This Cinematic AI Film Workflow Changes Everything
The full cinematic AI film workflow: GPT-6 (Astra) in Codex running Runway and Seedance 2.5, then DaVinci Resolve. That's the actual AI filmmaking pipeline I used to remake one of my first AI films in about a day and a half: script, characters, shots, grade, titles and mix. A big chunk of it I directed by just talking to my computer. Here's every step, including the couple of moments that had my jaw on the floor. SPONSOR This video is sponsored by Runway — big thanks to @RunwayML for backing the remake. ► Try Runway today: https://app.runwayml.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=sponsored&utm_campaign=ai-influencer&utm_content=Tim ► First-time subscribers: use code THEO25 for 25% off any Runway plan. #MadeWithRunway WATCH THE FILMS ► The remake: https://youtu.be/f8FHas1dmt8 ► The 2025 original: https://youtu.be/YDlME4qvER8 GET THE STUDIO SKILL ► Theoretically News: https://theoreticallymedia.com/newsletter/ The Theoretically studio film skill — the folder structure this whole workflow runs on — plus a full tutorial is in this week's newsletter. Sign up above and it lands in your inbox soon! WHAT'S IN THIS ONE - Setting up Codex on the desktop and pointing it at Runway's MCP. Genuinely the easiest part of the whole thing. - The theoretically studio film skill: a folder structure that tells any model exactly how my films are built and how to execute them. - Character references out of Midjourney, then 360 turnarounds generated as video — plus my pet theory about why generating the turnaround in video beats doing it in an image editor. - The production dashboard I built this time. A plain HTML file sitting on my desktop, pointed at the project folder — every shot, every prompt, storyboards, references, locations. Absolute game changer. - Astra's session diary, which wrote up what we did each session so it could remind me about the things I'd forgotten. - Directing by voice. Conversational, chatty directions in, properly structured prompts out. - What the agent missed: there are output options sitting right there in the Runway platform that it never thought to reach for. Keep one eye on the platform yourself. - The editing experiment — Astra working my Premiere timeline through computer use, why that got frustrating fast, and why I ended up making the first cut myself. At least for now. - The DaVinci Resolve finishing pass: the color grade, a film grain plugin, a few small trims and dissolves, Fusion title cards at the head and tail, and a full audio mix across dialog, music and ambience. I didn't touch the mouse once in Resolve. - Ruby, Runway's SDR-to-HDR model, and how much more headroom it gives you to actually push a grade. - And where I think this is all heading — plus the one thing I'd want you to take away from it. LINKS MENTIONED Runway MCP: https://runway.com/mcp Codex (now inside the ChatGPT desktop app): https://chatgpt.com/download Seedance 2.5 on Runway: https://runway.com/product/seedance-2.5 Runway Ruby (SDR to HDR): https://academy.runwayml.com/tutorial/runway-ruby Runway's Premiere Pro + After Effects plugins: https://runway.com/plugins Runway Gen-4.5: https://runway.com/research/introducing-runway-gen-4.5 Runway Research: https://runway.com/research GWM Worlds 2 (real-time interactive worlds): https://runway.com/research/introducing-gwm-worlds-2 DaVinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve Dehancer (the film grain plugin): https://www.dehancer.com/ Midjourney: https://www.midjourney.com/ CHAPTERS 00:00 A whole film in about a day 00:49 The original vs. the remake 01:52 The old, hard way 02:57 GPT-6, Codex and Runway MCP 03:51 My film studio skill 04:57 Rebuilding the script and characters 05:30 360 character turnarounds 06:20 Why I built a production tracker 06:49 Inside the production dashboard 07:56 Astra's session diary 08:32 Directing by voice 09:25 What the agent missed in Runway 10:26 The wait, and editing it myself 12:12 A look inside Runway 14:04 Color grading in DaVinci Resolve 15:19 Ruby and HDR 15:57 Small edits and Fusion titles 16:49 The audio mix 17:15 How much usage it took 18:09 Where this goes next 18:47 The real takeaway #AIFilmmaking #AIFilm #MadeWithRunway
