There was a moment recently that felt like a line may have been crossed.

In a new indie film entitled As Deep as the Grave, an AI-rendered version of Val Kilmer appears on screen, even after his passing. The filmmakers worked with his family, followed industry guidelines, and approached it with care. And still, something about it raises questions.

Not because it feels wrong (or even right). But because it feels different.

For a long time, conversations about AI in filmmaking remained abstract — what it could do, what it might replace, what it could cost. Now it's here. Woven into the stories we're watching.

And like any tool that finds its way into the creative process, it brings both opportunity and responsibility.

The question isn't just whether these tools will shape the future of filmmaking. They already are. The question is who will take part in shaping them... and who will be left trying to catch up.

For filmmakers of faith, that tension carries a little more weight. Not to reject what's new, or to rush toward it blindly, but to engage with it thoughtfully and ethically.

Because the tools we use to tell stories will keep evolving, like they always have. What we choose to do with them is up to us.

An ambitious retelling of David’s rise from shepherd to king, House of David blends biblical storytelling with modern filmmaking tools. In one standout sequence, ethical generative AI helps bring Goliath’s origin to life — allowing the filmmakers to achieve a level of scale that would have otherwise required far more time and resources. It’s a reminder that as the tools evolve, how they’re used (and by whom) still matters.

WHERE TO WATCH →

A deep-sea fish chases a fleeting glow in The Bends, a short film written/directed by Tiffany Lin and produced by industry veteran Christina Lee Storm. Built almost entirely with generative AI, the film raises a bigger question: can AI-generated footage actually hold up to professional standards? Here, the process feels as considered as the result — reminding us that even when everything is generated, the craft still has to be there. Not released yet, but here’s a tease.

WHERE TO WATCH →

While much of the conversation around AI in filmmaking has centered on resistance or uncertainty, others have taken a different approach — one that starts with understanding.

Christina Lee Storm is among those helping shape that shift. As an award-winning producer and executive working at the intersection of storytelling and emerging technology, her focus hasn’t been on reacting to change, but on learning how to work within it.

In recent conversations, she’s pointed to a simple idea: it’s not imperative to use these tools, but it is imperative to understand them.

That distinction matters.

Because as generative AI continues to find its way into professional workflows, the question isn’t just what it can do. It’s how it fits into a process that still depends on creative intent and authorship.

Storm has consistently emphasized that these tools are meant to be additive, not a replacement for the people behind the work. The opportunity isn’t in cutting corners, but in expanding what’s possible.

“If the main question is ‘How cheap can we make this?’ — that’s the wrong question.”

Instead, the focus returns to something more familiar: story.

“The spectacle fades quickly. What remains is character, meaning, and emotional resonance.”

For independent filmmakers — and especially those working from a place of faith — that shift carries weight. The tools are becoming more accessible and more embedded in the process. Not engaging with them at all doesn’t preserve the craft. It risks falling behind it. But engaging with them without intention doesn’t move things forward either.

Somewhere in between is the work: learning the tools, understanding their impact, and choosing how they’re used in a way that still reflects something true.

While the tools may be new, what we’re called to build with them isn’t.

The results are in! 80% of you voted for The world-building and ideas in last week’s poll: What do you enjoy most about sci-fi movies?

Generative AI has quickly become one of the most debated shifts in filmmaking. Some are leaning in. Others are holding back.

But the more useful question isn't whether to use it. It's how.

For independent filmmakers especially, the stakes feel real. These tools can open doors that once required larger budgets and teams, but they also raise new questions around authorship, ownership, and intent.

Across the industry, leaders like Christina Lee Storm are helping to frame that conversation around a few core ideas: protect creative integrity, respect the people behind the work, and stay accountable to the process.

It's less about the tool itself and more about the approach.

This shift reflects the principle behind the P.R.O.V.E. Method™:

The takeaway is simple: this isn't a moment to sit out. It's one to step in carefully and help shape what comes next.

“Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’” – Ecclesiastes 7:10 (ESV)

There’s a tendency to look back when things start to change. To hold onto what’s familiar. To assume that what came before was somehow better, or even purer.

But Scripture pushes against that instinct. Not because the past has no value, but because it isn’t where the work is happening.

Again and again, we’re reminded that creativity, skill, and craftsmanship are gifts — things to be developed and put to use for God’s glory. Not preserved in place.

The tools may look different. The process may shift. But the act of creating with intention hasn’t gone anywhere.

If anything, it asks more of us.

Not to chase what’s new for its own sake, but to keep building with care... wherever we find ourselves.

Until next time,

THE PLUMB NEWS TEAM