Conference The Road Ahead The Road Ahead
ON SITE König-Karl-Halle Tuesday, May 05, 17:00

The Human Craft Behind Generative Video for VFX

Video on demand

Generative video has moved beyond demos. It is now being applied inside high end studio production, and it is starting to reshape how VFX and animation teams plan, build, review, and deliver shots. This talk is a grounded, forward-looking field guide to that shift, informed by hands-on work with studios and facilities integrating generative video technology into real pipelines. We will examine the practical pros and cons, what is working today, where it breaks under production constraints, and the hurdles that still block scale: control, continuity, versioning, integration, governance, and delivery standards. You will get a clear view of the emerging roadmap and adoption trends, the skillsets teams are hiring and training for, and what parts of the VFX and animation pipeline are being rebuilt as this becomes a production tool rather than a novelty. The goal is simple: replace hype with operational clarity, and help the industry get ready for the next phase of studio production.

Ben Lock

Ben Lock, Head of Production Strategy, Moonvalley

Ben Lock is a BAFTA-winning producer working at the intersection of storytelling craft, VFX/animation production, and emerging production technology. Over 25 years across Europe, Asia, and North America, he has helped teams deliver complex work while translating new technical capability into practical, repeatable production workflows. His credits include Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and Ready Player One. He has held roles across studios and technology companies including Aardman Animations, Framestore, Lucasfilm, and Autodesk, shaping an approach that keeps shot craft, continuity, and supervisor-facing review realities central. Based in Los Angeles, he leads AI-assisted production at Moonvalley, partnering with studios on commercially safe generative video models and artist-controllable pipelines. He leads the Producers Guild of America Conversations in Innovation working group, chairs the Visual Effects Society Education Committee, and is an alumnus of the UK National Film and Television School.