Yahoo Lifestyle Creative and Marketing Execs Discuss AI’s Present and Future in Film at Sundance: ‘It’s Going to Touch Every Single Aspect of Production’
The Variety & Adobe The Future of AI Filmmaking panel at the Sundance Film Festival featured a conversation by film executives about how AI is currently being used in entertainment as well as how it will shape the industry going forward.
The panel, moderated by Variety’s executive editor Brent Lang, featured Meagan Keane, director of product marketing at Adobe Pro Video, Dave Clark, The Promise co-founder and chief creative officer, writer and director Paul Trillo, who is also a partner at Asteria, Jason Zada, founder of Secret Level, and Angela Russo-Otstot, AGBO chief creative officer.
More from Variety
Keane explained the two different types of AI that make up this industry conversation: assistive AI and generative AI. The company is considering how AI can expedite filmmakers’ and artists’ workflow. “At Adobe, we’re still thinking about generative in ways of like, how do we remove pain points? How do we help sort of remove the friction from the filmmaking process?” she said.
Clark called AI a “tool” and that as artists, “we should be responsible for how technology affects our industry.”
“I’m a traditional artist, and I went to Pratt, I studied fine arts. I went to film school, and I look at this as an opportunity to say, okay, we can actually have a chance to tell our stories in ways or at least present our stories in ways that we couldn’t do before,” Clark said.
The panelists discussed how AI can be used for various filmmaking tasks.
“Whether people are into AI or not, it’s going to touch every single aspect of production,” Trillo said. “It’s just about kind of retaining your voice through that.”
Zada said at his company, “every single part of the process uses AI.”
AGBO is exploring the uses of AI, including for transmedia purposes, according to Russo-Otstot. “The artist is in control, the artist is leading the way, but AI can mitigate restrictions and it can open up opportunities in a really fascinating and empowering manner.”
When it comes to ethical concerns for using AI, the panel discussed ways to retain human artistry.
Trillo explained artists should be wary of “not letting whatever’s in this training data to kind of homogenize aesthetics to kind of override your vision and not using it as a crutch either.”
“You need to have artists that are still making new aesthetics,” Trillo added.
Panelists emphasized that filmmakers need to be engaged in industry discussions of AI.
“Participating in the conversation and having your voice heard is what is going to drive how this technology develops. Because if you don’t pay attention, it’s going to happen anyway, and it’s maybe gonna happen in a way that you don’t want,” Keane said.
The panelists also spoke about how AI saves time. “Yeah, dude, we’re never going back to stock photos, putting pitch decks together. Never gonna happen. And that’s every filmmaker in the world,” Clark joked.
Keane mentioned how Adobe Premiere Pro now lets users translate captions into various languages.
“I think another topic that’s really interesting about the potential of doors opening with AI is the democratization of being able to tell bigger stories,” Keane said.
A focus point of the panel was the topic of job loss and creation that can result from AI. For Russo-Otstot, there’s an important distinction between film and other industries.
“Unlike the fields of medicine or science or mathematics where AI can solve a mathematical equation or perfect a scientific formula in a manner that is superior to us, in the realm of creativity, AI will never be superior. It requires the human brain, the human heart, the human experience, and the human artist will always remain at the forefront in the center and utilize AI in additive ways,” Russo-Otstot said.
Variety VIP+ Unearths Generative AI Data & Insights From All Angles — Pick a Story
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
