🧠 Introduction: When Technology Transcends Geography
Who would’ve imagined that Indonesia—a country known for its islands and rich cultural heritage—would become one of the most ambitious players in Hollywood-style film production? But that’s exactly what’s happening. Not through massive studios or multimillion-dollar budgets, but through artificial intelligence tools that are rewriting the rules of filmmaking.
In 2025, small Indonesian production companies began using tools like Sora 2, Runway ML, Midjourney, and ChatGPT to create entire films—from scriptwriting to scene generation and voice synthesis—with quality approaching global standards, and at a fraction of the cost.
🎥 How Did the AI Film Revolution Begin in Indonesia?
It all started with necessity. Indonesia’s film industry has long struggled with limited funding and access to advanced technology. But with the rise of generative AI tools, everything changed. Young directors and independent creators began experimenting with free or low-cost platforms to write scenes, generate visuals, and design characters.
The launch of Sora 2 by OpenAI—capable of generating high-resolution videos with realistic physics and sound—turned these experiments into a full-fledged production movement.
📌 Read also : 🎬 My Experience with Sora 2: Are We Approaching Video Creation Without a Camera?
🛠️ The Tools Behind Indonesia’s “Smart Cinema”
What makes Indonesia’s approach unique is the smart integration of multiple tools:
ChatGPT / Claude: for writing scripts and dialogue
Midjourney / Leonardo AI: for designing characters and environments
Runway ML / Pika: for animating images and generating video sequences
Sora 2: for producing fully cinematic scenes
ElevenLabs / PlayHT: for generating voices and soundtracks
Each tool is used at a specific stage, reducing the need for large production teams and giving creators near-total control over the process.
🎞️ Real Examples: AI-Generated Films from Indonesia
One standout example is a short film titled Nusantara, produced entirely using AI tools. It won Best AI Documentary at the Cannes AI Film Awards in 2025. The film tells a fictional story inspired by Indonesian mythology, with scenes generated via Runway and Midjourney, and a script written using ChatGPT.
⚖️ Between Threatened Jobs and Emerging Opportunities
This transformation hasn’t come without controversy. Many visual effects artists, illustrators, and voice actors have voiced concerns about job displacement, especially as AI tools can now generate entire scenes, characters, and performances with a single prompt.
Yet on the flip side, new roles are emerging. In a notable move, Nusantara University announced the launch of two academic programs focused on AI filmmaking:
One course on scriptwriting using language models
Another on scene and effects design using generative tools
This shift reflects a broader change in education and employment, where AI isn’t just replacing jobs—it’s reshaping them.
What’s happening in Indonesia isn’t just a production revolution—it’s a transformation in how people learn and work.
🌍 Is Indonesia Aiming for the Global Film Market?
What’s striking is that this movement isn’t limited to local audiences. Many Indonesian production companies are now distributing their AI-generated films on global platforms like YouTube, Amazon Prime, and international festivals focused on AI cinema.
The goal is clear:
To produce world-class films with low budgets and a fresh Asian identity.
💰 A New Film Economy: Numbers That Speak
What’s happening in Indonesia isn’t just artistic—it’s an economic shift in filmmaking. Thanks to AI tools, the cost of producing a short film has dropped dramatically, ranging from just $2,000 to $10,000—compared to hundreds of thousands in traditional production.
Production timelines have also shrunk. Instead of months, a full film can be completed in just three to six weeks, often with a team of only three to five people. Most of the tools used—like ChatGPT, Runway, Midjourney, and ElevenLabs—are either free or available through affordable monthly subscriptions under $50.
This new production model doesn’t just empower young and independent filmmakers—it opens the door for developing countries like Indonesia to enter the global film market with confidence and minimal resources.
🧵 Final Analysis: Could Indonesia Become a Global Hub for Smart Cinema?
What’s unfolding in Indonesia isn’t just a tech experiment—it’s a cultural and economic shift. A country once considered peripheral in the film industry is now setting an example for how AI can break down barriers.
But the question remains: Will this movement preserve artistic and cultural identity? Or will we see a wave of “template-driven” films lacking local soul?
One thing is certain: Indonesia is no longer waiting for Hollywood’s permission. It’s writing its own story—with artificial intelligence.