In the ever-evolving world of filmmaking, screenwriter and editor Sumit Purohit is making waves with a groundbreaking approach that could transform how stories are pitched in the industry. Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI), Purohit has reshaped the traditional pitch process by creating eye-catching trailers that give producers a vivid glimpse of his envisioned worlds.
A still from one of Purohit’s innovative trailers poses a compelling question: Can I use a largely empty frame with my subject on the side? Can dim lighting fit within a scene? These are not just idle thoughts but critical, imaginative explorations playing out in Purohit’s mind like a reel. Answering these questions used to be a labor-intensive task, requiring hours upon hours of scouring through old films for suitable references and piecing them together manually. That all changed about a month and a half ago when Purohit began experimenting with AI tools.
“As a filmmaker, I need to tell stories visually,” Purohit explains. “You always go back to visual references—paintings, old films, and photographs—and you ask, ‘Can I do something like this? Can I use this kind of light? Can a frame be like this?’ So, when I started using AI, I used it like that. Because I paint, draw, and have dealt with a lot of visual material in college, I know which artiste to refer to and I prompt that in AI.”
The world of AI has indeed become Purohit’s latest creative playground. Currently, he uses AI tools to craft trailers that pitch his script ideas to producers, an innovation that has sparked considerable excitement among DoPs (Directors of Photography) and fellow filmmakers. “If there was no AI and I had to make a pitch trailer, I would have gone through 100 old films to find the scenes I want to use and then combine them,” he says.
Reflecting on a recent pitch, Purohit created a scratch trailer for a period drama set in the sixth century. Without AI, constructing such a trailer with all the appropriate references and scenes would have taken significantly longer. This is where software like Midjourney and LumaLabs comes into play. “I wanted to adapt a period story set in the sixth century that a college teacher had directed. I knew exactly the visuals I wanted. I prompted AI to generate these visuals and then edited them to make a trailer like I would edit a film,” Purohit elaborates.
Purohit also draws parallels from his work on the popular web series Inside Edge, which required shooting cricket matches. “We had to shoot cricket matches. So, Karan Anshuman [creator] and I discussed that I should take pictures of a real cricket match and emulate those. Even that is a reference, right? So, even without AI, we have been taking references.”
The technological evolution has undeniably eased many aspects of filmmaking.
. Purohit crafted a pitch for a horror film by editing a short video to an Ali Sethi song, shaping it into a ’90s music video style. This creative freedom to follow one’s instincts—even if it leads to failure—is one of the intangible yet significant luxuries that AI offers. More tangible benefits are clearly evident as well. “A DoP told me that when a concept art is made for a film, it gets lost in translation once the team goes on set because there is a difference between the concept art and the final product. But the AI-created visual reference shows you precisely how the final visual will look, including the light and mist. So, everyone is on the same page,” Purohit notes.
Yet, the advantages of AI do not come without their drawbacks. AI is often viewed as a threat to many jobs in the industry. To Purohit, these fears highlight people’s deep-seated insecurities. “If you go into a moral debate around it, there is no end to this discussion. We feel threatened by AI because we think it will do what humans do. People say that with AI, many jobs will be gone, but that happens with any tech innovation,” he argues. Purohit is confident that the human touch will always have a place. “Christopher Nolan still shoots on film. So, it’s about what works for your vision. For me, the craft and visual are important; the means, not so much. First, the job of executives will go because that is data-driven, which even an AI tool can do. And then there will always be purists.”
In essence, Sumit Purohit has found a way to bring his story ideas to life through AI-crafted trailers, offering producers a detailed look and feel of the world he aims to create. This innovative approach not only enhances the understanding of the film’s milieu but also minimizes the gap between what is imagined and the final product, bringing everyone involved in the production process onto the same page.
As technology continues to evolve, Purohit’s innovative use of AI stands as a testament to the limitless possibilities that await the film industry.
