A New Era for Creative AI Filmmaking in British Columbia
It’s here. After two years of late-night brainstorms, cinematic experiments, and a community that’s evolved from “what if…” to “let’s fucking go,” we’re officially launching the BC + AI Film Club.
This is a love letter to everyone who’s been part of the journey so far… and an open invitation to anyone who wants to shape the future of film, storytelling, and creative technology in BC.
The AI Film Club didn’t start as a club. It started as a question: What happens if you put sci-fi, AI, and a crew of filmmakers in a room together and give them the tools to build the future? Kris Krüg (that’s me) and Kevin Friel (aka Mr. Pixel Wizard) kicked things off in early 2024, inspired by the idea that science fiction isn’t just entertainment… it’s a map for navigating the weird, wild world of AI.
We wanted to use film and storytelling to help our community understand, challenge, and reimagine what AI means for humanity.
We started with screenings and discussions, but it quickly became clear: this can’t just be about watching movies. It has to be about making them. So, the Film Club pivoted… from passively analyzing sci-fi to actively creating new narratives, using the latest AI tools as our paintbrushes and chisels. The result? A year of monthly meetups, hands-on workshops, and a WhatsApp group that’s now 150+ strong and buzzing with tool tips, project feedback, and wild creative energy.
October 29, 2025, was a milestone: the first annual BC + AI Film Festival at the HR MacMillan Space Centre Planetarium. Over 250 people showed up… 40% of them first-timers.
We screened six AI-generated or AI-assisted films, hosted a panel with legends like Bay Raitt (Gollum’s face, LOTR), Luke Minaker, Ryan Patterson, Kevin Friel, and Philippe Pasquier.
The vibe was electric. It wasn’t just about the tech; it was about storytelling, ethics, and building a new creative culture for the age of AI.
The festival kept its sci-fi soul but focused on creators using AI to tell new stories. We’re not just watching what AI does to us… we’re grabbing the tools and steering the ship ourselves.
The BC + AI Film Club is a free, community-driven space where filmmakers, VFX artists, editors, writers, technologists, and creative experimenters gather to explore how AI is transforming every corner of film and media production. We meet monthly at the Multimodal Media Lab (MML) in Vancouver—a cutting-edge venue at the intersection of AI, XR, and immersive storytelling.
Each session is a mashup of film screenings, technical deep-dives, creative experiments, and real talk about how AI is changing production, post, distribution, and narrative itself. Some nights we showcase new tools (Runway, Pika, Veo, Kling, Midjourney, ComfyUI, Udio, Suno, ElevenLabs, and more).
Other times, we break down workflows, run hands-on demos, or host open feedback sessions for works-in-progress.
We’re not gatekeeping. Whether you’re AI-curious, a seasoned generative workflow pro, a student, or a festival programmer, there’s a seat for you. Our WhatsApp group is always open for tool tips, collaboration, and support.