Hollywood Suddenly Embraces AI

In a complete 180-degree U-Turn from everything that Hollywood has said they oppose about AI and everything they spent years on strike fighting against, one studio (at least) is now fully embracing AI systems and programs.

Lionsgate, the studio behind blockbusters like "John Wick" and "The Hunger Games," is taking a giant leap into the world of AI-powered filmmaking. They've partnered with Runway, an AI research company, to develop a custom AI model trained on Lionsgate's massive library of films and TV shows.

What will this AI do, you may ask? Imagine a tool that can generate cinematic video, helping filmmakers visualize scenes and experiment with different creative options. This AI model will do just that, assisting with everything from pre-production (think storyboarding and concept art) to post-production (enhancing visual effects and more).

Why is this a big deal?

Aside from being a fundamental shift from everything Hollywood has said they were against, as well as being a fundamental shift in the creative process, the move will position Lionsgate at the front of a new era. Whether we like it or not, GenAI is going to be forced on us, and the creative process is going to be changed. This new partnership marks the first time a major Hollywood studio has teamed up with an AI company in this way. While it may be the first, I'm sure there will be plenty more, and I'm sure it signals a potential shift in how movies are made, with AI playing a larger role in the creative process.

Just a few short months ago Hollywood was trying to convince us that "Generative AI Won’t Be on the Big Screen Any Time Soon!" It looks like that has changed and changed rather abruptly! Music and movie studios have already shown they are willing to use a singer or actors voice and their likeness through overlays or 'de-aged' characters. With this move we may see a major shift!

What Comes Next For Studios and AI?

Lionsgate is distancing itself from using these new tools to fully re-create actors or generate new characters. The company has said it believes these tools will help filmmakers and other creatives “augment their work” to deliver “capital-efficient content creation opportunities.” AI, in other words, could help cobble together more movies and shows with lower investment costs for highly expense things like explosions or other background effects. This according to statements made by Lionsgate founder Vice Chairman Michael Burns during an interview with The Wall Street Journal,

So for now iIt looks like this particular model will steer clear of generating AI “clones” or replicas of actors. They want us to believe it will primarily be used as a tool to enhance and augment existing projects. I guess we'll have to wait and see how quickly that position changes!