Once upon a time, becoming a filmmaker meant having a crew, equipment, a massive budget, and a bit of Hollywood magic.
But now? All you really need is a laptop, some imagination, and the right AI tool—and that’s not an exaggeration.
With the arrival of Google’s Veo 3 video generator, digital filmmaking just stepped into a new dimension.
This isn’t just a tech leap—this could be the moment everything changes for the entertainment industry.
Bowie Saw It Coming—Before Anyone Else Did
Decades before AI was even on Hollywood’s radar, the late music icon David Bowie gave a now-famous interview in 1999.
While speaking to BBC’s Jeremy Paxman, Bowie warned that the internet would completely transform society—and not just in predictable ways.
When Paxman brushed it off as just a “tool,” Bowie cheekily responded, “It’s an alien life form.”
He predicted a media revolution that would “crush our ideas of what mediums are all about.”
Looking at today’s AI developments, it’s safe to say—he nailed it.
The Garage Filmmaker Fantasy Is Now Real
Back in the early 2000s, film buffs predicted a future where a young kid—maybe in Tokyo, Seoul, or Johannesburg—could create the next Star Wars in their garage.
With some greenscreen, DIY voice acting, and off-the-shelf editing tools, they’d do it all from their laptop.
Guess what? That future isn’t years away—it’s happening right now.
Remember Simone? That Sci-Fi Movie Just Became Reality
In 2002, director Andrew Niccol imagined a world where a CGI actress replaces a real one in Simone.
Back then, it felt like a quirky sci-fi flick. But in hindsight, it was eerily prophetic.
The film’s plot—about a director creating a synthetic star the public thinks is real—sounds a lot like where we are with today’s AI.
Only difference now? It’s no longer fiction.
ChatGPT Wrote and Directed Its Own Movie
Flash forward to 2022, and we saw The Safe Zone, a six-minute short film written and directed by—you guessed it—AI.
Using ChatGPT, producers got a full script, camera instructions, shot lists, lighting setups, costume suggestions, and even DALL-E 2-generated storyboards.
The producer, Richard Juan, called it what it is: “The future of filmmaking is changed forever.”
Zachary Levi: “We’re In For Dire Straits”
When Shazam star Zachary Levi sat down with conservative commentator Matt Walsh, he didn’t sugarcoat the future of Hollywood.
Asked if AI would soon be generating full films by prompt, Levi said, “The short answer is yes.”
He warned that anyone—studios or amateurs—can now create content almost indistinguishable from human-made films.
His blunt takeaway? “We’re all in for some really Dire Straits.”
Meet Google’s Game-Changer: Veo 3
At its May 2025 I/O event, Google unveiled Veo 3—its most advanced AI video model yet.
It can generate 8-second photorealistic clips complete with dialogue, audio, and dynamic soundscapes.
It doesn’t stop there. Veo can maintain character consistency across different clips and allows creators to control camera angles and movements like never before.
Not surprisingly, social media blew up with jaw-dropping video samples just hours after its release.
Creators Are Already Making Viral AI Shorts
It didn’t take long for filmmakers to start experimenting.
One of the most viral early Veo shorts is Influenders, directed by Yonatan Dor, who co-runs The Dor Brothers visual studio.
The film shows influencers reacting to an apocalyptic event—all generated by AI.
And that’s just one example. AI-generated man-on-the-street videos, parodies, and mini-dramas are now flooding social platforms.
Will Hollywood Become the New Detroit?
Filmmaker Russell Dobular warns that while producers argue over tax breaks and relocations, they’re missing the real threat—AI.
“This is like discussing the shape of the iceberg just before the Titanic hits it,” he said.
Dobular believes tools like Veo 3 signal not just disruption, but a total industry collapse as we know it.
Aronofsky Isn’t Afraid—He’s Excited
Not every filmmaker is panicking. Darren Aronofsky—known for Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream—has partnered with Google DeepMind through his production company, Primordial Soup.
To him, AI is just another evolution, like sound or CGI once was.
At a recent press event, Aronofsky said, “Filmmaking has always been driven by technology. Today is no different.”
What Happens to All the Jobs?
Dobular agrees that AI has creative upsides, but also a huge downside: mass job loss.
He says with AI able to produce animation, visuals, and scripts, “you’ve just eliminated the need for most people who would work on a movie.”
Animation studios, VFX teams, and production staff could all become obsolete.
The Blockbuster Is Now in Your Backpack
We’re heading toward a future where you don’t need millions to make a masterpiece—just skill, vision, and an AI assistant.
Dobular admits most AI-generated content will be “f-ing terrible,” but a few will be genius.
And because there are no longer any real barriers to entry, those few might be enough to redefine the industry.
But there’s a catch: if anyone can be a genius with just a few clicks, does the word “genius” still mean anything?
The Big Question: Will AI Kill Hollywood or Set It Free?
So where does South Africa stand in this conversation? Will young creators here embrace the AI wave and start building our own version of the next Star Wars—right from their bedrooms?
That’s up to us. What do you think?