No one has ever mistaken the initial Sora demonstrations for displays of skill, but what caught filmmakers off guard were the somewhat professional and almost realistic images that depicted a doomsday scenario: Studios are poised to utilize this rapidly advancing technology to supplant them.
With the exception of artists who were early adopters of relational artificial intelligence tools, there is a prevalent sense of unease.
In my conversations over the past three months with numerous film and television professionals utilizing AI-driven software such as Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Runway, and Stable Diffusion, they express fascination with the tools at their disposal while acknowledging their numerous limitations.
Producer Diana Williams remarked, “It’s a challenging time because the narrative is not driven by creators but by business interests and publicly traded companies.” Williams, a former Lucasfilm executive who now serves as the CEO and co-founder of Kinetic Energy Entertainment, shared her insights during the 2024 SXSW panel “Visual ®evolution: How AI is Impacting Creative Industries” (audio available at the link provided).
Certain directors, particularly those well-versed in the capabilities of Artificial image generation, view the technology as another transformative force shaping the landscape of filmmaking.
Julien Brami, a creative producer and VFX specialist at Zoic Studios, speaking alongside Williams, reflected on the cyclical nature of innovation in the industry. He noted, “Every few years to every century, a new innovation emerges,” citing past disruptions like modern technology, computer graphics character design, the transition from 2-D to VR, and more recently, online production methods.
Brami emphasized that artists leverage these tools to narrate stories effectively, a well-established principle. “I realized [with AI] that a system can assist me in generating resources more efficiently, iterating faster, and reaching the end goal more swiftly,” he explained.
Speed is consistently highlighted as the primary advantage of Gen AI technology. It streamlines the process of translating a creative concept into a tangible visual form, eliminating the barriers posed by time-consuming tasks and collaborative communication hurdles.
Despite some reservations, there are individuals who see a plausible path for Gen AI to play a role in mainstream cinema. In my recent discussions, the sentiment “I would never incorporate AI in my previous projects” surfaced 15 times among animators, practical effects artists, post-production supervisors, and filmmakers utilizing conceptual AI tools. This sentiment is often expressed discreetly, as employing AI is currently akin to arriving on set wearing a controversial emblem.
The integration of Gen AI-generated content into professional filmmaking faces significant operational and workflow challenges. One major obstacle is copyright issues, as AI-generated content may not be eligible for copyright protection.
Moreover, Gen AI struggles to consistently replicate images across different scenes, especially involving detailed features like eyes. Recent experiments in Sora attire featured a serene character named “Air Head,” following a predictable storyline with a protagonist possessing the consciousness of a yellow balloon, effectively sidestepping the challenge of facial expressions.
Furthermore, there is a pervasive skepticism regarding the sustainability of the business models behind these venture capital-backed software solutions. During the 18 to 24-month production timeline of a major film or TV series, stakeholders are wary of potential changes to pricing structures.
Even if these hurdles were surmounted, a fundamental barrier remains: the uncanny valley. Many industry professionals believe that AI-generated visuals will always fall short in terms of emotional connection.
“When [Gen AI] burst onto the scene last year, people showed me artwork, and I kept saying, ‘I don’t sense any soul. The eyes lack vitality,’” shared Williams. The concept of the uncanny valley, though frequently invoked, remains challenging to define precisely. This intangible quality underscores the belief that authentic human touch is indispensable in captivating audiences through film.
Movies are fundamentally about eliciting emotions, and there is widespread skepticism regarding AI’s ability to create visuals that resonate with viewers on an emotional level. This perception positions Gen AI as a valuable tool for the initial stages of the creative process rather than as a substitute for human touch in the final product.
For Davide Bianca, co-founder of content studio Shifting Tides, frustration with the conventional pitching process motivated him to explore AI-driven solutions.
Reflecting on his experience, Bianca shared, “Over the past two decades, I’ve witnessed exceptional projects, concepts, and intellectual property perish in executive meetings simply because some individuals struggle to envision their potential.” To address this challenge, Bianca crafted a “Zero Shot” teaser for a high-budget sci-fi concept within a self-imposed 40-hour timeframe, blending traditional storyboarding with AI tools like Gen-2 by Runway and Midjourney 5.2, alongside software like Photoshop, DaVinci Resolve, and After Effects.
Bianca clarified that the one-minute teaser serves as a visual exercise rather than a full-fledged film, akin to creating a look book for a prospective project. This approach provides a tangible asset for presentations, gauging interest, and potentially securing funding for future endeavors.
The resources, time, and collaborative effort required to develop such a pitch without AI would be prohibitive. Beyond pitching, AI tools empower Bianca and Brami to iterate rapidly, align with stakeholders, and streamline the creative process.
The VFX artists I engaged with highlighted how these AI tools enable them to avoid investing substantial time in projects that may not align with the director’s vision. As Williams aptly summarized, once everyone is in sync, the filmmaking team can apply their expertise to bring the project to fruition.
