Netflix and animation studio FutureCel leaders say AI is reshaping filmmaking by expanding creative possibilities rather than replacing human artistry.
Netflix's generative tools enabled stadium crowd sequences in the World Cup film Brazil '70 that directors wanted but couldn't otherwise afford to produce.
Both executives emphasize that storytelling craft and artist vision must remain central, with technology serving as a tool to solve creative problems—not as an end in itself.
What happened
Girish Balakrishnan (Netflix's Senior Director of Creative Innovation) and Joel Kuwahara (founder of animation studio FutureCel) discussed how AI is reshaping filmmaking and animation. Netflix used generative tools to fill stadium crowds in the period film Brazil '70, enabling shots the directors wanted but couldn't otherwise afford—scenes that would have been cut without AI.
Why it matters
Both executives argue AI is not replacing filmmakers but expanding what's possible within storytelling. Kuwahara, who has worked in animation for over thirty years (from The Simpsons to Bob's Burgers), sees AI as giving creators more iteration and chances to refine work—a shift that keeps the craft and artist vision central, not secondary. For Netflix, the bar for AI-assisted work remains unchanged: great stories by great storytellers.
What to watch
Kuwahara expects AI to find its own creative niche rather than displace existing media forms, as happened when TV, video games, and short-form video each created their own strengths. The conversation took place at the 2026 Runway AI Festival in Los Angeles.
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The conversation reflects a broader shift in how major entertainment platforms are integrating AI into production pipelines. Rather than adopting AI as a replacement for human creativity, Netflix and FutureCel frame it as a means to solve specific storytelling problems—in Brazil '70's case, filling stadium crowds authentically within budget constraints. Kuwahara's thirty-plus-year career in animation gives historical weight to his argument that new tools don't displace old forms; they create new niches. His point about iteration is particularly grounded: AI can let teams test multiple versions and gather feedback faster, which he sees as addressing a chronic limitation in animation—the labor-intensive nature of the medium has historically limited creative exploration.
Balakrishnan's framing at Netflix aligns with this: the company already has a long history of pairing technology with storytelling. For both leaders, the critical difference lies in keeping the artist and storyteller at the center. Kuwahara cautions against speed for its own sake, emphasizing that the final question must remain craft-focused—"Is it the best version? Is it funny? Is it telling the character's story?" This positions AI as subject to the same standards that governed animation and filmmaking before it, rather than as a separate category.
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