Date of Completion
5-11-2025
Degree Type
Honors Thesis
Discipline
Film and Television Production (PROD)
First Advisor
Charles Howard
Second Advisor
Dr. Hawley Almstedt
Abstract
It is undeniable that artificial intelligence (AI) has made its way into the film world. From AI-generated imagery and sound design in two 2025 Oscar nominees — The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez (Pulver) — to weekly updates and monthly beta releases of existing and new generative image and video models, AI-driven filmmaking tools are here to stay. But what does this mean for the post-production workflow? Much like camera development, editing technology has come a long way from flatbed film editors to Adobe Premiere Pro v. 25.0. Yet, despite each technological leap from system to system, the delicate task of rhythmic editing has always remained in the hands of humans. Never before have filmmakers been so close to having software capable of properly pacing out a scene, cutting between actors, and making story beats emotional. This research analysis sets out to discover if currently available AI-driven editing tools can understand and replace basic creative rhythmic editing techniques through an overview of contemporary research and testing on the latest AI models. Given the exponential rate of improvement in artificial intelligence technology over the past few years, it may only be a few months until artificial intelligence can edit together a series of clips with text prompts. But, in the scope of implementing rhythm into an edit, all available research and testing suggest that humans have not yet developed software capable of implementing creative rhythm editing techniques.
Recommended Citation
Selby-Lara, Alexander and Howard, Charles, "Robotic Rhythm: A Contemporary Look At AI-Driven Editing Tools’ Efficacy in Understanding and Replicating Creative Rhythm Editing Techniques." (2025). Honors Thesis. 572.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/honors-thesis/572
