By Amanda Toney, Managing Director, Stage 32
Hello WIFTI Members!
Everywhere I go in the industry right now, AI comes up.
And depending on who you’re talking to, there’s excitement, curiosity, skepticism, fear – or some combination of all four.
I understand why.
We’re working in an industry built on human creativity. Our stories come from our experiences, our voices and our perspectives. As filmmakers, writers, producers, directors and actors, we should be asking hard questions about what AI means for creative ownership, copyright, jobs and the future of our business.
But I also believe one of the most important things we can do right now is educate ourselves about what’s changing.
You don’t have to love AI. You don’t have to use every new tool that comes along. But you should understand what’s happening, what your rights are, what the risks are and where this technology is already intersecting with the way film and television are developed, produced and distributed.
That’s been our approach at Stage 32.
Learn It. Understand It. Then Decide How You Want to Use It.
We’ve been very intentional about the AI education we’re building at Stage 32.
This isn’t about telling you that AI should replace any part of the human creative process. It’s about giving you access to working filmmakers, AI experts and entertainment attorneys who can help you understand an area of our business that is evolving incredibly quickly.
And because the questions a screenwriter has about AI are very different from the questions a producer, director or actor has, we’ve built education around the specific issues affecting each part of our industry.
So, depending on where you are in your career, here’s where I’d start:
IF YOU’RE NEW TO AI AND JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT
Understanding the Differences Between ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, Google Gemini, Character AI & Sora
Taught by screenwriter, director and AI expert Joshua Young.
If all the different platforms and terminology feel overwhelming, start here. This breaks down what the major AI tools actually are, what they’re designed to do, where their limitations are, and the copyright, privacy and ethical issues you should understand before using them.
IF YOU’RE A SCREENWRITER
The Screenwriter’s Guide to AI: WGA Protections, Protecting Your Work, Copyright & Contracts
This is about something I think every writer should understand right now: your rights. Learn how AI intersects with WGA protections, copyright, contracts and ownership so you can protect your work as the technology and the rules around it continue to evolve.
2-Part Class: How to Use ChatGPT to Help with Your Script Development
Taught by Joshua Young.
For writers who do want to explore the technology, this class focuses on using ChatGPT as an assistant during development—from research and brainstorming to examining characters, story structure and your concept—while keeping your own voice and creative choices at the center.
IF YOU’RE A DIRECTOR OR FILMMAKER
The Director’s Guide to AI: DGA Protections, Copyright & Production
Taught by entertainment attorney Anthony Glukhov.
This is an important one. Anthony covers DGA protections, copyright ownership, digital replicas and performer consent, AI language in production agreements, insurance, distribution and practical ways to protect your creative authority as a director.
Introduction to AI for Imagery: Mock-Ups, Trailers, Sizzle Reels, Previs & More!
Taught by Joshua Young.
If you want to understand the visual side of the technology, Joshua gives you an introduction to the tools and what they’re capable of, along with their practical applications for filmmakers.
IF YOU’RE A PRODUCER
The Producer’s Guide to AI: Distribution, Delivery & Chain of Title
Taught by entertainment attorney Anthony Glukhov.
Producers need to be thinking about AI well beyond the creative process. How can its use affect your chain of title? What are distributors, insurers and sales agents asking? What needs to be documented? And how should AI rights be addressed in your agreements? This webinar approaches AI from the business and legal side of actually getting a film made, delivered and distributed.
IF YOU’RE AN ACTOR OR WORK WITH PERFORMERS
The Actor’s Guide to AI: SAG-AFTRA Protections, Consent & Digital Replicas
Taught by entertainment labor attorney and former Netflix Director of Labor Relations Michael Maizner.
If you’re an actor—or a producer hiring actors—you need to understand the rules around digital replicas, synthetic performers, voice cloning, consent and compensation. Michael breaks down the current SAG-AFTRA protections and what both performers and producers need to know.
IF YOU WORK IN POST-PRODUCTION
How to Use AI to Streamline Your Post-Production
Taught by Joshua Young.
This webinar looks specifically at what’s happening with AI in post-production and how these tools are affecting workflows for filmmakers and editors.
Why I Think This Matters for WIFTI Members
One of the things I value most about our partnership with WIFTI is that we’re talking to women working across virtually every area of entertainment and all over the world.
And this conversation affects all of us.
AI isn’t just a screenwriting issue. It’s becoming a labor issue, a producing issue, a copyright issue, a financing and distribution issue, a performer-rights issue and, yes, a creative issue. The rules are evolving alongside the technology.
That’s why I don’t think ignoring it is the answer.
Understanding it gives you agency.
It allows you to ask better questions when you’re negotiating a contract. It helps you recognize when your intellectual property or likeness may be at risk. It helps producers understand what could create problems with chain of title or distribution. And it allows you to decide for yourself where you draw the line with AI in your own work.
Don’t Forget Your WIFTI Member Benefit
Through our global partnership, WIFTI members receive 20% off Stage 32 webinars, classes and labs.
So if you’ve been wondering where to begin, don’t feel like you need to learn everything at once. Find your role above and start with the education that’s most relevant to the work you’re doing right now.
My biggest advice is simply: don’t sit this conversation out.
Learn what’s changing. Understand your rights. Protect your work. And then decide for yourself how—or whether—you want these tools to be part of your creative process.
That’s ultimately what education should give you: the ability to make informed choices about your own career.
Cheers!
Amanda Toney
Managing Director, Stage 32