VFX Expert Hong Jae Cheol Outlines Coexistence of AI-Native Studios and Traditional Production Powerhouses at Busan

According to visual effects veteran Hong Jae Cheol, the industry is bifurcating: small, AI-native companies utilizing automated pipelines are gaining the ability to develop original intellectual property, while established studios maintain their dominance through existing franchises, robust production infrastructure, specialized talent, and global distribution networks.

Hong, a producer-director at Viscode with an illustrious career at Industrial Light & Magic—including work on major blockbusters like “Iron Man,” “Transformers,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”—shared these insights during the InnoAsia AI Creators Camp at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents & Film Market. “We are transitioning from utilizing AI for isolated image generation toward integrating AI into comprehensive, end-to-end production workflows,” Hong noted.

Hong argued that while AI is fundamentally reshaping production models, traditional visual effects remain indispensable for refining AI-generated content into screen-ready assets. He envisioned a hybrid future defined by a partnership between AI and human creativity, rather than a total displacement of legacy studios.

Comparing the two methodologies, Hong contrasted the conventional VFX pipeline—which relies heavily on 3D assets, animation, rendering, and compositing—with an AI-assisted workflow. In the latter model, actors perform on controlled sets while AI generates the surrounding environments and visual details, leaving VFX artists to manage critical tasks such as tracking, integration, and final polishing. He further detailed current AI applications in the field, spanning rotoscoping, cleanup, previs, character design, camera tests, and environment creation.

Mark Wachholz, Chief Creative Director of Berlin-based Dreamkite Studios—famed for award-winning AI films “The Cinema That Never Was” and “Céremony”—offered a creative perspective on this evolution. He characterized AI co-creation as a process of relinquishing absolute control in favor of serendipity, describing it as “exploring instead of controlling” and “finding instead of knowing.” Wachholz emphasized that these emerging tools necessitate a fundamental shift in mindset rather than merely applying traditional techniques to new software.

Ahn Jaehong, Director at Climax Studio, who transitioned to AI filmmaking following an injury that prevented him from traditional directing, focused on the practicalities of production. He outlined a streamlined workflow moving from prompts and camera data to scene context, shot lists, storyboards, character/prop sheets, locations, and keyframes. This workflow underscored a consensus among the panelists: while AI can assist at nearly every stage, the filmmaker’s role remains vital in shaping the narrative, visual language, and final output.

Hong concluded by clarifying the distinction: “AI is just a tool; film is a sequence.” The panel emphasized that the future lies in how AI becomes integrated into a cohesive filmmaking process, where human direction and VFX expertise remain the primary forces determining how individual images are woven into a cinematic experience.

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