Design Direction, etc.
Pacific Northwest, USA, Earth
hi.donica@gmail.com
RoleAI Art Direction, Design
Made withGoogle Creative Lab
Google DeepMind
Primordial Soup
PressKeyword
Variety
IndieWire
Tribeca Film Festival
RecognitionCiclope Gold Award for Innovation
Art Directors Club, AI Film/Moving Image, Gold Cube
Art Directors Club, Ad Innovation, Merit
Art Directors Club, Craft in Video SFX, Merit
One Show, AI Craft in Motion, Gold Pencil
One Show, AI Craft in Storytelling, Silver Pencil
One Show, Use of Technology: AI, Bronze Pencil
One Show, Use of AI: Visuals, Merit
Webby’s, Ad, Media & PR, Best Use of AI, Nominee
As generative AI becomes ubiquitous, Ancestra explores technology’s role in the future of filmmaking. Directed by Eliza McNitt and executive produced by Darren Aronofsky, this short film pioneered a novel hybrid production approach, combining live-action footage with AI visuals from DeepMind's Veo. We built new tools and workflows leveraging AI to push creative boundaries and overcome storytelling challenges.
Ancestra has helped drive the global AI filmmaking conversation, serving as a vehicle for dialogue at film festivals and events worldwide. Premiering at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, the film sparked conversations on the ethics of AI-based creative tooling that ultimately evolved our approach to these kinds of projects moving forward.
Watch the film
Watch the Behind the Scenes