AI Business, Creativity and Jobs Take Center Stage at HPA Tech Retreat: ‘What We’re Trying to Be Is Pixar’

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It’s appropriate that the news about DNEG Group’s Brahma AI division acquiring generative AI tech company Metaphysic surfaced on Tuesday, as a significant portion of this year’s HPA Tech Retreat, which took place in Palm Springs from Monday to Thursday, focused on AI. This acquisition highlights several anticipated trends, such as convergence, within the industry.

2025 is expected to witness a significant merging trend, as per Renard Jenkins, the president and CEO of I2A2, pointing at a slide displaying numerous AI startups focusing on media and entertainment. This convergence could be advantageous but also challenging, since if your preferred tool gets acquired by someone who might not disclose it or underestimate its worth, you’d have to adapt swiftly to a new tool. This shift affects your work process, development stages, and the overall direction of your projects.

Metaphysics, a groundbreaking technology, has left its mark on the world of visual effects (VFX), as demonstrated by its role in aging and de-aging Tom Hanks and Robin Wright for Robert Zemeckis’ film “Here”. This innovative application was recently recognized with a Visual Effects Society Award in the emerging technology category.

As per DNEG Group’s statement, the Metaphysic deal primarily focuses on developing tools across various sectors, with Visual Effects (VFX) playing a crucial role. Notably, DNEG Group incorporates DNEG, a leading VFX company whose work in “Dune: Part Two” is currently up for an Oscar nomination. In the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within media and entertainment, as mentioned by Jenkins at HPA, it’s the visual effects and sound sectors that are experiencing the most significant impact right now.

In another engaging discussion, I, a supporter of innovative VFX techniques, found myself delving into the insights shared by industry veterans Barbara Ford Grant and Daniel Kramer about their personal project, “Unhoused.” Following the iterative process we adopted, we seamlessly integrated various AI tools at every stage – development, preproduction, production, and post. Essentially, we were continuously refining our workflow by adding new AI tools into the mix. The tools we utilized ranged from Runway to Midjourney.

Kramer, who works as a VFX supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, shared some insights from his experiences. “We could definitely benefit from having more control over visual effects,” he noted, pointing out aspects like facial animation, lip syncing, and compositing as particular areas of need. “I’m on the hunt for tools that can empower artists and streamline our workflow,” he explained, “so we can work more efficiently and produce better results.

In a broader discussion about movie-making, director David Slade (“30 Days of Night,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) emphasized that it’s not the AI that creates films, but rather the person with the creative idea and the plot structure. He further explained that his past experiences have been valuable in his work involving AI, not to mimic other movies in a different manner, but because the fundamental filmmaking principles, which we’ve had for over a century, continue to apply in this digital space.

Apart from Slade, there’s an opinion that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could play a significant role in opening up unconventional distribution paths. These innovative methods could provide a platform for peculiar or offbeat films that may not appeal to the masses but cater to specific audiences, commonly known as niche films.

Representatives from innovative AI-powered film studios, including Dave Clark – co-founder and creative head at Promise – offered their insights. Dave Clark explained the creation of Promise’s Muse custom software and workflow system, stating that it will adapt quickly to AI advancements. He emphasized the need for a flexible creative production pipeline that can adjust as technology progresses throughout his career, as he believes technological evolution will continue. Promise was established last fall with backing from Peter Chernin at North Road and Andrew Chen at Andreessen Horowitz.

Walter Woodman from Shy Kids, creators of the “Air Head” short using OpenAI’s Sora, cautioned, “I believe people often discuss AI in terms of speed and cost-effectiveness. However, I find this perspective quite disheartening. Instead, my focus is on creating things that were once deemed unattainable.

He expressed that our goal is to emulate the quality and creativity of Pixar, while challenging the dominance of Disney. What excites him most about AI is its potential to match or surpass these giants. Furthermore, he mentioned that we are on the hunt for our own Steve Jobs.

During the retreat, various additional viewpoints were expressed, some even contrasting, among them presentations by Hasso Basse – the CTO of AI tech developer Stability AI, whose board includes James Cameron – and Richard Welsh, who serves as both the president of Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and a vice president at Deluxe.

In the midst of ongoing industry discussions, the 2023 double labor strikes in Hollywood serve as a significant talking point. However, Jenkins posits that his research, such as that from the World Economic Forum, indicates that business owners (not exclusively filmmakers) prefer to train their current workforce rather than replace them with AI technology. To elaborate further, he suggests that if anyone is suggesting AI will overtake workers, artists, or any other role, they might be mistaken about the proper application and potential of these tools. In my opinion, such a viewpoint seems misinformed regarding how these systems should be employed for maximum effectiveness.

He emphasized the importance of continuous learning, encouraging everyone with apprehensions about the future direction of our field, “Don’t hesitate to invest in your own education.

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2025-02-22 02:46