In the last few months, the evolution of generative AI models for video has accelerated at a staggering pace. With the release of groundbreaking tools like #RunwayGen4, #GoogleVeo3, #Kling2, and #Seedance, we have moved from speculative excitement to full immersion in the age of Generative Cinema.
These tools now offer not just hyper-realistic visuals but also synchronized audio generation from prompts—a critical leap that bridges the gap between image and narrative. The question of whether AI is truly transformative is no longer up for debate. It is here. It is powerful. It is happening.
But let me sound a note of caution—and opportunity.
1. AI Can’t Teach You Storytelling: The Soul Still Matters
Artificial Intelligence is an enabler, not a magician. If you do not have the core skill of storytelling, no algorithm—however sophisticated—will fill that void. At best, AI mirrors your patterns. It reflects your vocabulary, your rhythm, your tone. It learns your style over time, but it does not innovate on your behalf.
Storytelling remains a craft. It is a human-centered discipline built on empathy, structure, emotional cadence, and purpose. AI gives you options. You must provide the vision.
2. Study the Craft. Obsess Over Structure. Master the Arc.
If there’s one call-to-action I can offer anyone excited about AI filmmaking, it’s this: learn the art of narrative. Watch the greats. Study character development. Understand beats, pacing, dialogue, subtext.
A great generative video is still only as impactful as the story it tells. When you understand the anatomy of story, AI becomes your instrument, helping you sketch your cinematic thoughts faster, deeper, and with surprising nuance. But if you skip this step, you’re just painting with borrowed colors.
3. Prompting Without Purpose Is Noise
Yes, everyone is generating something right now. From hilarious Bible-themed sitcoms to absurdist animal-human crossovers, we’re in a season of prompting for prompting’s sake. And while that’s entertaining and creatively liberating, it is not sustainable.
When the dust settles, audiences will crave coherence. They will invest time and money in stories with meaning, in experiences that move them, challenge them, or offer escape. Prompting is just the new camera. What matters is the lens you bring to the frame.
4. The Industry Is Already Moving: Don’t Get Left Behind
Runway has signed AI production workflow deals with IMAX, AMC, and Lionsgate. This is not science fiction—it’s a business revolution. These partnerships highlight what forward-thinking creatives have long suspected: AI isn’t just about art, it’s about economics.
In a world of volatile markets and tightening production budgets, generative AI offers us the ability to do more with less—without compromising on quality. In fact, many of the outputs now rival what we consider “Hollywood standard.”
If you are a filmmaker in Africa—or anywhere in the Global South—this is your signal. You no longer need access to massive studio infrastructure. What you need is vision, creativity, and a working relationship with the machines.
5. Legal Clarity Is Coming—And It’s a Good Thing
The recent lawsuits involving Disney, Universal, and Midjourney are a sign that the wild west of AI generation is maturing. This legal friction is not a setback; it is a necessary evolution. We urgently need a solid legal framework around copyright, fair use, and ethical attribution.
Once the lines are clearer, platforms can offer safer, scalable environments for creators to thrive without fear of litigation. The rules will bring stability—and unlock serious investment.
6. Africa Cannot Be a Spectator
I say this with urgency: Africa must not be left behind in this cinematic renaissance. We are entering a world where anyone with a story and a screen can create world-class content. This is a revolution that democratizes production—but only for those who choose to show up.
Let us not just be consumers of #GenerativeCinema. Let us be producers, disruptors, narrators of the African experience through a new lens.
We must train our storytellers. We must host festivals and labs. We must build African AI models that understand our languages, our aesthetics, our proverbs.
Final Thoughts
Generative Cinema is here. The tools are available. The door is open. But only those who combine technical curiosity with narrative clarity will walk through it with purpose.
So I ask again: How are you harnessing the power of generative AI to tell new kinds of stories?
Obinna Okerekeocha
Founder,
Naija AI Film Festival
Contact Obinna
