photos by Andrew Alonso
On April 11, Atlanta-based DGA members of all categories gained valuable insight into how new innovative AI technology can be used to help achieve a Director’s vision during the two-part seminar, Exploring AI: A Digital Technology Event. Presented by the Atlanta Coordinating Committee (ATLCC), the event allowed the attendees were able to see first-hand what this new technology is capable of and the various ways it can be integrated into a production.
Following an introduction by ATLCC member/Director Maurice “Mo” Marable, the event began with a conversation moderated by ATLCC member/UPM Tom Luse, where Adobe’s Head of Film & Television Darren Frankel and AI Media Strategist Elizabeth Strickler, the Co-founder of the Creative Media Industries Institute at Georgia State University, discussed the abilities and limitations of various AI technologies and spoke about how they anticipate this will affect the industry as a whole, then answered questions from the audience.
In the second panel Feras Alfuqaha the co-founder of Shamel Studio, a new platform for scheduling, budgeting, and call sheets; Ivan Zhurko the Head of Product at the AI-Powered Film Production Platform FilmUStage; and CEO Alex D. Lugo from the AI-powered film production management platform FilmPro, presented short demonstrations of what their platforms are capable of delivering then engaged in a conversation moderated by ATLCC member/2nd AD Yor-El Francis.
The event ended with a second Q&A session where the DGA member attendees were able to have more of their questions answered by the experts.
About the Committee
The Atlanta Coordinating Committee (ATLCC) was established in June 2025. The ATLCC serves DGA members in the Atlanta area, acting on their behalf as liaison to the Guild, and is responsible for informing members about DGA initiatives and priorities, facilitating the exchange of DGA-related information and outreach among members, advancing professional opportunities for members, and hosting DGA events in the Atlanta Area.
