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Netflix Just Did Something That Should Scare Every VFX Artist

You probably didn't notice it when you watched El Eternauta on Netflix. But something big happened in that Argentine sci-fi show. Something that changes everything.

Netflix used AI to create an entire scene. Not just to help with it. To make it. From scratch.

The Scene That Started It All

Picture this: Buenos Aires gets hit by toxic snow. Buildings start collapsing. The camera follows one massive structure as it crumbles to the ground.

That collapse? Pure AI.

No green screens. No VFX studio working for months. No team of artists pulling all-nighters.

Just AI. And it was done 10 times faster than normal.

Ted Sarandos, Netflix's co-CEO, dropped this bomb during their earnings call. He said the scene "wouldn't have been feasible for a show on that budget" using old methods.

Translation: They couldn't afford to do it the normal way. So they didn't.

Here's Why This Matters

You know what's crazy? Nobody complained about the quality. Viewers loved it. The creators loved it. Netflix loved it.

And that's the scary part.

If you can't tell the difference, what happens to the people who used to make these scenes?

Sarandos keeps saying AI is just a tool. That real people still do the work. But let's be honest - when something takes 10 times less time and costs way less money, what do you think happens next?

The Math Is Simple

Old way:

• Hire VFX studio

• Wait months for delivery

• Pay big money

• Hope it looks good

New way:

• Use AI tools

• Get results in days

• Pay almost nothing

• Audience can't tell the difference

Which one would you choose if you were running a business?

But Wait, It Gets Worse

Netflix isn't stopping here. They're already planning more AI use:

• De-aging actors

• Creating backgrounds

• Making entire environments

• Even planning shots

Sarandos called it "endlessly exciting." i bet he does.

And here's the kicker - this happened right after Hollywood went on strike partly because of AI fears. The writers and actors fought hard for protections. But VFX artists? They're still out there on their own.

What Nobody Wants to Say

Everyone's being really careful with their words. "AI is just helping creators." "Real people are still in charge." "It's about empowerment, not replacement."

But actions speak louder than words.

When you can make a building collapse scene in a fraction of the time for almost no money, you're not just helping creators. You're changing the game completely.

The Real Question

Here's what i keep thinking about: If this is what Netflix is willing to admit publicly, what are they doing behind closed doors?

El Eternauta was just the test. The proof of concept. The "see, it works and nobody noticed" moment.

What comes next probably won't be as small as one building collapse.

Where This Goes

Right now, AI can handle simple VFX scenes. Building collapses. Explosions. Basic stuff.

But AI gets better every month. Not every year. Every month.

How long before it can create entire action sequences? Whole movies? Complete shows?

Netflix is betting it won't be long. And they're probably right.

The Bottom Line

Look, i'm not saying AI is evil. Technology changes things. It always has.

But let's stop pretending this is just about "helping creators." When you can replace months of work with days of AI processing, you're not helping the old way of doing things.

You're replacing it.

Netflix just proved it works. The audience didn't notice. The quality was fine. The cost was almost zero.

And that building collapse in El Eternauta? It might be the last domino to fall before everything changes.

The question isn't whether AI will take over VFX work. Netflix just showed us it already has.

The question is what happens next.