In this episode of Industry Spotlight by Creative First, Harsh Matondkar, AI Live-Action Hybrid Commercials Director and Founder of NextGenAI Studios, joins Lohita Sujith, Sr. Director, Copyright & Digital Economy, Motion Picture Association, to discuss the evolution of AI in filmmaking, the potential of hybrid production, and the importance of human creativity in an AI-driven advertising industry.

Drawing on his transition from traditional filmmaking to AI-generated imagery, Harsh explains how AI is changing the production process, shifting much of the creative work into pre-production. He highlights its potential to accelerate commercial production, reduce costs and help brands meet tight deadlines, while emphasizing that creating a complete film still requires substantial creative direction, experimentation and post-production.

The conversation also explores the growing move towards hybrid filmmaking, combining live-action footage with AI-generated elements. By retaining the emotional depth of human performances while using AI to transform environments, styling and art direction, this approach offers new creative and commercial possibilities without eliminating the need for actors and other production professionals.

Harsh also addresses copyright, permissions and responsible AI use, particularly when working with celebrity likenesses. For emerging filmmakers, his advice is to embrace new tools while developing a strong understanding of traditional filmmaking fundamentals. Ultimately, he argues that AI can expand the possibilities of filmmaking, but creative vision and storytelling remain human responsibilities.