FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATLANTA, GA – October 18, 2026 – Reel One Entertainment WorldWide has announced production of STATE OF THE ART: To Prompt, or Not to Prompt, a documentary exploring the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and human creativity. The film examines a central question facing creative professionals: what happens to the artist when artificial intelligence can create? Directed by Lynton N. Felix and produced by Samuel Abrahamsen, Martin L. Kelley, Bennie Swint, Laron Austin and Eddie Singleton, the documentary brings together artists, filmmakers, musicians, writers, actors, photographers, designers and technologists confronting AI's opportunities and challenges. Rather than presenting AI as either a technological miracle or an existential threat, the documentary examines both sides of the conversation. The debate is the movie.
A defining moment for human creativity
Throughout history, technology has transformed how artists create, distribute and experience their work. Photography challenged traditional painting. Recorded music revolutionized performance. Digital filmmaking changed motion picture production. Computers and editing software expanded creative possibilities. Artificial intelligence represents another significant development, raising questions beyond technology itself. Generative AI can produce images, music, writing, performances and other creative content from instructions supplied by users. For independent creators, these capabilities may represent significant opportunities. Filmmakers with limited resources can explore visual concepts previously requiring substantial budgets. Musicians can experiment with arrangements. Writers can develop ideas collaboratively. Visual artists can explore alternative storytelling approaches. At the same time, these technologies raise concerns about intellectual property, employment, artistic identity and the value of human creative labor. STATE OF THE ART examines these competing realities without assuming every artist will reach the same conclusion.
Giving artists on both sides a voice
Central to the documentary is the belief that artists deserve a meaningful voice in conversations about technologies reshaping their professions. The filmmakers seek perspectives from individuals embracing artificial intelligence, those opposing its use and others determining where the technology belongs within their creative practices. At the center of these conversations is a simple question: “When a machine can help us write, paint, compose, perform, photograph and make films, where does the tool end and the artist begin?” The documentary explores how artists define originality, craftsmanship, authorship and ownership in an increasingly automated creative environment. It also examines whether AI can democratize access to creative tools while undermining economic opportunities for professionals who spent years developing their skills.
A conversation that goes beyond technology
“AI is already changing the creative world,” said producer Eddie Singleton. “We want to hear from the people embracing it and the people fighting against it. If AI gives an independent filmmaker abilities that once required a studio, that opportunity deserves to be explored. If artists believe their work, identity or livelihood is being threatened, that deserves the same scrutiny. We want to ask the difficult questions on both sides.” These questions affect writers, actors, musicians, directors, cinematographers, photographers, designers, editors and other creative professionals. The documentary examines concerns involving copyright, consent, compensation, employment, digital likenesses and unauthorized replication of artistic work. It also explores what becomes possible when sophisticated creative capabilities reach individuals without expensive equipment, specialized resources or industry connections. The film also asks how audiences, educators and employers should recognize human contribution when new tools enter the creative process, and whether transparency about how a work was made can encourage more informed conversations. Understanding these conflicting viewpoints is essential to examining the future of artistic expression.
Can audiences tell the difference?
One developing concept involves an audience experiment. Participants would encounter creative works without initially knowing whether humans made them, AI generated them or both contributed. Audiences would evaluate the work for emotional impact, originality and artistic quality. Only afterward would its creative origins be revealed. The experiment raises another question: if a piece of art moves someone emotionally, should discovering that artificial intelligence helped create it change their appreciation of the work? By examining audience perceptions alongside working artists' experiences, the documentary encourages deeper consideration of what society values in creative expression.
An invitation to the creative community
Reel One Entertainment WorldWide is seeking interviews and conversations with individuals and organizations representing diverse creative disciplines and perspectives. Potential participants include painters, sculptors, photographers, filmmakers, actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, musicians, singers, songwriters, dancers, fashion designers, digital artists, animators, visual effects artists, educators, researchers, AI developers and technology innovators. The production also welcomes unions, guilds, creator rights organizations, legal professionals and advocates addressing AI and creative ownership. Participants are not required to support or oppose artificial intelligence. The goal is to encourage meaningful conversations among people whose experiences and opinions differ. As production continues, the filmmakers seek to document a defining period in the relationship between technological advancement and human imagination.
About Reel One Entertainment WorldWide
Reel One Entertainment WorldWide is an independent entertainment company developing and producing original film and entertainment projects. Its previous work includes the 2007 documentary Beatmakers. With STATE OF THE ART: To Prompt, or Not to Prompt, the company returns to documentary storytelling to examine human creativity, emerging technology and artistic expression. Through interviews, competing perspectives and creative exploration, the film captures a cultural conversation while its implications are still unfolding.
STATE OF THE ART: To Prompt, or Not to Prompt is currently in production.
Director: Lynton N. Felix
Producers: Samuel Abrahamsen, Martin L. Kelley, Bennie Swint, Laron Austin and Eddie Singleton
Media, interview, participation and partnership inquiries
Joaquin Grayson
Reel One Entertainment WorldWide
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.stateoftheartmovie.com
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