Many believe that the real future of AI in Hollywood is not in fundamentally changing the way movies and television are made, but in solving problems and creating opportunities currently unavailable to filmmakers and studios. This was a big part of the conversation during the “AI and Filmmaking: Making Space for Creativity” panel discussion at IndieWire Studios, hosted by Dropbox. Othelia Co-CEO and Co-Founder Alexandra Hooven, Primordial Soup Producer Jess Engel, and Pickford.ai’s Head of Creative Bernie Su participated.
Sue’s new project, Whispers, is an AI-driven interactive thriller that allows viewers to participate in the story by strategizing, solving crimes, and catching the culprit in real-time, demonstrating how AI is opening the door to new forms of storytelling that would not have been possible otherwise. As Su discussed during the panel, the impact this will have on Hollywood is not on how to make blockbuster movies, but rather on solving the problems the industry currently has with its most valuable assets. He points to the huge success of “K-Pop Demon Hunters” and describes it as part of a “generational IP” that Netflix won’t be able to tap into again until the recently announced sequel is released in 2029.
“This is the problem. You’re sitting on a little goldmine and you can’t open it again until 2029. Isn’t that insane?” Hsu said he believes such AI-powered interactive projects are a way to “enable fans to participate and play in a little sandbox.”
Suh made it clear that protecting and growing the series requires the same care and time as making a sequel like K-Pop, including writing new bangers and engaging stories, but during that four-year layoff, AI will allow loyal viewers to interact with the fandom, not only protecting the IP but also opening the door to new possibilities.
“This is a problem that old media has, and ironically, a problem that new media is good at,” Hsu said. “Games are very good at this. They say, ‘If you want more characters, we’ll make them for you, so you can play League of Legends, no problem.'” “We need Fortnite characters, and we’ll have them right next week.” But before we officially get another content from K-Pop Demon Hunter, it’s probably four years before they roll something out. ”
Hooven’s software, which helps storytellers build, edit, and enhance complex worlds using non-generative AI, speculated that this might be the reason behind Disney’s recent deal with OpenAI, and agreed with Su.
“It’s not because Disney doesn’t think the next Disney movie won’t be made by an individual,” said Huben, who believed the deal was meant to protect the company’s valuable franchises. “We’re not going to not invent these tools, right? We have to figure out how to leverage them. What Barney is doing is opening up new ways to interact with these characters, and making sure that by being ahead of the curve.” [Disney can make sure] The operation and creation of these characters involves constraints and rules. ”
Engel has teamed up with Darren Aronofsky and the filmmakers to explore what opportunities and tools there are to create worlds in which working on a small, independent scale isn’t impossible and could pave the way for independent filmmakers. That’s why she believes Sundance and the festival-gathering community need to engage more with the theme of AI and find ways to incorporate it into New Frontiers programming.
“Filmmaking is where storytelling and technology intersect, and as technology becomes a part of our lives and means, [storytelling] “It makes sense to do some form of that at Sundance, because it’s important to build a community around it and have conversations around it,” Engel said.
Watch the entire “AI and Filmmaking” conversation above.
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