Ethically Integrating AI into Black Films

How independent filmmakers can integrate AI into film production without leaving humanity behind

Independent filmmakers like Eunice Levis envision AI as a vehicle to expand opportunities for underrepresented communities and the stories that reflect them.  image credit: Shutterstock + Sirita Render

The world is at an inflection point. While some are still debating whether artificial intelligence belongs in our lives, others have shifted the question to how it should be used. For independent filmmakers, this dilemma is particularly complex: How can they leverage technological advances without compromising the artistic and creative soul of their work? Director Eunice Levis, a first-generation Dominican American writer and filmmaker, chose to confront this challenge head-on. “As AI gained traction across industries, I realized I didn’t want to be left behind. The rapid rise of AI-generated content, how quickly it was embraced, and how fast audiences adapted, all pushed me to consider its creative potential.” 

Her recent project, the short film “Humano,” about, ironically (or not), AI: A Dominican woman undergoes a procedure to make everyone look and sound the same, as AI replaces human workers as both a creative and ethical experiment. In real life, the film's creative team attempts to integrate AI not as a replacement, but as a tool that supports and amplifies human artistry.  

“We start by centering the human. From day one, we prioritize the comfort and creative agency of our cast and crew. We don’t just onboard them into an AI-integrated workflow, we invite them into the conversation,” says Jenna Cavelle, producer of “Humano.” 

Jenna Cavelle, producer of Humano (left) and writer-director Eunice Levis (right) see AI as way to make streamline workflows and support human creativity.  image credit: courtesy of Eunice Levis

“AI supports, not replaces, human creativity,” Levis reiterates. “In practice, we’ve used AI to streamline workflows, like aligning pre-production documents, call sheets and VFX [visual effects] references to keep the team on the same page. In post, it’s helping with early visualization, layout planning, and prepping VFX elements so artists can work more efficiently.” 

As an independent filmmaker, Levis knows firsthand the difficulties of bringing a project to life and envisions AI as a vehicle to expand opportunities for underrepresented communities and the stories that reflect them.  

AI could level the playing field 

“AI has the potential to democratize access, especially when it comes to expensive production elements, like world-building and visual effects,” but she emphasizes authenticity relies on the artist’s hand. “If AI is used without intention, or as a shortcut to bypass craft, the work risks feeling hollow.” 

As an independent producer, Cavelle has experienced this shift at close range, too. “With the right AI systems, I can produce, budget, schedule and visualize like I did when I was at Disney, but faster, cheaper and more independently,” says Cavelle. 

But democratization is not limited to indie workers, Cavelle believes emerging artists without access to elite film schools also benefit. These emerging creators can tell stories with tools previously out of their reach. 

Where does AI leave people of color?

Despite its growth potential, this technology still stirs misgivings. When Levis presented the project to colleagues and friends, a mixture of thoughts immediately emerged: some celebrated it as an opportunity to open a great debate or learn; others were cautious and some automatically rejected  any proposal that included AI. 

Levis detected fear among people of color, “who have historically faced harm when new tech is rolled out at scale.” It is a fear shared worldwide, among different professionals who ask themselves one question: Will AI replace my job? 

For Levis, the answer is clear. “I’ve always seen AI as a tool, not a replacement for humans. My focus was on understanding how AI is developed, how it learns and what safeguards are in place as it becomes more embedded in our systems.” 

  Is everyone ready to surf the AI wave? 

However, not everyone shares that view. Cases such as “The Brutalist” (2024) brought controversy over the use of AI. In other scenarios, copyright, unauthorized use of images and labor displacement have been debated among members of the film industry.

“The industry’s response is still evolving, and often split,” says Cavelle. “We’ve seen massive innovation embraced throughout cinematic history: silent to sound, celluloid to digital, black-and-white to color, practical effects to VFX (visual effects). AI is another leap.” But the fear is there.  

Stop feeling powerless, take control

For Cavelle, the key is to stop feeling powerless during this transition, which means taking a more proactive and less reactive role. “If Hollywood wants to protect its values, it must participate in shaping the terms of AI integration, not from the sidelines, but from within. That’s how we move from disruption to transformation, with artists leading the way.” 

Cavelle believes the future is bright, while legal issues are being resolved in real time. “There are companies like Moonvalley who are breaking ground around copyright and perfecting chain of title so that films that use AI can secure distribution. Their video model, Marey, is trained on licensed data from creators who were opting in and being paid for their data.” 

Meanwhile, “Humano” has become an example of a case study where filmmakers have been able to experiment creatively and create a world before investing a single dollar in production. Cavelle explains they have used AI on jobs that previously required large budgets and long lead times, such as previsualization, storyboarding and environment design.  

“On the business side, our custom local LLM (a large language model, a type of AI that understands and generate human-like text, like ChatGPT) helps scenario-plan budgets and schedules with real-time accuracy, using secure project data without risking privacy. We also automate tasks like drafting deal memos and vendor contracts, which frees up our team to focus on high-impact creative work,” Cavelle says. 

Levis adds: “AI is helping us enhance, not replace, traditional VFX. We’re using it to design HUDs (heads-up displays) and replicate animals, which would otherwise be cost-prohibitive or raise safety concerns on set. It’s also supporting layout planning and environmental extensions to elevate production value.” Additionally, they are using AI-powered tools to advance accessibility — from translating documents and generating alt text to creating visual references for multilingual and neurodiverse collaborators. 

The process was far from linear or straightforward. Between trial and error, shooting in Los Angeles was even evaluated as a substitute for the Dominican Republic. In the pre-production of the short film “Humano,” initially under the AFI DWW+ program, it soon became evident it required more technical and financial resources than it could cover.  

“Now having pivoted to an independent production, we’re no longer limited in that way. I still proudly remain an AFI DWW+ fellow, and I’m grateful the project was born within the program. But I’m thrilled to shoot on location, in the Caribbean, which brings authenticity I’ve always wanted — reducing the need for heavy AI-driven world-building,” Levis says. 

This immersion allowed the team to understand how to innovate responsibly with AI in creative projects and to recognize its limits. Levis warns rejection can widen knowledge gaps and slow down innovation, while Cavelle stresses the need for open access, clear legal frameworks and responsible design for these tools to truly empower.  

Cavelle concludes, “AI doesn’t replace our team; it supercharges it."