Making a (Cautious) Case for AI “Talent”
- Jay Nolan
- May 7
- 4 min read
From rain-soaked shoots to AI-generated avatars, video production is evolving fast. In this piece, Jay Nolan, Video Producer at Catchy, explores the balance between efficiency and authenticity—and why developers still crave the real thing.
"I was slumped over the dolly cart, weighed down by clothes so wet you’d think I had walked out of a lake. The camera operator was hunched on the dolly stool beside me, also dripping. The camera was safe in a waterproof casing, but we both kept checking it nervously for something to do. It was almost 7 AM, and the rain had been constant since I’d walked onto set at 3 AM. We listened to it patter and pool, and finally pour again and again over the roof of the pop-up tent that we huddled under.
I checked the radar on my phone. No gap was forecasted in the clouds. “Are we waiting for this to clear up?” I asked doubtfully. “Nah,” the camera operator replied without looking up, “waiting on actors.” We would wait in the rain another hour and a half for the actors to leave their trailer.
I’ve shot hundreds of interviews, talking heads, fireside chats, and explainer videos, generating thousands of hours of footage of people looking into a camera. Time and again throughout my 18-year film career, talent (the actors) can be the biggest challenge on a project. Gear can break, but be replaced, crew can come down sick, but can recommend a friend to fill in. Talent are singular—they are very difficult to replace. And anything difficult to replace can be a bottleneck or cost more money in the long run."
(Note: This is said with all the respect due to artists and individuals doing a very challenging job. It’s tough being on camera for hours, carrying much of the weight of the film’s success and responsibility for delivering powerful messaging.)
Video Production Is More Accessible Than Ever
Let’s be clear—for any company that wants to communicate both internally to its employees and externally to its customers, the effort of creating video is worth it:
Companies using video grow revenue 49% faster than those that don’t.
Landing pages with video see a 34% higher conversion rate compared to those with static content.
Short-form videos (under 3 minutes) are preferred by over 70% of consumers.
95% of consumers retain information better when they watch a video compared to reading text.
Consumers prefer video content for learning about products and making purchasing decisions.
The numbers back it up: you need video. And putting a human face on your video increases engagement. It can depend on your topic, of course—explaining complex or theoretical concepts can sometimes be done better with graphical representation, but human faces build connection.
Humans Beings Are Compelled to Look at Human Faces
Using a human face is still one of the most effective ways to elicit an emotional connection in an audience. Even an abstracted depiction of a human face compels us to look because it contains a wealth of communication. Just look at emojis.
Studies show that seeing a face (even briefly) can increase trust and engagement. People feel like they’re interacting with someone, not just watching a screen. This is why YouTube thumbnails often include people’s faces with enlarged eyes and exaggerated expressions: they will statistically receive more clicks than thumbnails without.
And, as much as we Internet natives like to think we can tell AI “actors” from the real thing, the fact is, the gap is narrowing. Consider the recent discussion around AI use in this year’s Oscar nominations.
With AI-generated characters, we are broaching a new era of “talking head” videos that will be faster and easier to make. With an account or tool subscription, companies can generate AI “actors” who will not get tired, grow old, post heinous things on social media, get sick, or cause continuity errors. They will be a fraction of the cost, require a fraction of the crew to create, and take a fraction of the time to move from ideation to completed deliverable.
Proceed With Caution
But companies, especially those communicating with developers, need to be extremely cautious if they plan to utilize this AI tech today. According to a study by iProov, 99.9% of people failed to consistently identify deepfakes, even when they were specifically instructed to look for them. However, there is a significant risk in relying on AI Actors to communicate:
Authenticity matters: Developers value transparency and technical credibility. If they sense something is being hidden or “smoothed over,” trust drops.
AI-generated faces in videos are often associated with spammy or low-effort content, especially on platforms like YouTube or TikTok.
If the character is presented as a real person but isn’t, that can feel deceptive.
So while AI Actors in AI-generated video might seem like a quick and cost-effective solution, it must be approached with intention and caution. Leaning into transparency, making the character a support and not the main show, providing sources, and emphasizing personality will go a long way to ensuring that developers not only stay to watch, but find value and build trust in your videos.
Don’t Lose The Plot
At Catchy, we’re not rushing to churn out AI-generated videos. We craft communication strategies that connect with real people, even in a world that's rapidly becoming automated. AI-generated video won’t always be the answer—there will continue to be the need for lights, cameras, and action. But as AI tools continue to improve, we continue to evaluate them as solutions to client needs. As we explore new AI workflows, we're focused on helping you strike the right balance: combining the speed and flexibility of modern tools with the human insight and nuance that truly moves your audience.
Because whether it's a soggy 3 AM shoot or a pixel-perfect AI avatar, great storytelling still makes all the difference.
Want to know more about our methods behind the magic? Get in touch to talk about your next video project.
