Netflix is bringing its Creative Asia program back to Busan for a third year, and this time the festival lineup includes a panel on AI in filmmaking featuring Peter Jackson’s Weta FX. The event runs Oct. 10 at Dongseo University’s Centrum Campus, with the Asian Film Commissions Network (AFCNet) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) helping shape the schedule.
This year marks a turning point for Creative Asia, Netflix’s flagship initiative that helps emerging Asian creators bring their ideas to the screen. For the first time, the program includes workshops, which give aspiring writers direct access to Netflix content executives.
The AI Panel at Weta FX
The centerpiece of the day is “AI in Filmmaking: New Tools, New Possibilities,” co-hosted by Netflix and the MPA. It is moderated by film critic Youn Sung-eun and brings together three speakers:
- Sung Q Lee, Netflix’s senior director of APAC production
- Kimball Thurston, chief technology officer at Weta FX, the visual effects studio co-founded by Peter Jackson
- Kang Yun-sung, director of “Run to the West” and “The Outlaws”
The session will look at the way AI technology is spreading through the film industry throughout the region.
Cinematography Masterclass
Kim Ji-yong, the cinematographer behind Venice winner “Possible Love.”, is set to lead a masterclass focused on building the visual universe of the film. He will discuss the decisions he made alongside director Lee Chang-dong, including the shift away from staged lighting toward natural light. Clips from the film will be shown to back up his discussion.
BIFF is where the film is currently screening, and it offers festival-goers the opportunity to watch the work before learning about its creation. The masterclass takes a practical approach, giving aspiring filmmakers a direct window into the techniques used on a major award-winning release.
Workshops Led by Netflix Content Executives
Two new workshops round out the program. One is led by Christopher Mack, Netflix’s director of content acquisition, who will cover “The Art and Archetypes of Cinematic Storytelling.” The other is led by Keo Lee, Netflix’s director of creative strategy, who will address “Understanding the Buyer’s Perspective,” covering how projects get greenlit and financed.
This year’s expanded lineup has a stated goal of bringing aspiring writers direct access to Netflix content executives, and these sessions are the means of achieving that objective.
Industry Panels and Invite-Only Sessions
Other panels include “New Voices in Filmmaking: What’s Ahead,” moderated by BIFF programmer Jeong Jihye. That panel features Namkoong Sun (“Love Untangled,” “Time to Be Strong”) alongside “My Aunt” co-directors Wi Eun-kyoung and Son Gwang-min, whose short film won the Grand Prize at Korea’s 2026 Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival.
An invite-only Creative Economy Exchange will also run during the event.
The Masterclass Slate
The masterclass slate opens with “Location and Storytelling,” moderated by Busan Asian Film School professor James Bang. Input comes from Lauren Cooper of the Location Managers Guild International, “Perfect Days” producer Reiko Kunieda and Sung Q Lee.
Han Jun-hee, whose credits include “D.P. 1 & 2,” “Weak Hero Class 1 & 2”, and “The Blue Road,” returns to direct a session on turning unexpected source material into stories that resonate with audiences.
A full day packed with masterclasses, workshops and panels runs the gamut from the technical craft of cinematography all the way through to the business logic of securing funding for a project.
A Record of Stops
Two prior editions with BIFF and a stop last year in Indonesia at the JAFF Market form the foundation for this event. The itinerary reveals Netflix’s strategy to strengthen connections with regional creative communities.
A broad range of voices from across the industry come together on the Oct. 10 schedule. The organizers have brought together speakers from Weta FX and BIFF programmers alike, covering both the latest technological advancements and the core principles of storytelling.
Key Facts Box
- Event: Netflix Creative Asia
- Date: Oct. 10
- Venue: Dongseo University’s Centrum Campus, Busan
- Moderator, AI panel: Youn Sung-eun
- Speakers, AI panel: Kimball Thurston (Weta FX), Sung Q Lee (Netflix), Kang Yun-sung (director)
- Masterclass: Kim Ji-yong on “Possible Love”
- Workshops: Led by Christopher Mack and Keo Lee
- Panels: “New Voices in Filmmaking: What’s Ahead,” moderated by Jeong Jihye
This gathering serves as a signpost for Netflix’s view of where Asian cinema is headed. Rather than merely showing off its lineup, the streamer has now built workshops into the program, a move that points toward developing the creators who will fill it.
This shift’s clearest example is the AI panel. Weta FX is a leader in the field, and its presence on the panel means the discussion will be based on real practice instead of mere guessing.
Netflix’s Creative Asia has now run for three years, with stops in Indonesia last year. Each edition has added new elements, and this year’s addition of workshops represents a significant expansion of the program.
The program aims to assist young Asian creators in building their concepts for the screen. Having workshops run by Netflix content executives places the individuals who give projects the go-ahead directly before the writers hoping to bring them into existence.
A blend of seasoned pros and rising stars hoping to enter the field is anticipated at the gathering.
Anyone tracking technology’s role in Asian filmmaking will find the Weta FX panel stands out as the main draw. It offers a hands-on view of how one of the most creative studios in the field is using AI in its actual operations, instead of just discussing the subject in general terms.
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