Netflix just completed their first AI-generated VFX sequence for "The Eternaut." The result? Ten times faster completion than traditional methods.
As someone who's produced countless hours of content across wildly different budgets, I can tell you exactly what this means. It changes everything.
But probably not in the way you think.
The Budget Reality Nobody Talks About
VFX costs kill creative visions every single day. I've lived through this countless times.
You have a brief or a script. You have a vision. Then you get the VFX quote and suddenly you're rewriting entire sequences.
Maybe you shoot it in camera instead. Maybe you drop the shot altogether. Maybe you replace it with a different storyline entirely.
There are a gazillion different ways to work around budget constraints. I've used most of them.
Netflix's breakthrough with "The Eternaut" represents something bigger than faster rendering. It's about creative possibilities that were previously locked behind financial barriers.
But here's where most people get it wrong.
AI Isn't A Magic Button
The biggest misconception I see among producers - not just in Asia, but globally - is that AI will either solve everything or destroy everything. Both views miss the point completely.
AI for VFX isn't simple. You don't just say "please help me fix this" and get a finished shot.
You still need creative problem-solving. You still need to get the prompts right. You still need compositing, color correction, color grading to make everything work together.
You might still need additional VFX work depending on what you're trying to achieve.
It's another tool in your toolkit. The question isn't whether to use it. The question is knowing when and how to use it effectively.
This matters because the tool itself is creating new competitive dynamics.
Asia's Hidden Advantage
What I'm seeing is fascinating. Asian markets are adapting much faster because of, well, for better or worse, less concerns about privacy and data protection laws. So there's a lot more will to experiment with those technologies in Asia than there is, for example, in Europe.
This creates a window of opportunity that most people aren't recognizing yet. Having worked across Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, I see this firsthand.
Asian independent filmmakers can now create scenes that were formerly impossible due to budget restrictions. The quality barrier that separated us from major studios is starting to dissolve.
But only if we approach this strategically.
Proving It Works
Here's the reality: we need proof, not promises. The Asian film industry has a unique opportunity to lead the AI revolution, but only if we create compelling case studies that demonstrate real value.
Having worked across Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, I see production companies making two critical mistakes. Either they're avoiding AI entirely out of fear, or they're jumping in without understanding what success actually looks like.
What we need are films that utilize AI VFX in ways that genuinely elevate the story. Projects that show seamless integration between AI tools and traditional production workflows. Work that proves this technology amplifies creativity rather than replacing it.
The global AI in film market is projected to grow 25% yearly through 2030. The production companies that create these successful case studies now will define industry standards for years to come.
This is Asia's moment to position itself as the AI production hub of the future.
Story First, Always
The real power of AI VFX isn't in creating bigger explosions or more elaborate spectacles. It's in serving the story.
When we're shooting our current feature film in India, every creative decision comes back to one question: does this advance the narrative? We've written the film in such a way that we don't need Netflix-level VFX to create a compelling story. Because for us, it's story first, not spectacles. AI VFX should be held to the same standard.
The most compelling use of this technology isn't replacing practical effects with digital ones. It's enabling storytellers to visualize emotions, relationships, and character arcs in ways that were previously impossible within budget constraints.
Think about it differently. Instead of asking "what can we blow up now that VFX is cheaper?" ask "what internal conflict can we now make visible? What metaphor can we bring to life? What story beat can we strengthen through visual storytelling that supports rather than distracts from the narrative?"
That's where AI VFX becomes genuinely transformative - when it amplifies story rather than substituting for it.
The Adaptation Imperative
People ask me how I handle crew concerns about AI taking jobs. My answer is straightforward.
If you want to stay relevant, you need to embrace AI. There's no way around it.
This isn't different from other disruptions Wave Films has weathered. COVID shut us down in March 2020. Industry strikes. Technology shifts. Tariffs. All of these forced adaptation.
What Wave Films does on a daily basis is adapt to new environments. The industry is changing faster than ever, so we have to adapt faster than ever.
It's a continuous adaptation process.
The companies that survive are the ones that see these shifts as tools rather than threats.
Building The Future
The real opportunity isn't just using AI. It's proving we can make it work seamlessly with other production technologies.
We need concrete case studies that show AI integrating positively into production workflows. We need to prove that this technology elevates rather than diminishes creative work.
The filmmakers who figure this out first will have a significant competitive advantage.
Netflix showed us what's possible with "The Eternaut." Ten times faster VFX completion. Costs that make high-quality effects accessible for constrained budgets.
Now it's up to production companies like Wave Films to prove we can build on that foundation.
The question isn't whether AI will change filmmaking. It already has.
The question is whether we'll be the ones shaping how that change unfolds.
I'm betting on the Asian filmmakers who embrace the tool, master the workflow, and focus on telling better stories.
Because at the end of the day, that's what this is really about. Better stories, told more efficiently, reaching audiences who've been waiting for exactly what we're capable of creating.
The technology is ready. The market is ready.
The question is: are we ready to seize it?