Hollywood studios scout film schools for AI-fluent talent
AI production skills are shifting from bonus to hiring filter, with school courses becoming the studios' talent pipeline.
Original event 2026-09-25
Studios are starting to hire people who already know how to use AI production tools, rather than training teams in-house.
Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela told Semafor that studios now commonly ask how to find people who already know how to use these tools. The AI video company launched its first AI filmmaking course at NYU in 2024, and courses on its tools now run at USC, Rhode Island School of Design, MIT and Harvard, among others.
Google also runs a Flow residency connecting creatives with its engineers. Brad Tangonan, a filmmaker who took part, said learning these tools is becoming necessary to enter the industry. AI fluency is not yet a prerequisite for making movies.