When Méliès meets AI

In the article “When AI Invades the Seventh Art”, published in Le Point on August 10, 2025, by Philippe Guedj, generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, DALL·E, Sora, or Veo 3 can now produce special effects sequences at a cost up to ten times lower than traditional methods. Whereas months of work by graphic designers, digital stunt performers, and technicians were once required, today only a few days are needed to create scenes that were previously reserved for large-scale productions.

It is worth remembering that long before the digital era, Georges Méliès, through his inventions and visual tricks, had already paved the way for this kind of technical and narrative feat. At the end of the 19th century, the French filmmaker revolutionized cinema by introducing the first special effects. He made actors disappear, moons explode, and fantastic creatures appear on screen, all this well before the invention of digital effects. His approach: pushing the limits of reality, opening the door to imagination, and giving cinema the power to make audiences dream.

A shared desire to inspire wonder across different centuries, a continuity acknowledged by contemporary French actor Christian Clavier.

Interviewed by the media outlet Brut in April 2025 about his latest film, which incorporates sequences generated by artificial intelligence, Christian Clavier responded to a question about the concerns this technology raises in the film industry. On the contrary, he sees it as a natural continuation of the history of the seventh art: "People are always amazed by artificial intelligence. But when cinema was born, we were already dealing with magic. (…) You could make a guy jump and he would disappear."

His remarks draw a parallel between Méliès's artisanal special effects and the special effects generated today by artificial intelligence. A reminder that, from the very beginning, cinema was built on technical wonder.

The idea of continuity between the original special effects and contemporary uses of artificial intelligence was also illustrated during the screening organized on June 14, 2025 in Paris by the Studio Phocéen association .

Several works in the Duanju format were presented there, some of which incorporated generative AI technologies. Studios like Sanjorge Production are using these technologies to design digital sets and fantasy characters.

These technologies are particularly appealing to smaller production companies, which can now tell their stories without the colossal resources of major studios. They help rebalance production relationships: with modest budgets, creators gain more freedom, and narrative boldness can take precedence over technical resources. Artificial intelligence thus becomes a valuable resource for maintaining a high level of visual quality, even within a constrained framework.

Check out the trailer for the June 14, 2025 event, dedicated to the Duanju format, where the use of artificial intelligence is visible:

Source :

• Brut, April 4, 2025

• Fiveable, 2023

• Britannica, 2024

• Le Point, August 10, 2025