Pulling Back the Curtain on AI Cinema with Jagger Waters

What happens when AI filmmaking keeps its heart in human storytelling? 

In this episode, Dylan Thomas Doyle speaks with Jagger Waters, writer, director, and creative lead at Escape—a streaming platform for “neo cinema” that blends cutting-edge tools with timeless story craft.

We talk about the opportunities and tensions at the intersection of AI and traditional film, why comedy remains the hardest genre for AI to master, and how in-person, immersive experiences might be the perfect counterbalance to our tech-saturated lives. Along the way, we explore prompt writing as a new art form, the ethics of transparency in AI use, and why the most exciting stories might come from creators who’ve never set foot in Hollywood.

About the Guest:
Jagger Waters is a Los Angeles–based writer, director, and AI filmmaker with a background in theater, television, and film. She entered the AI cinema space during the 2023 writers’ strike, driven by curiosity and a belief that emerging tools could democratize storytelling. At Escape, she curates and supports innovative work across live action, animation, and AI-driven film, all while advocating for original, ethical uses of the technology.

Topics Covered:

• Defining “neo cinema” and where it fits in the future of film
• The creative potential and pitfalls of AI filmmaking
• Why certain genres—especially comedy—are tough for AI to replicate
• Using AI to expand, not replace, human creativity
• The role of immersive, offline events in a digital world
• Prompt writing as an emerging creative discipline
• Navigating ethics, transparency, and copyright in AI-generated content
• Breaking down barriers for creators outside traditional industry hubs

Resources & Links:
🔗 Learn more about Escape: escape.watch
📚 Book Recommendation: Ways of Being by James Bridle
📷 Follow Jagger: Instagram | X
🎥 Curious Refuge AI Filmmaking Course: curiousrefuge.com

Contact the Show:
📧 Email: [email protected]
💬 Social: @aiforalltomorrows
🌐 More episodes: aiforalltomorrows.com

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