Scott Belsky leaves Adobe after 7 years to join A24 as partner, likely to lead AI filmmaking push
Jan 31, 2025
Key Points
- Scott Belsky departs Adobe after seven years to join A24 as partner, signaling the film studio's push into generative AI filmmaking.
- A24 is betting on an execution gap in applying mature AI technology to filmmaking, a space Hollywood has largely left untapped despite its scale.
- Belsky's hire reflects A24's broader tech ambitions, anchored by Josh Kushner's Thrive Capital investment in the independent studio.
Summary
Scott Belsky leaves Adobe for A24 to lead AI filmmaking push
Scott Belsky, who spent seven years at Adobe following its 2012 acquisition of his company Behance, is departing to join independent film studio A24 as a partner. The move signals a strategic bet on generative AI in filmmaking—a space where the hosts see obvious opportunity but minimal execution to date.
Belsky will kick off "special projects" at A24, though he doesn't explicitly name AI in his announcement. The hosts quickly connect the dots: A24 is one of the world's premier film production and distribution companies, and applying generative AI to filmmaking is an obvious play that has largely gone unexecuted despite the technology's maturity.
The timing sits alongside Josh Kushner's investment in A24 through Thrive Capital, which the hosts reference as context for the studio's tech ambitions. Belsky will remain in Adobe's "extended family" and continue working with the company as a technology partner.
The hosts frame this as a major talent acquisition for A24. For years, they note, Hollywood has lagged in innovation despite a massive CGI industry already anchored in Los Angeles. The opportunity—using generative AI to compete with traditional filmmaking—is "so obvious," yet requires "the best talent in the world" to execute. Belsky's hire signals A24 is serious about building out a team of technologists to make that happen. One host calls it "an absolute dog" of a pickup.