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Kwon Han-sl: why AI filmmaking is a new genre, not a gimmick

September 30, 2025
Kwon Han-sl: why AI filmmaking is a new genre, not a gimmick

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Kwon Han-sl | what matters

What happened
At a media session in Gyeongju, director Kwon Han-sl (also credited as Hansl von Kwon) made a clear, practical argument: generative AI is not a passing trick for filmmakers, it is spawning a new cinematic register with specific stylistic affordances and production patterns. He framed AI as a technology shift comparable to the arrival of color film or streaming, while stressing that authorship still requires rigorous direction. “hundreds of prompt refinements” to get the lensing, lighting and mood right.

Why filmmakers should care

  1. Aesthetic vocabulary: AI introduces repeatable style primitives (texture mixes, dreamlike compositing, hybrid creature design) that are distinct from VFX or traditional cinematography. Meaning festivals and audiences will learn to read “AI style” as a creative choice, not a defect.
  2. Speed & pipeline changes: Kwon's practice shows that shorts can be prototyped quickly by a single auteur using several AI tools. Useful for fast iteration, pitch reels, and low budget worldbuilding.
  3. Provenance & authenticity risk: With generative layers come cultural-accuracy and dataset provenance questions; Kwon repeatedly flags the need to document toolchains and editorial choices so work can be judged fairly.

Proof it's not just talk (festival traction & awards)
Kwon's 3-minute short One More Pumpkin (credited under Hansl von Kwon) won the Grand Prize and the Audience Award at the inaugural Artificial Intelligence Film Festival in Dubai and collected honors at Bucheon/other festivals. A useful data point that AI-first shorts are already being curated and awarded by established juries. Festival pages and press coverage document these screenings and technical notes on the pipeline used (T2I, I2V, super-resolution and multiple image/video generators).

A practical checklist for creators (short)

  • Document your toolchain: list models, versions, prompt snapshots, seeds, and any human edits. Festivals increasingly ask for this.
  • Capture intent: keep a short director's note that explains why you chose AI aesthetics and how you managed cultural/regional depiction.
  • Separate assets: export high res anchors (key frames) and the raw intermediate files where possible. This helps restoration, festival review, and downstream distribution.
  • Rights & licenses: verify commercial terms for each model and any third-party datasets used; don't assume “research” checkpoints are cleared for distribution.

Case notes. Studio & public profile
Kwon runs Studio Freewillusion, which positions itself as an AI first production company and hosts the film's press materials and credits. The studio materials enumerate the generative tools and festival run, which supports a claim that AI-driven shorts are moving from experimentation to reproducible craft. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

What to watch next

  • Directors and festivals will increasingly demand provenance documentation; prepare a one page “tool provenance” pdf for every submission.
  • Regional differences matter: Korea's industry conversations (APEC sessions, local press) emphasize cultural authenticity alongside technological leadership. That framing will shape funding and regulation in 2026.

Sources & further reading

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