AI, a magic wand?
AI is already here. The real question is how to use it intelligently. Artificial intelligence has become part of everyday audiovisual production. It impresses, it accelerates, it opens up possibilities that were unthinkable just a few years ago. Used properly, it can really save time, test ideas faster and optimize certain technical steps.
At Productions Optimales, we work every day with entrepreneurs and marketing teams looking to communicate better without blowing their budgets. Our position is clear: AI is a powerful lever, but it's not a magic wand. It doesn't replace reflection, sensitivity or creative judgment.
Used with intention, it becomes an effective ally. Used without guidance, it can quickly produce generic, slick and forgettable content.
What AI does well... and what it doesn't yet do
Used intelligently, AI can become a formidable assistant in audio-visual production.
In pre-production
- Brainstorm ideas (angles, formats, variations)
- Writing assistance (structure, script variants)
- Storyboards and quick previews
- Concept testing before shooting
✔️ Saves time.
✔️ We test more ideas, sooner.
In production
- Generate sectional drawings or additional visuals
- Temporary voices for models (never final without authorization)
- Quick adjustments for different platforms
► But let's be clear: in the field, a well-placed camera, real lighting, a real person talking... it often goes faster and sounds more accurate than any prompt.
In post-production
- Assisted de-rushing
- Automatic subtitling
- Sound cleaning
- Format adaptation (Meta, TikTok, YouTube)
► Where AI shines is in repetitive, technical tasks. Not in sensitive choices.
Automatic subtitles: a time-saver, not a final solution
Today's automatic subtitles offer an excellent basis, thanks to voice recognition. In just a few minutes, a first version is generated. It's an efficient way of clearing the way.
However, especially in Quebecois French, human revision remains essential. Imprecise agreements, misunderstood local expressions, approximate punctuation: without correction, the credibility of the message can be affected.
AI dubbing and lip-synchronization
AI-assisted dubbing, including lip-synchronization, is one of the most impressive uses today. The tool can translate a video into several languages while respecting lip movements, sometimes even from an actual sample of the original voice.
For companies, this represents a significant reduction in costs, as traditional dubbing is very expensive. On the other hand, constant vigilance is required. A poor translation can alter the meaning of a message and damage an organization's reputation.
Generating with AI: time, trials and credits
Generating images or videos with artificial intelligence doesn't work like a magic button. In most popular software, such as Midjourney, Runway Sora or other video-generation platforms, the process is trial and error.
In concrete terms, you write a request, the software generates a result, and then you evaluate whether it really corresponds to what you're looking for. Often, the first result is not the right one. The image may be interesting, but with a color error, a distorted logo, a character that doesn't look like the reference or a style that doesn't match the brand's identity. In this case, the request has to be modified and a new generation launched.
Every generation uses credits, even when the result is rejected. For example, it is very common to produce four or five versions of the same image in order to keep just one. Failed tests are therefore an integral part of the process, and must be accounted for in the budget.
Rendering time is also often underestimated. With some video generation tools, a one-minute sequence can take over an hour to produce. If the result is not satisfactory, you have to start again, adjust the parameters and re-run the calculation, which adds even more time.
In practice, using AI means setting aside time to test, compare and correct, as well as a budget to absorb inconclusive trials. The more precise the expected result, and the more consistent it is with a brand image, the more important these steps become. For a well-planned project, this reality needs to be integrated from the outset, just like any other production stage.
Visual consistency remains a challenge
Maintaining a consistent virtual character across multiple videos remains a complex task. Artificial intelligence tools are advancing rapidly and offer better controls than before, but visual consistency is not yet automatic.
In practice, results still largely depend on the expertise of the person using these tools. The quality of the references provided, the consistency of the parameters, the understanding of how the models work and the ability to correct any drifts directly influence the stability of the rendering. From one generation to the next, subtle variations in features, proportions or expressions may appear.
For a company seeking a stable, recognizable and lasting image, this remains an important issue. Today's tools are rapidly being perfected, but their long-term reliability still relies more on human know-how than on technology alone.
Too perfect, too smooth, sometimes quickly forgotten
Even when the result is technically successful, it's often very smooth. Too clean. Too perfect. Textures sometimes lack life, natural imperfections disappear.
And, paradoxically, this is often where the audience drops out. Through exposure to artificial content, people develop a radar. The real, the imperfect, the human begin to hit harder again.
When everyone uses the same tools, everything ends up looking the same
The same applies to scripts, voices and editing. AI can come up with something fast. But when everyone uses the same tools and the same recipes, the results look the same. To the trained eye, the style becomes recognizable. Not bad, but rarely memorable.
We don't cut costs, we move work around
This is where many companies go wrong. They think they're reducing production costs. In reality, they're shifting the work. Less shooting, perhaps. But more thinking. More sorting. More adjustments. More creative decisions. If you let the tool decide for itself, you often end up with content that's technically correct, but forgettable.
A persistent myth:
«With AI, we can do a full commercial in 10 minutes.»
Reality:
- Each generation requires credits
- Rendering times add up
- Failed attempts are frequent
- Adjustments take judgment
You can't replace a production budget with zero.
► We move it.
► We invest differently: in reflection, in control, in creative direction.
AI doesn't erase jobs, but it transforms them...
It's a real challenge. AI is turning professions upside down: editing, voice, VFX, writing. And there are legitimate concerns.
But what we observe in the field is this:
- Good designers get faster
- Hybrid teams (human + AI) perform better
- Value shifts to vision, not raw execution
In cinema as in advertising, we are already seeing the return of the speech:
«This is real. This was shot for real.»
A bit like the real-life stunts featured in Tom Cruise films.
By dint of fakery, truth regains its value.
Ethics are not optional
Talking about AI without talking about ethics would be like talking about advertising without talking about credibility. It doesn't hold water for long. Yes, AI opens up fascinating possibilities. But it also raises real questions, especially when working with images, voices, faces and human stories. Cloning a voice without authorization. Using the image of someone who has never given their consent. Drawing “too much” from a recognizable style. Generate content without being able to explain where it comes from.
All this already exists. And all this can undermine confidence very quickly.
Our view at Productions Optimales
Why do we talk openly about it? We've taken the time to explain all this because we work with entrepreneurs and marketing managers who don't want to play sorcerer's apprentice. They want :
- Better communication
- Investing wisely
- Understanding what they buy
- Avoiding fashion traps
Our role at Productions Optimales is not to sell AI at any price. It's about choosing the right tools at the right time, in the service of a clear idea. Sometimes, the best solution is a simple, well-thought-out, human shoot. Sometimes, AI allows you to go further with less. Often, it's a combination of both.
The more technology advances, the more authenticity becomes an advantage
An interesting paradox is emerging. As tools become more powerful, authenticity becomes more valuable. Real people, real places, real voices, real imperfections become a competitive advantage.
The better AI becomes, the more sensitive audiences become to authenticity. We're already seeing it: real shoots, real people, real places, real imperfections... they're more striking than overly perfect visuals. It's a bit like the cinema, where we now emphasize the fact that certain stunts are done “for real”. By being exposed to the fake, the public develops a radar.
This doesn't mean we should reject AI. It does mean use it intelligently, and, above all, with intention.
In conclusion...
These tools save time, not meaning. They clear the way, but they don't replace judgment. They quickly standardize if you're not careful. They also cost time and money when we underestimate the trials, renderings and technical limits. And they become really interesting when they are supervised, directed and assumed.
We believe in hybrid, responsible and creative audiovisual production. Production that uses new technologies without losing sight of what's essential. Telling something real, to real people.