Generative AI as a tool to support film composition and sound design – an industry case study
Hermes, K. 2026. Generative AI as a tool to support film composition and sound design – an industry case study. in: Innovation in Music Routledge.
Hermes, K. 2026. Generative AI as a tool to support film composition and sound design – an industry case study. in: Innovation in Music Routledge.
| Chapter title | Generative AI as a tool to support film composition and sound design – an industry case study |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hermes, K. |
| Abstract | Generative AI tools are capable of producing images, video, text, and audio, allowing musicians and producers to automate different aspects of their creative pipeline. In film sound, composers and sound designers can collaborate with AI in “co-creativity” settings to support composition and sound design tasks (Shneiderman, 2022; Hermes, 2026). Existing research shows that AI can foster ideation, skill development, increase efficiency and support creative flow, yet also notes gaps in understanding its impact on the professional practice, ownership, and authorship (Wichern et al., 2024; Newman et al., 2023). This paper addresses these gaps through a new practice-based case study focused on film sound. Working with a leading VFX studio on a short film, the author used a proprietary AI tool alongside traditional methods to produce the soundtrack. The study finds that while AI can automate routine tasks and generate generic sound elements efficiently, it remains limited for tasks demanding timbral accuracy, cultural context, and creative identity. By framing AI as an assistant rather than a creative substitute, the paper argues that producers need to assume curatorial and directorial roles to preserve their artistic integrity and to maintain professional standards in film sound production. |
| Keywords | Generative AI, Computational creativity, Human-computer interaction, Co-creativity, Cultural domain data, Practice-led case studies, AI-powered music video, AI-powered performance |
| Book title | Innovation in Music |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publisher | Routledge |