Austin AI Film Festival

Billy Boman

AI filmmaker delivering high-end work for Google DeepMind, Taylor Swift, and Nissan, and leader of Europe's most comprehensive AI creative program at Berghs School of Communication.

Louie Schwartzberg

Award-winning director, cinematographer, and producer whose time-lapse imagery spans five decades. Credits include Fantastic Fungi, Disneynature's Wings of Life, National Geographic's Mysteries of the Unseen World, and Disney's Soarin' Around the World, plus TED talks viewed 60M+ times.

Zachary Levi

Actor and producer known for Shazam!, Chuck, and Tangled, now building Wyldwood Studios, a 75-acre film campus on the Colorado River in Bastrop, pitched as an alternative to the Hollywood studio system.

Joni Dobrov

Multidisciplinary creative director leading Exact's Narrative Division, building expansive visual worlds and scalable production systems, and creator of its flagship original IP, The Zim.

Rupert Cresswell

Director and creative director behind award-winning work for Adidas, Google, Meta, and PlayStation, now running Elevado, a hybrid live-action and AI studio. Creator of Prospex Park, the retro-future AI portrait series featured in Ad Age and i-D.

Jon Flynn

EVP and Head of FoxNXT, the innovation group inside Fox Entertainment, where he brings advanced production technology into development and production. Previously led Google's AI go-to-market for media, entertainment, and gaming. Author, board director, and advisor to media and sports companies.

Conrad Curtis

Production and Partnerships Lead at Beeble AI, making sure its AI relighting and VFX tools meet the standards filmmakers expect on set and in post. A DGA Assistant Director with 15+ years in production, and co-founder of Virtual Production Partners.

Aaron Brown

Award-winning filmmaker and producer, and a fixture of Austin's film and music scene. He directed Home Free, which Kevin Smith called the most important comedy of the year, produced The Big Bend, and spent nearly a decade as festival director of UTOPiAfest. Co-founder of Been There, an Austin nonprofit using art to address homelessness.

Seema Mathur

Award-winning medical journalist, documentary filmmaker, and host of the podcast Brain In Progress. A former CNN and CBS affiliate reporter, her work has earned a National Edward R. Murrow Award, a Lone Star Emmy, and an Amnesty International Human Rights Award.

Brian Taylor

Writer, director, and cinematographer who broke out in 2006 with the Jason Statham action-comedy Crank, and its sequel Crank: High Voltage, which Quentin Tarantino called the Gremlins 2 of action movies.

Amaru Zeas-Sigüenza

Creative director and filmmaker with 18+ years across VFX, animation, games, and virtual production, now building cinematic AI workflows at Griptape, part of Foundry. Previously senior art director and generative AI researcher at AWS. His short The 8th Candle screens in this year's Official Selection.

Billy Boman

AI filmmaker delivering high-end work for Google DeepMind, Taylor Swift, and Nissan, and leader of Europe's most comprehensive AI creative program at Berghs School of Communication.

Louie Schwartzberg

Award-winning director, cinematographer, and producer whose time-lapse imagery spans five decades. Credits include Fantastic Fungi, Disneynature's Wings of Life, National Geographic's Mysteries of the Unseen World, and Disney's Soarin' Around the World, plus TED talks viewed 60M+ times.

Zachary Levi

Actor and producer known for Shazam!, Chuck, and Tangled, now building Wyldwood Studios, a 75-acre film campus on the Colorado River in Bastrop, pitched as an alternative to the Hollywood studio system.

Joni Dobrov

Multidisciplinary creative director leading Exact's Narrative Division, building expansive visual worlds and scalable production systems, and creator of its flagship original IP, The Zim.

Rupert Cresswell

Director and creative director behind award-winning work for Adidas, Google, Meta, and PlayStation, now running Elevado, a hybrid live-action and AI studio. Creator of Prospex Park, the retro-future AI portrait series featured in Ad Age and i-D.

Jon Flynn

EVP and Head of FoxNXT, the innovation group inside Fox Entertainment, where he brings advanced production technology into development and production. Previously led Google's AI go-to-market for media, entertainment, and gaming. Author, board director, and advisor to media and sports companies.

Conrad Curtis

Production and Partnerships Lead at Beeble AI, making sure its AI relighting and VFX tools meet the standards filmmakers expect on set and in post. A DGA Assistant Director with 15+ years in production, and co-founder of Virtual Production Partners.

Aaron Brown

Award-winning filmmaker and producer, and a fixture of Austin's film and music scene. He directed Home Free, which Kevin Smith called the most important comedy of the year, produced The Big Bend, and spent nearly a decade as festival director of UTOPiAfest. Co-founder of Been There, an Austin nonprofit using art to address homelessness.

Seema Mathur

Award-winning medical journalist, documentary filmmaker, and host of the podcast Brain In Progress. A former CNN and CBS affiliate reporter, her work has earned a National Edward R. Murrow Award, a Lone Star Emmy, and an Amnesty International Human Rights Award.

Brian Taylor

Writer, director, and cinematographer who broke out in 2006 with the Jason Statham action-comedy Crank, and its sequel Crank: High Voltage, which Quentin Tarantino called the Gremlins 2 of action movies.

Amaru Zeas-Sigüenza

Creative director and filmmaker with 18+ years across VFX, animation, games, and virtual production, now building cinematic AI workflows at Griptape, part of Foundry. Previously senior art director and generative AI researcher at AWS. His short The 8th Candle screens in this year's Official Selection.

Pinar Demirdag

Pioneering AI director who produced the first generative AI VFX for a feature film and the D&AD-winning first generative AI commercial. LinkedIn Learning's first generative AI instructor, reaching 2M+ learners, and featured on CBS's 60 Minutes.

Henry Daubrez

Filmmaker and creative director building original films, series, and worlds at ODD KID, including the animated series Junkyard King and the feature The Light Within. Former Resident Filmmaker at Google Labs, with leadership roles at Dogstudio and DEPT®.

PJ Accetturo

CEO of Genre.ai and one of the most-watched filmmakers working in AI, with over 400 million views in the past year. Has led AI campaigns for Nike, LVMH, Qatar Airways, Oracle, Popeyes, Ramp, and Google. Creator of Nexus, a Dreamina Original Series now in development as a feature.

Sarba Das

Film and TV executive, producer, and director. Former Head of Creative for Documentaries at A24 and Head of Nonfiction at Media Res, with credits including VAL, The Sixth, and Netflix's Peabody-winning High on the Hog. Founder of 108 Pictures.

Adrienne Lahens

CEO of Infinite Studios and former TikTok leader who built Creator Marketplace from zero to 2M creators and launched TikTok Symphony, its generative AI ads platform.

Jason Fisher

Award-winning producer and studio executive, formerly Head of Production at Disney+, Paramount Television, and AMC Networks, with credits including The Mandalorian, Loki, and Breaking Bad. Now founder and CEO of StageRunner, a global soundstage marketplace and media platform.

Rick Carter

Two-time Oscar-winning production designer for Avatar and Lincoln, and a longtime collaborator of Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis. His worlds include Jurassic Park, Back to the Future Part II and III, Forrest Gump, The Fabelmans, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

C. Sean Yuksel

Executive creative director, creative technologist, and Advisory Board Member of Austin AI Film Festival. His 20+ year career spans motion design, VFX, production, immersive media, AR/VR/XR, experiential design, brand systems, and responsible AI-enabled creative workflows.

Michelle Zauzig

Award-winning executive producer with 13+ years across advertising, entertainment, and technology, with work for Nike, Dell, Motorola, Lil Yachty, and Charli XCX shown at Tribeca and Sheffield. Founder of Studio113.

BLVCKL!GHT

Generative AI filmmaker with roots in painting, photography, writing, and music, making surreal, horror-tinged films that blend monsters, gaming, and social commentary. Creator of the viral Cryptid Dating Game series and a growing universe of original AI films and IP.

Pinar Demirdag

Pioneering AI director who produced the first generative AI VFX for a feature film and the D&AD-winning first generative AI commercial. LinkedIn Learning's first generative AI instructor, reaching 2M+ learners, and featured on CBS's 60 Minutes.

Henry Daubrez

Filmmaker and creative director building original films, series, and worlds at ODD KID, including the animated series Junkyard King and the feature The Light Within. Former Resident Filmmaker at Google Labs, with leadership roles at Dogstudio and DEPT®.

PJ Accetturo

CEO of Genre.ai and one of the most-watched filmmakers working in AI, with over 400 million views in the past year. Has led AI campaigns for Nike, LVMH, Qatar Airways, Oracle, Popeyes, Ramp, and Google. Creator of Nexus, a Dreamina Original Series now in development as a feature.

Sarba Das

Film and TV executive, producer, and director. Former Head of Creative for Documentaries at A24 and Head of Nonfiction at Media Res, with credits including VAL, The Sixth, and Netflix's Peabody-winning High on the Hog. Founder of 108 Pictures.

Adrienne Lahens

CEO of Infinite Studios and former TikTok leader who built Creator Marketplace from zero to 2M creators and launched TikTok Symphony, its generative AI ads platform.

Jason Fisher

Award-winning producer and studio executive, formerly Head of Production at Disney+, Paramount Television, and AMC Networks, with credits including The Mandalorian, Loki, and Breaking Bad. Now founder and CEO of StageRunner, a global soundstage marketplace and media platform.

Rick Carter

Two-time Oscar-winning production designer for Avatar and Lincoln, and a longtime collaborator of Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis. His worlds include Jurassic Park, Back to the Future Part II and III, Forrest Gump, The Fabelmans, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

C. Sean Yuksel

Executive creative director, creative technologist, and Advisory Board Member of Austin AI Film Festival. His 20+ year career spans motion design, VFX, production, immersive media, AR/VR/XR, experiential design, brand systems, and responsible AI-enabled creative workflows.

Michelle Zauzig

Award-winning executive producer with 13+ years across advertising, entertainment, and technology, with work for Nike, Dell, Motorola, Lil Yachty, and Charli XCX shown at Tribeca and Sheffield. Founder of Studio113.

BLVCKL!GHT

Generative AI filmmaker with roots in painting, photography, writing, and music, making surreal, horror-tinged films that blend monsters, gaming, and social commentary. Creator of the viral Cryptid Dating Game series and a growing universe of original AI films and IP.