The Pros and Cons of Using AI Technology in the TV and Film Industry

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It's no secret that AI technology has opened many doors for many different industries.

Automation, generative AI, and the enhanced capabilities of this technology have all left their mark.

We recently looked at the detailed ways AI tools are developing film and TV production, looking at specific examples of utilization.

But it is also important to look at the bigger picture, and whether this new addition is helping or hindering the industry at large.

Whilst there are of course many arguments to be made on either side, here are just some of the pros and cons of using this technology in the current entertainment industry environment.

The Pros of Utilizing AI Tools

Since the late 90s, AI technology has really come into its own, aiding crew on big-budget productions.

At every stage of the pre-production and post-production process, you can find an AI tool lightening the load.

This doesn't mean this technology is all-encompassing.

Human intervention is necessary to fine-tune the work being produced, and there is no real replacement for the scope of human creativity.

That being said, when working alongside each other AI tools can bring immense benefits.

1. Writing Efficiency and Scalability

Text-based generative AI has become far more mainstream in the past couple of years.

Machine learning algorithms such as Chat-GPT have made quick and easy text generation accessible to the general population.

They utilize existing works and natural language processing to write scripts and other text in seconds.

These AI algorithms are undoubtedly beneficial to the industry when competing with the intense demand to create content.

With limited prompting, they can create work in different styles and tones and can do so by researching existing successful work.

By producing frameworks in seconds, writers can focus on developing and perfecting scripts, rather than getting stuck with research and writer's block.

Generative AI makes it possible to create large volumes of content in a short amount of time, increasing output whilst decreasing script development time.

It can also create its own content for social media content, highlighting the use of AI in the process.

For example, the short film It's No Game, both referenced and used AI technology in its production.

Anyone can use AI writing tools to enhance their creative process.

Read Pictory and ChatGPT: The Best AI Combination for Your Content Creation to learn more.

2. The Automation of Time-Consuming Tasks

Admin tasks can take a lot of time but are essential to the successful running of any project.

A clear and comprehensive schedule could not be more important to film production.

This entire process can be automated by AI when fed all the individual availabilities of the cast and crew.

As well as the pre-production process, AI can automate tasks during the video editing process.

It can pick out video highlights, enhance CGI graphics, and analyze content for improvements.

A trailer for the horror film Morgan was aided by AI, reducing the time taken to create the trailer by weeks.

It analyzed the entire film and picked scenes that fit certain briefs, which could then be edited down into a fully formed trailer.

This automation created a quality product in a fraction of the time it would take for the whole process to be done by hand.

When time is money, this can only be beneficial to businesses.

3. AI is Cost-Effective

It isn't a surprise that the filmmaking process is long, complex, and expensive.

However, there are many ways to solve these problems using artificial intelligence.

AI technologies speed up many sections of pre and post-production, meaning creatives can move straight onto the tricky sections.

This, in turn, means less time overall spent on certain aspects.

And you don't need to be a genius to work out that on balance, less time spent = less money spent.

Using AI also reduces the demand for multiple expensive specialists to work on certain areas, freeing up the budget even further.

Pictory knows how important saving money is whilst maximizing your output.

That's why our AI video-generating and editing software is quick, easy-to-use, and cost-effective.

4. AI Tools can Enhance Graphics

CGI technology has been crafting realistic visual effects for years.

But, whilst impressive, utilizing this technology effectively still requires a large amount of time and effort.

Combining this technology with AI creates options that were previously not possible, due to time, money, or skill restraints.

For the Avengers film series, Thanos was created using a combination of CGI, AI, and visual effects crafted by hand.

Using the strengths of each of these methods resulted in a polished and incredibly impressive piece of computer graphics.

There are a lot of people keen to express that it should be AI for humans, not AI or humans.

And it's clear that there are many benefits to combining the powers of human creativity and AI.

The Cons of Using Artificial Intelligence

On the other side of the argument, there are many workers inside the entertainment industry who do not feel AI is a benefit.

Most of the pros I have discussed have an associated con from the other perspective.

1. Lack of Creativity and Originality when using AI

Whilst generative AI can speed up the creative process, there are many concerns regarding the content received.

Even though the works can be realistic and natural sounding thanks to NLP, they are still created by a machine.

They lack the passion, nuance, and perspective of work created by humans.

By analyzing existing scripts, any work created is always going to be a regurgitation of that work.

These pieces will never have a truly unique perspective or vision.

There is large concern over both the perceived need for writers diminishing, and the general quality of work produced by the film industry suffering as a byproduct of using AI technology in the creative process.

In fact, there have been studies conducted showing that the public does not think AI-generated text is a good thing.

Naturally, at this stage, the quality of the final product does depend on the human touch given to the work received.

2. AI Tools Put Job Security at Risk

Virtually every industry, such as entertainment, hospitality, and automotive, is feeling the impact of AI technologies.

Automation of processes reduces the time and therefore the staff required to carry out certain tasks.

And whilst this is a benefit for many businesses, it is a worry for many employees.

Writers and VFX artists specifically are seeing their work drastically reduced due to the implementation of this new software.

Many jobs are being outsourced and individuals are having to retrain or become more specialized in their field.

In general, though, AI systems actually create an entirely new industry and with it, more jobs.

In fact, when questioned about the likelihood of AI creating more or less jobs, there were vastly differing opinions.

The younger age groups were far more likely to view AI as offering new job opportunities.

It just might mean that individuals have to change their career paths slightly to capitalize on these.

3. Rights to Likenesses and Creative Work

To analyze vast amounts of work to create pieces AI must access this work, permission for which has not necessarily been granted.

Unfortunately, putting work on the internet inherently comes with risks and there are still discussions as to intellectual property rights.

Current copyright laws mean transformative work is protected, and a lot of AI work is covered under this clause.

There is also a more personal concern for actors.

AI technology is frequently used to de-age actors and even help them perform posthumously.

This raises lots of concerns for performers about the rights to their own image and effectively signing their face away when signing contracts.

4. The WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strike

On May 2nd, 2023, the Writers Guild of America went on strike over ongoing labor disputes.

Whilst the terms of these strikes were over many things, the concerns surrounding AI in the industry were on the list.

Issues in this regard were predominantly with the displacement of writers in favor of generative AI, and the rights of creatives to their own work.

On June 13th, the SAG-AFTRA actor's union also called for a strike, both in solidarity with WGA and to voice their own concerns on the same issues.

As of the writing of this article, both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are still on strike, with countless productions halted because of it.

Final Thoughts

Clearly, the negative impact of AI on the entertainment industry is real and grinding the industry to a serious halt.

However, what I'm hoping for in these negotiations is that both sides can see the real value and potential of these technologies.

It is very clear that making movies and TV shows is impossible without dedicated, talented creatives on board.

But that doesn't mean we should completely forgo AI technology either.

The benefits of this software and the quality of the products that can be created when using them efficiently are limitless.

AI has the power to completely transform every industry for the better, we just have to go about it in the right way.

At Pictory we believe we've found that correct balance.

Adding our AI capabilities to your current content creation or marketing strategies will enhance your work exponentially.

And editing and creating videos in minutes leaves you free to create the content you care about.

Sign up for a FREE trial today, or upgrade your existing plan to explore the full range of our video editing software.