Andrew Hevia sees a future where five people can make Avatar—and every person gets to be Andy Serkis. As head of Film and TV North America for Fabula, the international production company behind films like Maria, Hevia is partnering directly with Runway to integrate AI video tools throughout their entire filmmaking pipeline, from pre-visualization to post-production.
Watch the full interview here:
Speaking with us at AI on the Lot for our Inside the AI Studio series, Hevia outlined how budget constraints for Spanish-language content are driving innovative approaches to storytelling—and how AI might level the playing field for creators worldwide.
Pipeline Integration: AI video tools are streamlining VFX workflows and putting creative control back in directors' hands
Fabula's collaboration with Runway began as an exploration of possibility. "We were really excited by AI video and what that opportunity looked like, but the technology's so new, we didn't really know how we were going to be able to use it," Hevia explains.
The partnership has evolved into practical applications across their production pipeline:
Pre-visualization: Directors can iterate on visual concepts without expensive test shoots
VFX simplification: Traditional effects pipelines become more accessible to filmmakers
Cost reduction: Complex sequences like underwater filming become feasible through AI generation
The hope is that our directors can identify either visualizing what they want and then pass that off to a more traditional pipeline, or the director can stay in control of the look while they're iterating on their own.
The team hasn't used AI for final pixels yet, but Hevia sees it as inevitable. They're currently testing Runway's character continuity features for an underwater sequence that would be prohibitively expensive to shoot traditionally.
Visual Communication: AI tools are helping directors translate mental images into actionable production plans
One of Fabula's directors has found particular success using AI for pre-visualization. "He's extremely visual and in order for him to find his ideas and communicate it his best, it works if he's showing you images," Hevia notes.
The traditional process required expensive test shoots or extensive verbal communication through intermediaries. Now, the director can:
Generate visual concepts through prompting and iteration
Discover new ideas through AI's "inconsistent responses"
Present concrete visual references instead of abstract descriptions
Reduce the "game of telephone" between creative vision and execution
He actually loves the way that all the AI tools give out sort of inconsistent responses because in that inconsistency, he finds new ideas.
This approach mirrors what directors like Gareth Edwards have discussed—getting ideas "out of my head and onto paper so everyone could see what I'm trying to talk about."
Global Leveling Effect: AI technology may democratize high-end filmmaking beyond traditional production centers
The conversation touched on broader implications for the industry. While traditional VFX work has been offshore for years chasing incentives, AI tools could make location irrelevant for certain types of production.
I think if you can do that kind of work with AI enabled technology, it takes down that the location becomes totally material," Hevia observes. "In some ways it wouldn't matter where you are.
He draws parallels to the music industry's transformation over the past two decades:
20 years ago you wanted to be a recording star, you had to move to Los Angeles and get a deal at Capitol Records. And now you can be Billie Eilish creating an album with your brother in your bedroom.
The democratization extends beyond geography to team size. Small teams are already producing high-quality work—from Everything Everywhere All at Once to Godzilla Minus One—and AI tools could accelerate this trend.
Tedious Task Elimination: The most promising applications focus on removing repetitive work rather than replacing creative roles
Hevia, who started his career as an editor, sees particular promise in AI's ability to handle routine tasks. "Half of our problems were in the logging footage and knowing what material we had," he explains. "That took so much time and resources we could have focused on the work of telling the story."
The technology shows promise for:
Automated footage logging and organization
Streamlined rotoscoping (which Hevia calls "awful, tedious work")
Faster iteration on VFX concepts
Elimination of redundant post-production processes
Those are the jobs that get in the way of the actual creative.
This focus on removing friction rather than replacing creativity may help address industry concerns about AI's impact on employment.
The Final Cut: As AI tools mature, expect the democratization of filmmaking to accelerate beyond traditional industry boundaries
The partnership between Fabula and Runway represents more than a technology adoption—it's a glimpse into how international production companies are adapting to rapidly changing creative landscapes. For Spanish-language content creators facing budget constraints, these tools offer a path to bigger, more ambitious storytelling.
The best idea is gonna win.
As character continuity improves and AI video quality advances, the barriers between bedroom filmmakers and major studios continue to erode. The question isn't whether small teams will be able to create Avatar-level content, but when—and what stories they'll choose to tell.
