\/em>what I wanted.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She highlighted specifically what about how the class is framing AI use that she finds lacking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOverall, the class is a bit unorganized, and it doesn’t feel like we really get much out of this idea of using only AI, just because I feel like AI will never be able to replace what human connection and human thoughts and what creativity can really give you,\u201d Thai said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thai\u2019s not alone in her views of how AI is used in the class. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think definitely my classmates are forced to use AI,\u201d Thai said. \u201cWe don’t want to, so what we’ll do is we’ll just use AI to turn in our assignments, and then outside of that, we add on to our [CTPR] 310 projects using humans. But it’s all just for the grade at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Using AI… you’re depriving what makes it such a special art form.\u201d<\/p>– Bennett Weinschenk<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Film students aren\u2019t the only ones weary about AI\u2019s impact on the industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bennett Weinschenk is a first-year graduate student studying public relations and advertising. Before coming to USC, he spent five years in the entertainment industry as a production assistant and director\u2019s assistant before pivoting after noticing the instability of the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAll of a sudden, shows are getting canceled, or projects that were going especially weren’t, and fewer things were getting greenlit, and all of a sudden crew members have less opportunities in terms of AI,\u201d Weinschenk said. \u201cAt that point, it became a matter of like, the healthiest thing for me to do is to move on.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Bennett Weinschenk at his prior job as a production assistant. Photo Credit: Emma Jenks. Courtesy of Bennett Weinschenk.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While Weinschenk has always had a negative opinion on generative AI, it\u2019s become more tangible in recent years, showcasing how the industry\u2019s perception and reaction to AI has shifted over the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBack in 2022, when I was working in film and we were talking about AI, it was still very theoretical, and in a way, felt very distant,\u201d Weinschenk said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Weinschenk, while he finds the use of CGI in films to be acceptable, generative AI is where he draws the line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGenerative AI, where a computer or an LLM is telling a story, it can’t come from an original place. It can’t come from a genuine human place,\u201d Weinschenk said. \u201cAnd I think using AI to do something that only a human can do, which is to express emotion, express genuine emotion, you’re depriving what makes it such a special art form.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But not all students share this apprehension.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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David King’s headshot. Photo Credit: Lauren King. Courtesy of David King.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Members of art.ificialusc visiting Magnopus, a VR company, in Fall 2025. Photo Credit: Vanessa Ramos-Garcia. Courtesy of David King.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

David King is a senior studying public relations and advertising and the current president of art.ificialusc, a club described on their Instagram account page<\/a> as “The FIRST and ONLY student organization exploring AI in entertainment, design, media and creativity.” The organization has over 300 Instagram followers, showing their significant growth since they were first established at USC during the Spring 2024 semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

King said that he first joined the club to better understand how AI is impacting entertainment, an industry he hopes to join after graduating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’m just kind of curious about how AI is this imminent thing that we are gonna have to learn how to use,” King said. “Our club is trying to give people some answers to the questions that they inevitably have regarding how this new technology is going to be impacting an inherently very human industry.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Even though Zhang has used AI in her film, she stressed how she never used it for writing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wouldn’t use that for actual script writing or editing,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cI think in order to keep your original voice, you need to spend more time on your concepts. So for that stage, I wouldn’t rely on AI that much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhang personally views a bright future for AI and its use in filmmaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt definitely lowers the barrier. Now everybody could be a creator,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be overwhelmed by a bunch of low quality and bad stuff and it’s everywhere, but it\u2019s also going to make the people who have a good idea shine up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Header Image: Nir Yaniv<\/a>,\u00a0CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How students, professors and industry professionals are reacting and adapting to the changes By Shruthi Narayanan Xindi Zhang is a filmmaker who\u2019s a recent graduate of USC\u2019s Expanded Animation program. Her thesis film \u201cThe Song of Drifters\u201d was partially made with the AI tool ComfyUI. \u201cThe Song of Drifters\u201d recently won the \u201cGold\u201d award at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"[]"},"class_list":["post-33","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33"}],"version-history":[{"count":83,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":146,"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33\/revisions\/146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/fall-2025\/sn11232\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}