POD: Stop Raising Millions—Why African filmmakers must embrace AI or risk irrelevance
Meet Marie Lora-Mungai, expert advisor in African creative industries and sports business and founder of Restless Global, whose 20-year journey from CNN journalist to production company founder to industry advisor gives her a unique vantage point on Africa's creative economy.
In thought-provoking conversation with Andile Masuku, Lora-Mungai makes a compelling case for African filmmakers to stop seeking funding for traditional productions and instead leverage AI tools to create content independently.
Episode overview:
The discussion stems from Lora-Mungai's viral Linkedin post warning African filmmakers about AI disruption. She points to a jarring disconnect: while some creators are still trying to raise millions for conventional productions, others are creating professional-quality content using AI tools on a laptop. The conversation explores how this technological shift is redefining what it means to be a filmmaker in 2025 and beyond.
Key topics:
- The widening gap between traditional film projects and AI-enabled production
- How AI tools are eliminating conventional barriers to content creation
- The shift from specialised roles to comprehensive creative vision
- Why traditional fundraising may be obsolete for many productions
- The changing landscape for talent, especially voice actors and performers
- Emerging regulatory needs for protecting creative identity in an AI world
Notable points:
- Many Nollywood filmmakers are not yet leveraging AI, though the first AI-themed movie releases this month in Nigeria
- Independent "geek" filmmakers are creating professional-quality content using AI with minimal resources
- Lora-Mungai advises creators to "build in public" rather than spending time seeking traditional funding
- AI tools are making traditional film specialisations like editing and visual effects increasingly obsolete
- Blockchain and Web3 technologies may become essential for tracking and monetising creative assets in an AI-dominated landscape
Be sure to listen out for a particularly candid moment when Masuku reveals he recently turned down offers from companies wanting to replicate his voice using AI, and Lora-Mungai's forthright response about the inevitability of this transformation.