Filmmakers Behind Anna by the Window Reveal How Making an AI Film Changed Their Views on Technology

Two independent filmmakers who began making a film about the dangers of artificial intelligence in 2023 have revealed how their concerns about the technology grew during production, leaving them increasingly sceptical about its influence on creativity and human relationships.

James Hyland and Myles Flusser created Anna by the Window, a 70-minute coming-of-age drama following a teenager whose attempt to reconnect with his older brother reveals the emotional consequences of a life increasingly dominated by digital technology.

The film is preparing for further American screenings in November before a planned streaming release on 15 December 2026, with its creators discussing how a story they originally considered speculative science fiction now feels much closer to contemporary life.

What Is Anna by the Window About?

The drama follows Ryan, played by Ryan Hyland, a recent school leaver who travels to New York City intending to spend time with his estranged older brother, James.

James, played by co-director James Hyland, is an aspiring AI startup founder whose obsession with technology has become entangled with his deteriorating emotional wellbeing.

Rather than confronting the difficulties surrounding his family, Ryan spends much of his visit wandering through the city, avoiding messages from the people closest to him and attempting to distract himself from uncomfortable conversations.

The story examines how technology can provide an escape from personal problems while making genuine communication increasingly difficult, with the brothers struggling to establish a meaningful connection despite being physically close to one another.

Real Family Tragedy Helped Shape the Film

Although the characters are fictional, the filmmakers have revealed that parts of the story were influenced by their own experiences.

Flusser lost his brother shortly before developing the project, with one particularly emotional scene between the fictional siblings closely recreating an experience from his personal life.

However, the character of James is not intended to represent Flusser's late brother, with the filmmakers creating a fictional AI entrepreneur whose difficulties reflect wider concerns about isolation and emotional avoidance.

Hyland has explained that the character uses technology in an attempt to find reassurance and escape the realities he is struggling to accept.

The personal experience behind the production gives the film an emotional foundation beyond its examination of AI, connecting the story's technological concerns with grief, family relationships and the difficulties of confronting loss.

How the Filmmakers Used AI During Production

Despite its subject, Anna by the Window was produced predominantly through conventional filmmaking methods, using a small crew, practical camera equipment and improvised performances.

The creators filmed across New York using different visual formats, including GoPro footage, camcorders and Fujifilm cameras, with the changing image quality reflecting Ryan's fragmented experiences.

However, artificial intelligence was incorporated into parts of the sound design, including ElevenLabs technology used to generate the voice of the brothers' father.

The filmmakers also experimented with ChatGPT, pushing the chatbot into unusual responses that became part of a disturbing sequence within the film.

Their intention was to represent the unsettling experience of interacting with technology that appears conversational while lacking the human understanding audiences might expect.

Directors Became More Sceptical of AI While Making the Film

The project began during the rapid growth of generative AI in 2023, when new chatbot and image-generation tools were attracting international attention.

At first, Hyland and Flusser approached the subject with curiosity, but their experiences during production contributed to increasingly critical views about the technology's influence on communication and artistic work.

Flusser has since explained that the film initially felt like speculative science fiction, whereas many of the technological developments explored in its story now appear familiar.

Hyland is also involved with The Lamp Club, a New York organisation encouraging people to reconnect through real-world activities rather than relying entirely on digital interactions.

Their work on Anna by the Window therefore examines AI both as a subject of concern and as a tool they used selectively during production.

When and Where Can You Watch Anna by the Window?

The film premiered on 4 July 2026 at New York's Summer of Ludd festival, with the filmmakers subsequently arranging independent screenings across the region.

Upcoming screenings include Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood on Wednesday 11 November and Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles on Thursday 12 November.

Anna by the Window is also scheduled to become available through independent streaming platform Dolpho on Tuesday 15 December 2026, although UK access and rental arrangements have not been confirmed.