Earlier this month, director James Cameron wondered if AI could be used to exponentially trim movie’s budgets. If that seemed like a hot take in those words, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has one to top it — it’s not just that money can be saved through the use of AI but better ideas can be generated because of it. OK, Ted, let’s hear this one…
During Netflix’s first-quarter earnings call this week (via Deadline), Ted Sarandos was asked about the impact of AI on the industry. For starters, Sarandos spun it in the direction of there being excitement over the potential of AI in Hollywood. He would add, “I read the article too about what Jim Cameron said about making movies 50% cheaper. I remain convinced that there’s an even bigger opportunity to make movies 10% better.”
So what role does Ted Sarandos see AI having for movies? As it turns out, pretty much any you can think of, saying it’s a tool to be shared between blockbusters and indies. “So, our talent today is using AI tools to do set references, pre-vis, VFX sequence prep, shot planning, all kinds of things today that kind of make the process better. Traditionally, only big-budget projects would have access to things like advanced visual effects such as de-aging. Today, you can use these AI-powered tools to enable smaller-budget projects to have access to big VFX on screen.”
As we know, artificial intelligence isn’t going away and is only getting stronger (for good or bad is up to interpretation) with each passing day. Basically, we have to live with it. But one point Ted Sarandos is missing here is that while everybody does now have access to it, there’s no reason for every studio, every film and every director to find it useful. Remember the outrage and calls for boycotts there were when the low-budget Late Night with the Devil used it for just three still images? Yeah, they didn’t need to use it yet the access was too alluring, showing just the sort of damage and sway it’s holding throughout the budget spectrum.
What do you make of Ted Sarandos’ comments on AI? Is the access doing more harm or good?
