1. Treat AI as a Precision Tool, Not a Creative Style
AI should be invisible. Use it to execute decisions, not to make them.
Use AI for
Rotoscoping and masking Clean plates and object removal Minor facial cleanup Motion interpolation for controlled slow motion Detail recovery and stabilization
Do not use AI for
Framing decisions Lighting logic Color language Editorial rhythm Cinema is intention driven. AI is labor, not authorship.
2. Lock Picture Before Introducing AI
Never apply AI before picture lock.
Correct order
Traditional offline edit Picture lock approval Duplicate timeline Apply AI passes shot by shot
AI outputs depend heavily on inputs. Any editorial change after AI breaks continuity and introduces visual drift.
3. Work in Isolated Passes
Never stack multiple AI processes in one step.
Recommended pass structure
Geometry and masks Cleanup and repairs Detail enhancement Motion refinement Final integration
Stacking denoise upscaling sharpening and relighting in one pass compounds artifacts and destroys realism.
4. Color Is Sacred
AI should respect color science not invent it.
Best practices
Work in log or linear color space Preserve highlight roll off Apply film grain after AI processing Lock skin tone references
Final color decisions must always be approved by a human colorist.
5. Enforce Visual Consistency
AI loves variation. Cinema does not.
Lock
Identity references Lighting conditions Lens behavior Model versions and seeds
Use one model per sequence whenever possible to avoid temporal inconsistency.
6. Respect Film Grain and Texture
Grain is structure not noise.
Correct workflow
Extract original grain profile Perform AI cleanup on a grain neutral image Reapply the original grain pattern
Artificial grain added at the end without analysis looks flat and synthetic.
7. AI Is a Department Not a Replacement
AI replaces repetitive labor not creative authority.
