Tomorrow in Focus, a student-run nonprofit, hosted a premiere of their film “Imagine” — generated with artificial intelligence — at Sarratt Cinema on March 3. This event followed the team’s premiere in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP 16 Summit on Land Degradation in December. The film has also now been launched on YouTube.
Since COP16, the film has been showcased at global forums from Bonn, Germany, to Baku, Azerbaijan. This year, it will be shown in Switzerland and the Seoul International AI Film Festival in South Korea.
Film presentation
The Sarratt premiere began with an opening address by producers Benedict Ballman and Shaun Karakkattu, both seniors, who detailed the film’s creation process. Karakkattu, co-founder of Tomorrow in Focus, recalled stumbling upon a LinkedIn post from Muralee Thummarukudy, director of the UNCCD Coordination Office, who was seeking AI film collaborations. Karakkattu organized 40 Vanderbilt students to create “Imagine.”
“I invite you all to step into ‘Imagine 2040’ to really take a look and question how these emerging [AI] technologies will impact us on a global stage,” Karakkattu said “How will they continue to impact us in the future to really imagine a better and more sustainable world?”
Ballman reflected on the collaborative nature of the production process.
“With the support of 40 Vanderbilt students, Vanderbilt professors and departments, the Blair School of Music, three different post-professional production companies [and] a partnership with the University School of Nashville, we hit the ground running,” Ballman said.
The film depicts imagery of environmental destruction followed by visuals of animated children who imagine creative solutions to restore the planet. From a whirlpool cleaning oil spills in Brazil to giant green figures repairing desertification in Zimbabwe, the film aimed to showcase AI-powered solutions to environmental crises through the lens of childhood imagination.
The film’s score was composed by junior Aaliya Ramakrishnan in collaboration with musicians from the Blair School of Music. Ramakrishnan said she brought together a string quartet, harpists and other instrumentalists to create a fully acoustic soundtrack over the span of just a few days.
“It’s composed entirely for acoustic instruments,” Ramakrishnan said. “We had everyone from a violinist to a harp player — and so many instruments in between. It was just so beautiful.”
After the screening, seniors Olivia Lockwood and William White took the stage to discuss AI’s evolving role in film production.
“AI is helping us empower storytelling to new heights,” White said. “This film is proof that AI is here to enhance creativity — to extend it, from refining ideas to streamlining production.”
Lockwood highlighted how rapidly AI filmmaking tools are advancing.
“If the production of ‘Imagine’ were to start today instead of last summer, there would be so many changes in the tools accessible to us. These tools aren’t just changing every day, but every hour,” Lockwood said. “Staying on top of emerging AI technology and continuously expanding our knowledge is essential to producing higher-quality work and maintaining a competitive edge in this rapidly evolving landscape.”
Panel discussion
White then introduced Theodore Perl, the AI director for “Imagine,” who led a panel discussion featuring Director of the Wond’ry’s Emerging Tech Lab Ole Molvig, Vice President of Global Tech Innovation at Tennessee State University Robbie Melton, and Co-Director of Vanderbilt’s AI Law Lab Mark Williams.
Perl opened the discussion by asking the panel about AI’s potential to transform the future of storytelling. Molvig answered by expressing optimism for his belief in AI’s potential to allow for new forms of entertainment, while Williams, addressing the intersection of AI and law, pointed out the complexities of AI in intellectual property rights.
“There’s no one answer to that. The typical lawyer answer is: it depends,” Williams said. “AI doesn’t necessarily respect traditional legal boundaries. Different jurisdictions have different conceptions of intellectual property, and as U.S. influence shifts, the global standard for AI copyright could change.”
Melton then shared his view on AI’s role in education, challenging the push to ban AI tools in classrooms.
“You have technology that can bring creativity back into our classrooms, and you want to ban it? Are you crazy?” Melton said. “I’m here on behalf of all the educators in the world to say that creativity brings knowledge, and AI is helping us unlock new ways of learning.”
The premiere concluded with a note from co-founder and director Augustus Boettcher, who reflected on his view of the human nature of AI-driven storytelling.
“I have to confront the fact that behind the screen, with all those late-night calls and collaborations, there is absolutely human connection,” Boettcher said. “And in front of the screen, with all of you here tonight, there is absolutely human connection.”
Reception
At the following reception, senior Ana Key shared her thoughts on the film’s message.
“It wasn’t what I had anticipated, but it evoked a very hopeful message for a topic that’s usually so heavy,” Key said. “It gave me a new perspective on how AI can be used for creativity.”
Senior Paige White echoed this sentiment and said many of her peers worked on the project.
“It was really great to see this community of creatives come together and create something meaningful,” White said.
Molvig, reflecting on his students’ work, said he believes AI is going to change the possibilities for students in classrooms.
“This film really raises the bar for what students can do when they’re motivated by a passion project,” Molvig said. “The difference between turning in an assignment for a class and producing a film of this scale is so dramatic. There are so many ways to keep students engaged, and this is a perfect example.”
