The Academy's Stance: A Defensive Retreat?
The news is out: the Oscars have updated their rules, explicitly stating that acting performances must be "demonstrably performed by humans" and screenplays "human-authored" to be eligible for awards. My initial reaction, as a filmmaker who's spent 14 years on set in São Paulo and now builds AI automation for creatives, is complex. On one hand, I understand the desire to protect human artistry. On the other, it feels like a defensive posture, a fear-driven reaction that completely misses the evolving reality of creative work.
For the big Hollywood studios, AI might look like a threat – a way to cut costs and replace talent. But for independent filmmakers like me, for Pichorra Filmes, which I founded in 2012, AI is the opposite. It's a powerful amplifier, a way to make more art, not less. It's about expanding possibilities, not restricting them.
The Filmmaker's Reality vs. Hollywood's Fear
My career has been a masterclass in multidisciplinary filmmaking. I've been the composer, the actor, the editor, the writer, and the director, often all on the same project. This wasn't just passion; it was necessity. When you're building a production company from the ground up, budgets are tight, and every hat you can wear yourself saves money and keeps the vision alive. I've learned to do a lot with little, serving clients from Nestlé to Yamaha, even Disney, by being resourceful.
This is where AI enters the picture for me. I never wanted to be a programmer. I wanted to tell stories. AI opened doors that my budget and team size simply couldn't. It allowed me to streamline workflows, experiment with ideas, and achieve a level of polish that once required a much larger crew or a much bigger budget. It's not about replacing those roles; it's about empowering the human at the center of the creative process.
AI as an Amplifier, Not a Replacement
The Oscars' ruling seems to focus on the end product, the "human authorship" of the final script or performance. But it overlooks the journey, the process, and how AI seamlessly integrates into it today.
- **Not because AI writes the story.** But because it helps a human writer explore hundreds of plot variations, brainstorm dialogue, or quickly outline scenes to find the strongest narrative path. The human makes the final, artistic choices.
- **Not because AI acts the performance.** But because it can help a director visualize complex character blocking, create initial animatics, or even generate 'digital doubles' for impossible stunts, allowing human actors to focus on the emotional core without risking injury or needing days of complex wirework.
- **Not because AI is the artist.** But because it's a sophisticated tool that democratizes access to high-end creative capabilities. It allows smaller teams, like mine at Pichorra Filmes, to create content with a quality that resonates with brands like Carrefour or Starbucks, without needing the budgets of a mega-studio.
The fear isn't about AI genuinely replacing the human spark. It's a misunderstanding of how AI truly functions – as an extension of human intent, a powerful assistant for the imagination. The unique emotional resonance, the cultural nuance, the raw, unpredictable spark of an idea – these remain deeply human.
The Unchanging Human Element
The human element in filmmaking isn't about the number of hands involved; it's about the heart, the vision, and the specific choices made. My experience, from writing jokes for Ronald Rios Talk Show to directing commercials, has always centered on translating a human idea into a compelling narrative.
AI doesn't generate that initial spark. It doesn't feel the emotion. It doesn't understand the cultural weight of a glance or the comedic timing of a pause without human guidance. What AI does is remove tedious bottlenecks, allowing the human mind to soar higher, to focus on the truly creative and strategic aspects. It amplifies the impact of a single visionary, rather than diminishing it.
When I think about the tools we build at Open Your AIs or the business automation at Soul Symple, the entire premise is human-first. It's about giving professionals the power to achieve more, to be more creative, to scale their vision without scaling their operational headaches. It's never about replacing the human decision-maker or the human artist.
A Call for Vision, Not Restriction
The Academy's rules are a step backward, a reaction to fear rather than an embrace of progress. Instead of erecting barriers, we should be exploring how AI can help us tell richer, more diverse stories, and empower a new generation of filmmakers who might not have the traditional resources.
The future of filmmaking isn't about choosing between human and AI. It's about intelligent collaboration. It's about leveraging these incredible tools to amplify human creativity, to unlock new forms of expression, and to bring more unique voices to the screen. Our focus should be on celebrating the ingenuity that AI enables, not limiting the reach of human artistry.
