Why a Live-Action Producer Took the Leap Into AI | Toby Walsham, Made By Humans

Can AI and traditional film production actually coexist? Technically Creative is brought to you by KoobrikLabs, the IT and AI partner for creative companies. In this episode of Technically Creative, Orlando Wood sits down with Toby Walsham, founder of Imagine This and Made By Humans, to explore what happens when an experienced live-action producer builds an AI creative studio from inside the advertising and commercial production industry. Toby started his career at Framestore and built his career producing ambitious live-action work before founding Imagine This. Then generative AI arrived, and he saw an opportunity to build something new. The result was Made By Humans, an AI creative studio built around experienced production talent and a belief that artificial intelligence doesn't have to exist separately from traditional filmmaking, advertising production and creative craft. Toby talks openly about the decision to launch an AI roster at a time when parts of the creative industry were deeply skeptical of generative AI, the response from agencies and clients, and what he's learned from actually putting AI production into practice. This is a conversation about AI in advertising, generative AI, commercial production, filmmaking, creative technology and the changing production industry, grounded in the experience of someone who still loves being on a physical film set. Because Toby isn't trying to choose between AI and live action. He's building a business around both. We explore how AI is changing commercial production, where generative AI fits into existing production workflows, what clients actually want from AI studios, and why experienced producers and craftspeople still matter when the tools themselves can generate extraordinary amounts of content. Toby also reflects on the larger ecosystem he's building around Imagine This and Made By Humans, why innovation was one of the founding principles of the company, and why he ultimately decided that experimenting with AI was worth the risk. As he puts it, he would have regretted not trying. In this episode: How Toby Walsham went from live-action production to building an AI creative studio The story behind Imagine This and Made By Humans What an AI creative studio actually does Generative AI in advertising and commercial production Why Toby was initially concerned about launching an AI roster How agencies, brands and the production industry are responding to AI AI production versus traditional live-action production Why experienced producers and creative craftspeople still matter How AI can become part of existing creative and production workflows The opportunities and challenges facing AI production companies Why innovation doesn't have to mean abandoning traditional filmmaking How Imagine This and Made By Humans can grow alongside each other Why Toby believes he would have regretted not taking the risk For filmmakers, producers, advertising creatives, agencies, brands and anyone trying to understand how generative AI is actually changing creative production, this is a practical look at what happens when the people who already know how to make the work start experimenting seriously with new tools. Technically Creative is a technology podcast for people who don't necessarily think of themselves as tech people, exploring how AI and technology are changing film, television, advertising, media and the creative industries.