What if the industry doors don’t open for you? You build your own.

Juan Faisal talks with Rachel Leventhal — creator, technologist, and co-founder of Backlot AI — about the mindset it takes to work ahead of the curve. From early CD-ROM experiments at Nickelodeon to AI-powered filmmaking, they get into tool adoption, creative control, and why artists shouldn’t wait for permission.

🤖 Why it matters

AI tools are everywhere. But tech alone doesn’t drive change.

Real progress comes when artists see creative possibility — and build systems that support it.

🤖 You’ll learn

- How AI is helping small teams build ambitious creative projects

- Why “meaningful art” still guides Rachel’s tech choices

- What it takes to build inclusive, collaborative creative tools

- Why women shouldn’t wait to be invited into AI work

🤖 Guest: Rachel Leventhal

Creator, technologist, and co-founder of Backlot AI

- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-leventhal-bkltai/

- https://www.youtube.com/@backlot-ai

🤖 Host: Juan Faisal

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanfaisal

- Newsletter: https://juanfaisal.substack.com

- Website: https://www.creativityandrobots.com

🤖 Timestamps

00:00 Rachel’s path from CD-ROMs to AI filmmaking

06:52 When creative tools are actually worth using

13:58 Collaboration, confidence, and building outside the system

19:02 What’s still missing: better tools for creative teams

Additional Credits:

- Dheeraj M4JOR from Pixabay (sfx)

- Universfield from Pixabay (sfx)

- 'Subscribe' animation by Vecteezy