But when Eline van der Velden stepped onto the NDTV World Summit stage in New Delhi, the crowd didn’t expect a pitch for an industry that doesn’t yet exist. She pitched the idea that a world‑first AI actor—Tilly Norwood—will be the spark that lights a new filmmaking frontier.
Tilly, a digital creation that can mimic expression, tone and movement, has already made headlines as the first AI performer in a feature‑length film. It’s a marvel that stirs both excitement and anxiety, but Van der Velden insists the real magic lies in the people who build and feed the AI.
‘It’s not about replacing actors,’ she said, her voice resonant. ‘It’s about creating a hybrid ecosystem where human actors, costume designers and production designers work alongside AI. We’ll need more hands on deck, not fewer.’
The sustainability angle was a surprise turn. Tilly’s creators claim that digital sets cut the carbon footprint of a movie shoot by up to 60 %. “You’re saving fuel, trees, and the painstaking logistics of on‑location shoots,” she added, hinting that AI could be a green alternative to traditional filmmaking.
What comes next? Van der Velden hints at a pilot project where a full‑length film will be shot entirely with AI‑enhanced environments, while human actors deliver the emotional core. If the experiment pans out, the industry might finally break the rule that technology threatens jobs and instead open a floodgate of new roles.