Nearly three years ago, Atlanta filmmaker, and longtime technologist Taz Lake began developing a thriller inspired by recent developments in artificial intelligence and deepfakes and questions about what they could mean for artists and human creativity. His joke at the time was this film needed to be made before the story became a documentary.
Now, as many of those once-futuristic questions increasingly become part of everyday life, he is bringing that story to the big screen with “Artist I Am.”
Written and executive produced by Lake, and directed and produced by Daniel Sagona, “Artist I Am” follows former FBI forensic accountant and INTERPOL regional director Nick Sterling, who is drawn back into an investigation after the mysterious destruction of a priceless work of art. Cryptic digital clues soon suggest the destroyed artwork may be only the beginning of a much larger threat.
Lake’s Crabby Rabbit Productions will premiere the new independent feature film, “Artist I Am,” on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Atlanta’s historic Tara Theatre. Filmed entirely in Metro Atlanta, the AI-driven mystery thriller examines what can happen when rapidly advancing technology begins challenging ideas about creativity, identity, and what it means to create something distinctly human.
“I prioritized writing and producing this story to entertain and educate audiences before fiction became reality,” Lake said. “As a technologist and artist, both worlds remain close to my heart.”
For Lake, who spent two decades working in technology before turning his attention to filmmaking, the premise grew from developments he was already seeing in artificial intelligence several years ago. As the film moved from script to production and post-production, some of the technological possibilities that inspired the story began moving closer to reality. “Frontier AI models are becoming ever more capable and adversarial, and we need a proper sense of dread to understand what that could mean for the world,” Lake said. “This film shows a sliver of what could happen.”
The film marks Sagona’s feature directorial debut after nearly a decade running an advertising agency for businesses in finance, home services, and tech. “This project excites me because it explores, in a timely way, the current and future intersection of art and technology,” he said.
An Atlanta-Made Independent Feature
The story behind the production is also distinctly Atlanta.
The cast is led by Gio Martinelli (“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” “Richard Jewell”, “The Naked Gun”) as Sterling. A former street cop and internal affairs prosecutor, Martinelli’s work training law enforcement in constitutional policing, intelligence gathering, and tactical operations greatly informed his portrayal of Sterling in the film, who is a former FBI forensic accountant and INTERPOL regional director. Martinelli is still an attorney, police misconduct expert, author, and Constitutional Policing trainer for the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
The cast also includes Emalie Noelani (“Magnum P.I.”) as Solani; Cassie Brown (“Will Trent,” “For the Love of Lily,” “Betrayed by My Bridesmaid”) as Chloe Reynolds; and Rachel O’Hara (“Will Trent,” “M.I.A.,” “The Perfect In-Laws”) as Harper Carson.
The original score was composed by Joseph Sfregola. Experience the film’s soundtrack HERE.
“Artist I Am” was independently produced in Atlanta and completed principal photography in just eight shooting days. Locations included a private residence, The B Complex Artists Cooperative, Studio Space Atlanta, and NuGround Studios in East Point, where filmmakers incorporated LED-wall technology into the production. The production also tapped art department crew members whose credits include various DC and Marvel films (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Thunderbolts,” “Captain America Brave New World,” “Echo” and more).
EVENT DETAILS
World Premiere of “Artist I Am”
Tara Theatre | Jack Auditorium | 2345 Cheshire Bridge Road NE | Atlanta
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026
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6 p.m. — Doors open
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6:30 p.m. — Film begins
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8 p.m. — Post-film talkback
TICKETS: A limited number of tickets are available to the public through Eventbrite.
