Major studios are increasingly asking how to locate creators who already understand the newest generative-AI software, a question that reflects a shift toward hiring talent already comfortable with these tools. Film schools are emerging as a source of such expertise, offering curricula that blend traditional storytelling with cutting-edge AI applications, and thereby creating a ready-made pipeline for the industry.
Runway, an AI-powered software company, responded to this demand by launching its first AI filmmaking course in 2024 at New York University’s Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center. "How do we find people who already know how to use this?" asked Cristóbal Valenzuela, Runway’s chief executive, highlighting the difficulty of building internal expertise from the ground up. The pilot program aimed to teach students to integrate Runway’s tools directly into the production workflow.
Following the NYU pilot, Runway expanded its educational outreach to a range of institutions, including the University of Southern California, the Rhode Island School of Design, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. The company also reported that its courses are now available at multiple universities across Europe and Latin America, signaling a global effort to embed AI fluency within emerging filmmakers.
Other AI research groups are pursuing similar strategies. Both Google and OpenAI have begun offering instructional sessions that show filmmakers how to incorporate their respective creative tools into the production pipeline. These initiatives aim to lower the barrier for artists who wish to experiment with AI while also cultivating a community of users who can provide feedback to improve the technology.
Google’s effort includes a residency program that pairs creatives with engineers working on the company’s AI studio, Flow. The residency is designed to bridge the gap between artistic vision and technical development, giving participants hands-on experience with the platform while allowing engineers to see real-world use cases. Although fluency in AI is not yet a formal requirement for most film jobs, the program anticipates that this will change as the technology becomes more entrenched in the industry.
"You’re going to have to learn how to use [these tools] if you do want to be in the industry," said Brad Tanganan, a veteran filmmaker who completed Google’s Flow residency. His comment underscores a growing consensus among creators that proficiency with AI tools will soon be a baseline skill for anyone seeking to work in modern cinema.