Using AI for Cost Savings in Creative Production

AI is transforming marketing production across various stages, including strategy, creative development, content production, versioning, delivery, and compensation models for agencies and production companies.

While we’re not at the stage where artificial intelligence will be directing the next Super Bowl™ feature (yet), tools leveraging AI are already redefining workflows, cutting costs, and driving innovation in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. Overall, the integration of AI into various aspects of marketing production is expected to unlock new efficiencies and creative possibilities, ultimately leading to cost savings.

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on how AI is being tactically applied in areas like post-production, rotoscoping, captioning, and animatics. Here, we offer real-world, practical solutions that deliver savings and set businesses up for sustainable growth.

Two Real-World Wins Using AI in Creative Production

1. Slashing Rotoscoping Costs by Over 90% :

Rotoscoping, the process of tracing over motion picture footage frame by frame to produce visual effects is tedious, manual work. In the past, it was work that had to be outsourced to keep costs manageable. Then came technology, and now, AI tools are actively being developed to handle this challenging (and occasionally cumbersome) task.

Here’s a recent example from the field. A $10,000 line item for rotoscoping was on the bid for a project. Recognizing rotoscoping as a prime area for AI intervention, APR challenged the supplier with this question: “Are you using AI for this work? And if not, can you?” The result? That $10,000 was ultimately reduced to $1,000.

The kicker? It’s very possible the supplier was already using AI but charging as if they weren’t. Asking the right questions exposed the opportunity for cost savings and fairer pricing.

Takeaway: Whether you’re a producer, project lead, or in procurement—poke, prod, and question those line items. AI might already be doing the heavy lifting, so charge accordingly!

“If you're not challenging vendors or exploring the tools already at your disposal, you could be leaving thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars on the table,” Noah Posnick, APR Senior Advisor.

Noah Posnick, APR Senior Advisor.

2. Goodbye $7,000 Captioning Fee, Hello (Free) AI:

Captioning is another area where AI proves its value. Previously, a post-production process that charged upwards of $6,000 to $7,000 to bake captions into a video became unnecessary thanks to…wait for it…YouTube. Yes, YouTube, or other tools baked into softwares like Premiere Pro or Avid. AI captioning tools achieve near-perfect accuracy in record time, instantly generating files that can be quickly tweaked and delivered.

We’ve seen clients unknowingly sitting on in-house AI captioning tools. With a gentle nudge from APR, that production team bypassed the original high-cost vendor and implemented the internal resource to complete the work for free. The result didn’t just save money on that one project but also set up a streamlined workstream for future captioning jobs down the line.

Takeaway: Sometimes, the solution is sitting right in front of you—maybe even in-house. Don’t hesitate to explore, ask questions, and disrupt the status quo.

The Bigger Picture—Expanding AI's Reach in Creative Production

The examples above are just the beginning. AI is poised to drastically impact creative production across various touchpoints. Here’s a glimpse of how this tech is already accelerating innovation and cutting costs in other areas:

Creative Development: AI will help creatives generate, edit, and improve draft scripts, adapting original ideas to different tones, effects, and lengths. This enhances the creative development process by providing immediate feedback and reducing time spent on revisions.

Post-Production: AI is now baked into tools like Adobe Premiere and After Effects, automating everything from color grading to clean-up work. For example, you can achieve cinematic “300” looks with AI algorithms, dramatically reducing time and costs. Additionally, virtual production stages and AI-powered solutions allow for quick-turn and high-volume content capture, reducing post-production time and accelerating the delivery of content.

Animatics: New puppeteering tools like Runway’s beta release allow you to animate AI-generated images simply by capturing video on your phone. It’s changing how animatics are approached by enabling quicker production while maintaining high fidelity.

Asset Management: AI-driven asset organization ensures teams can retrieve files faster, streamlining workflows. It’s a game-changer for big productions reliant on massive storehouses of content.

Music and Testing: AI is creeping into these spaces, offering solutions for quick composition and evaluation of test materials, ensuring content hits the right notes. “But the key here,” says Pedro Roura, APR’s Managing Advisor of Content Creation, “is intention. When you can prove there is “intention” to copy, then you have a legal argument.” Roura maintains healthy apprehension about using AI in music creation, advising brands to invest in professional consultants when leaning into AI. “Things still need to be evaluated with musicology tools and professionals, in order to avoid copyright infringements.”

On-Site Labor: AI-enabled cameras enhance autofocus, image processing, and scene recognition, reducing the need for additional crew members.

Brands benefit from assessing the current marketing investment and optimizing with AI tools. APR implements proprietary measuring tools and data to help optimize the entire ecosystem. Short story — any brand team willing to adopt these technologies can benefit.

What’s Next? Building a Checklist for AI Opportunities

At APR, we developed a practical checklist designed to help teams identify opportunities where AI can be applied to reduce costs, speed up workflows, and create smarter solutions. The goal is to empower advisors and clients to ask the right questions during bid reviews and estimate negotiations.

Here’s what your checklist may include:

Are AI tools involved in repetitive tasks like rotoscoping or captioning?

Can AI solutions improve processes in areas like animatics, matte painting, or asset management?

Does the vendor use AI-driven tools for projects where automation is faster or cheaper?

Is there an internal tool or workflow already available that could save costs?

Our mission is clear—help your team rethink what’s possible with AI by looking at every stage of production through this lens.

The future of creative production has arrived. AI isn’t something to worry about “someday” or “when the market is ready.” It’s here today, reshaping workflows in visual effects, captioning, animation, and so much more. But making the most of these advancements starts with asking the right questions.

Are your vendors leveraging AI where it makes sense? Is there a faster, more cost-effective way to deliver quality work? By pushing for answers, you’re not just saving money—you’re setting your business up for success in a marketplace that’s evolving faster than ever before.

Don’t miss out on an improved marketing investment. The tools are here and so are the savings. Start exploring how APR can help bring AI into your workflows and revolutionize your own processes today.