British distributor The Mise En Scene Company (MSC) has labeled its EFM marketing as “AI-free” and is calling for a “global industry standard” to be introduced so audiences can know if a film has used the technology.
MSC says it took inspiration from A24’s disclaimer at the end of horror movies hereticstated that no generative AI was used in the making of the film.
MSC’s recent titles include films with Al Pacino and Charlie Heaton billy knight and forge Co-stars with Kelly Marie Tran and Andy Zhu.
CEO Paul Yates said the goal is not to oppose technology, but to “protect human copyright as a cultural and economic category at a time when creative industries are flooded with AI-generated content.”
“We are entering a tectonic shift,” Yates explained. “Human artistry is about to become more valuable and more fragile than ever before. If we don’t define it, label it, and protect it, it will simply disappear into the noise.”
The company wants movie companies, film festivals and governments to work towards a central, internationally recognized certification system for human-made cultural works, “similar to organic food or fair trade labeling”, to help audiences better understand the nature of what they’re watching.
“The dominant narrative of AI is that speed and cost – time and price – are cut in half,” Yates said. “That logic turns art into confusion. Cinema must define itself as the opposite of that, or it loses its soul and economic power.”
The MSC has stated that it is possible to obtain films that use generative AI rather than anti-AI, but that they would like to see improved signage. “We support AI as a tool,” Yates continued. “However, we believe that it is essential to clearly distinguish between AI-generated material and human expression. Without clear labels and standards, we risk being overwhelmed by a flood of synthetic culture. A24 was right to add it to the credits, but we believe we need to take this idea further.”
The company said it has begun discussions with other international partners about expanding the label beyond film into publishing, music and visual arts.
This week, the Motion Picture Association of America called on ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to stop using copyrighted material in SeaDance 2.0, the new AI model that gained attention for its Brad Pitt vs. Tom Cruise deepfake.
Deadline sister publication Variety reported this week on new casting for director Doug Liman’s new Bitcoin biopic, noting that AI may be used to “tune” performances, and that the use of AI technology would allow actors to perform on a “markerless performance capture stage,” eliminating the need to use physical locations.
