Days of multi-million dollar budgets to make a movie or TV series are over. Now you can add special effects to an episode for $100 instead of $8,000. Trust me, no one can tell the difference. Creating exciting dialogues and plot twists takes weeks instead of months. Voiceover and dubbing in dozens of languages are done in a couple of clicks. Yes, AI is already heavily involved in the film industry, and this is just the first step.
It is expected that by 2033, Global AI in Film Market size will be around 14.1 Billion, with a CAGR of 25.7%. TV series will be released faster than before –– with AI, editing time is reduced by 40%. Certainly, more content will affect profits. It is projected to grow between $80 billion and $130 billion annually in the media and entertainment industry.
What will happen to actors, writers, producers, and others? Will they be left behind? Only if they fail to adapt. Human-AI synergy is a key. And here's how to achieve it at all stages of content production.
Human-AI Brainstorm in Screenwriting
You all use ChatGPT (or other chatbots) to write emails and social media posts, so why shouldn't screenwriters use AI to create cool stories? That's exactly what 29% of the industry members are already doing. But here's the thing: just like AI-generated text isn't perfect, writing a script with AI alone would be boring.
This is where the human creative brain is needed. It's the one who can guide the AI, fill it with really interesting ideas, and turn the text into a TV show. Hooks, dialogues that you can't tear yourself away from, sharp plot twists –– it's all a creative brainstorm of both AI assistants and humans.
Actors Enhancing, not Replacing
AI can be used to “resurrect” actors and bring movie favorites back to the screen. For instance, Grand Moff Tarkin in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is a digital clone of Peter Cushing after his death. James Dean, who died back in 1955 in a car accident, will soon reappear on screen in “Back to Eden”. Using the same technology, Carrie Fisher appeared as Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” movie.
Another way AI is interacting with the movie industry is by transforming age representation. AI can easily make actors older or younger, if needed. This is exactly what Disney did with Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Based on her persona from the previous movies, they created a new, younger version.
And finally, face changing. A very handy and extremely popular thing in the near future. Let's say a team of actors worked together to create a series, and producers want to come up with something new with the same cast. Multiple products with the same actors wouldn't work. In that case, Faceswap allows replacing actors' faces — and now it's completely different characters.
What about human actors? They can profit from this! Actors can sign an agreement to use their faces in different shows and earn passive income. Besides, in this way, they can increase their recognition and then ask for higher rates.
Production Timeline and Budgets are Cut
It takes months to a year to shoot a season of a traditional TV series. Don't even talk about enormous budgets! The thing about short TV series is that they cost about $200-300k –– that's about 10 times cheaper than the classic format. And user engagement is higher! AI helps a lot with that.
Make special effects? 42% of industry professionals already use AI to do so. Fly halfway around the world to shoot an episode in the tropics? No more needed, as you can generate the background with AI!
And while AI goes further and further in its enhancements, don't ignore the irreplaceable part played by humans. They are responsible for story direction, creative vision, making sure the audience gets the picture and the action on the screen, and much more!
Post-Production Takes Weeks, Not Months
While post-production was once the most time-consuming part of working on a TV series, everything is changing now. AI is reshaping the way video editing works –– what used to take months is now a matter of weeks.
The VFX tool makes creating animation effects a breeze, and it doesn't require a huge team anymore. The same goes for dubbing and localization –– with AI, you can quickly transform content for a global audience. For example, with ElenLabs' dubbing tool, actors' voices are changed within a few clicks, translated into different languages, while retaining their intended emotionality. Keeping scenes authentic no longer requires a whole studio.
AI has also sped up and facilitated dozens of editing team members. Color correction, sound effects, visual cleanup –– all these processes are highly streamlined, so you can ramp up content production.
Interactions with Actors
The latest technologies let viewers interact with characters while watching their favourite shows. How about chatting with them like friends? Tools like character.AI make it possible – definitely a game changer! Surely, this kind of interaction has clear rules to keep the actors safe. No intimate texting, and all communication must be related to the series.
The human actor's participation is not needed. He's got a digital twin who's trained on his behaviour.
This interaction benefits actors –– they can license their likenesses and personalities for AI-driven interactive experiences. Something like musicians get royalties for their hits. The amount depends on the time spent chatting with the audience and its volume.
What’s Next?
In the near future, viewers will be even more involved in the characters' lives and series! They gradually move from passive observers to participants in its creation.
How about inventing a personalized series?
With AI, anyone could make a rom-com starring Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio or add their own Roman Empire atmosphere! It's called setting. And it will happen even faster than you think –– there are already tools that allow it, so it's a matter of the next couple of years.
Another trend that is definitely going to grow is vertical short series. They are produced faster, engage much more efficiently and, most of all, are adapted to the modern viewer's needs, who find it hard to keep their attention for an hour-long series.
We are now seeing a new round of development of the AI-enabled TV series industry. The Human-AI balance is inevitable here. AI is helping screenwriters create compelling stories, actors are using AI to make money, directors are bringing bold ideas to life with tight budgets, and post-production teams are working faster.
So, pack your popcorn and get ready to be amazed!
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