By Our Reporter

For many creatives, the rise of artificial intelligence in filmmaking sounds like a warning bell; a technology poised to replace artists, writers and filmmakers. But Ugandan videographer, Sasha Vybz believes the conversation should be less about fear and more about opportunity.

Speaking during a masterclass at the Guinness Smooth Creators Lab at Nomad Bar and Grill, Vybz, real name Ian Akankwansa, encouraged filmmakers, photographers and digital storytellers to see AI as a tool that can enhance creativity rather than replace it.

During his session, Vybz tackled one of the biggest anxieties among creatives, the fear that AI could make human creativity irrelevant. “Most creatives are afraid of AI and what it could mean for creativity,” he said. “But this shouldn’t scare us.”

To illustrate his point, he compared the current AI debate with the disruption that came when photography first emerged. “Photographers disrupted artists who were drawing portraits,” he said. “Cameras came with something more exciting and almost more accurate.”

But he noted that hand drawn works and paintings have even become more expensive over the years.

At one point, the filmmaker played a dramatic fight scene featuring Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, locked in a carefully choreographed battle sequence. Then he posed a question to the room: “what if I told you this entire scene is AI?”

The clip, he explained, had been generated using Seedance 2.0, an advanced video-generation model developed by ByteDance. With just a short two-line prompt, the system was able to create a cinematic fight scene convincing enough to pass for a real film.

The example sparked debate online, with many arguing that such technology could threaten the future of cinema. After all, if a simple prompt can produce a high-energy action scene in seconds, why would producers still need actors, choreographers, stylists or large film crews? Vybz acknowledges the concern but believes the technology also opens doors.

“Many people will go the AI way because it is easier and affordable,” he said. “But it also gives people a chance to start.”

He says that one doesn’t need high end gear to create their difficult ideas, for instance, in Kampala where permits to shoot at times exceed the production budget, he says there is an opportunity to go past all these challenges and start with a click.

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