AI can’t replace human storytelling in cinema, says National award-winner A. Sreekar Prasad
HYDERABAD: Artificial intelligence is changing creative industries worldwide, but editor and nine-time National Award-winner A. Sreekar Prasad believes cinema’s essence will always rely on human intuition, emotion, and storytelling.
Setting the stage, at a masterclass hosted by Annapurna College’s Film Editing Department, Prasad discussed the changing craft of editing, the integration of AI and VFX, and the key skills future filmmakers need to succeed in a tech-driven industry.
Drawing from decades of experience, Prasad, who has worked across many languages, said editing is much more than putting shots together. “It’s the craft of shaping characters, worlds, rhythm, and emotional engagement,” he told students and aspiring filmmakers.
Building on this, he argued that new technology makes editorial thinking even more important. As AI and VFX tools grow more advanced, editors must curate, interpret, and guide the story’s emotion more than ever.
With an eye on modern workflows, Prasad highlighted the growing value of previsualization, especially 3D visualization, in modern filmmaking. These tools let filmmakers explore creative options, improve planning, and encourage early teamwork between directors and editors.
He explained that these processes strengthen story development, enhance visual design, improve production efficiency, and cut down on unnecessary filming. The result is better creative outcomes.
Turning to the AI revolution, Prasad addressed artificial intelligence directly. He said that while technology can create many assets and options, human judgment is still central to storytelling. Prasad said, “AI may create outcomes that are efficient and technically perfect,” he said, “but cinema gets its emotion from human imperfections, intuition, unpredictability, and conviction.”
As AI expands creative options, Prasad said editors will need stronger skills in curation, compositing, shot building with AI assets, visual design, and emotional interpretation. He argued that AI will not replace editors but will demand more from them.
Prasad also discussed the basics of editing: observation, pacing, shot duration, rhythm, and visual choreography. He told students that powerful cinema comes from experimentation and a filmmaker’s strong belief in their story.
Furthermore, he stressed the importance of audience research and urged filmmakers to assess a project’s creative and commercial potential before investing heavily. “Know your audience, but don’t let data drown out instinct,” he said.
He left students with a reassuring but challenging message. Technology will keep advancing, but the heart of cinema will always be human emotion. In the AI era, the editor’s role is not diminished, it is elevated.
