The future of film? AI in Ancestra by Darren Aronofsky

In this episode, we explore the short film Ancestra, a collaboration between director Eliza McNitt, producer Darren Aronofsky, and Google DeepMind. The film uniquely merges deeply personal storytelling with Google's DeepMind AI tools, setting a new standard for a more sustainable hybrid creative production.

Highlights

•Ancestra blends traditional filmmaking with AI tools like Veo and Imagen, telling a deeply personal story based on Eliza McNitt’s birth experience.

• The project shows how AI can function as a creative lens—not as the author, within a full production ecosystem.

• Darren Aronofsky frames AI as the next step in cinema’s evolution, emphasizing the need for authorship even when using generative tools.

• A hybrid process: scenes were pre-visualized with 3D models and AI-generated visuals, including a baby generated from McNitt’s childhood photos.

• Despite limitations like Veo’s 8-second clip restriction, the film demonstrates what’s possible when AI is used thoughtfully.

Links

Ancestra by Eliza McNitt, produced by Primordial Soup
Ancestra's Making Of

The Human AI Experience 2025 Intro

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