Generative AI is profoundly transforming commercial advertising, film, and television production, and is poised to revolutionize even newer technologies such as virtual production. This sentiment, shared by filmmakers and technologists at FilMart, indicates a significant shift in industry discourse. The conversation has moved beyond early adoption to focus on “directable AI,” emphasizing tools that provide filmmakers with granular control over creative outputs. FilMart featured a strong presence from foundational model builders and numerous AI applications tailored for niche filmmaking uses, alongside seminars promoting the integration of AI.

A key player in this evolution is Kling AI, a foundational model developed by China-listed Kuaishou. Kling AI showcased its latest 3.0 model through a series of exhibitions and deep-dive workshops. This update, released in February, represents a substantial leap in “directable AI,” offering a suite of tools designed to grant filmmakers precise control over movement and composition—capabilities previously exclusive to expensive visual effects (VFX) houses. The 3.0 model notably introduces advanced camera control and improved character consistency, enabling users to direct performances with greater exactitude.

The practical impact of these advanced AI tools is already evident in high-end Chinese productions. The historical drama “Swords Into Plowshares,” a series broadcast on national channel CCTV1, serves as a prime example of these evolving workflows. Chen Yi, founder of Timeaxis Studios, the VFX provider for “Swords,” confirmed that Kling AI was integrated at every stage of the production pipeline. This ranged from rapidly generating pre-visualization materials to producing final effects plates for compositing. In one instance, the team utilized Kling AI to generate a picture of a scavenging raven and animate it entirely within the platform, subsequently compositing it onto live-action background plates.

Chen Yi highlighted the dramatic efficiency gains, stating that “AI-enhanced workflows proved to be three to four times more efficient than traditional CG.” He further projected that once current limitations in resolution, color encoding, and color gamut are fully addressed, this efficiency could skyrocket to eight to ten times. This increased efficiency is also driving profound changes in the commercial sector across Asia. Gavin Lim, a renowned Singaporean film director, noted that generative AI is already