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Martin Scorsese has spoken about using AI for filmmaking, publicly endorsing tech company Black Forest Labs.
The directing legend was announced as an “advisor” for the company, particularly in the use of its FLUX image generation program. Black Forest Labs’ website showed a video of the director talking about the collaboration, and also shared a statement from Scorsese himself.
“For 70 years, I’ve been creating my own storyboards,” he begins. “There’s always been this problem of how do you communicate what you see in your head to your cast and crew. There are some things you have to see and feel. I’m interested in the intersection of technology and storytelling, and seeing how that can push the bounds of creativity to create deeper and richer experiences for audiences.”
The move may be a surprise to some, given Scorsese has been seen as a cinema traditionalist, particularly in his criticism of the dominance of superhero movies. However, the statement points out that he has embraced new technologies before.
“Remember, cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it can evolve,” he said. “I utilised 3D with Hugo and de-aging technology for The Irishman.
“Now, with this tool, I can share what I’m visualising more clearly and efficiently to my creative team—the production designer, art designer, and cinematographer—for them to build on to enrich cinematic intelligence. I recently tested this out on a scene and the ability to visualise and immediately share the storyboard was creatively freeing. During the pre-production process, time costs money, and this allowed us to move faster without sacrificing quality or craft.”
AI is a divisive subject across the world, due to its potential to remove human beings from the creative process. Recently, Val Kilmer, who passed away in 2025, was announced as the “star” of new film As Deep As The Grave, where he is created using generative AI (the creation was made with his family’s blessing).
Last year, James Cameron said he was exploring how AI can help the film industry “cut costs in half” without “laying off half the staff”. Elsewhere, Morgan Freeman took legal action over AI copycats using his voice, saying: “You’re robbing me”. Last month, Pope Leo XIV spoke out against the dangers of the technology.
In the music world, Jack Osbourne recently responded to criticism of his family’s choice to create an AI avatar of his father Ozzy, who died last year, saying that he would be “into it”.
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