Confessions of an Indie Filmmaker: Why AI Is Starting to Make Sense
It's still a bit controversial here in Australia, but I've been exploring / learning about AI Filmmaking.
As an actor / director / producer and screenwriter, I always love to see productions made with real cast & crew - and part of the reason I started my business was to provide opportunities for creatives in theatre and film.
But I'm also a micro business. It's just me - I don't have a big team, or financial investors or sponsors - and whilst we do have a state industry film funding body, I live in a small state and funding opportunities are limited and very competitive.
The Lack of Funding
Another filmmaker friend recently enquired with our state film industry body about getting funding for a short vertical film they want to produce. They were apparently told they had to have a minimum of 20K subscribers on a successful series already before they'd even be considered for funding! I was quite surprised to hear this. I've seen the work these guys already do and they produce great quality films - but they are small scale, like me (except they do have a small team, they aren't a solo operator).
I will note that they were likely looking to produce the vertical for social media - not for the drama apps. And I've already mentioned in previous posts and articles about the lack of understanding around verticals & microdramas here in Australia - so if I were to try and get funding from them for my vertical series I want to produce later this year, I'm expecting I'd get the same answer.
And I don't have that kind of following.
I've only really produced one
traditional short film - which I did re-edit into vertical style and it was on
my social media but is now about to go on a drama app (yay! - more details
soon!).. and my second traditional short film, plus first vertical comedy series
haven't been released as yet - because, once again it's just me doing most of it. I don't have the budgets / funds to pay others - plus I actually enjoy some of
the post-production side like editing!.
AI is Cost Effective and Reduces Risk
Which brings me back to AI filmmaking.
As an actor /
director, and even as a producer, I love bringing (or seeing another actor
bring) a character to life, being on set, and working with other creatives -
but as a producer, I can fully see the benefits and cost-effectiveness of why
AI films are growing.
This
was one of those no-budget productions we all make because we want to create
something - it's often how most of us start out. Ideally, this shouldn't have
been scheduled this way - but it wasn't my decision to make.
Anyway, the weather was looking great, and I was starting to prepare the call sheets a couple of days before the first shoot date, when the Producer calls me. The actor (the one that could only do one day for the shoot) has come down with Covid. The shoot ended up being cancelled and rescheduled, much to the Producer’s disappointment. It can’t be helped but that’s the risk of film shoots.
AI productions reduce this risk – you don’t have to worry about cast & crew on set, long workdays, weather issues or people getting sick. You also don’t have to worry about locations, permits, limited shooting ability etc. You don’t have to worry about costuming or props or wranglers, or the inconvenience to (or curiosity of) the public whilst you’re filming.
And with the quality of AI generations
improving, and the fact that people are already watching them on the drama apps,
we are only going to see more and more AI productions coming out.
Even Hollywood used AI to recreate Val Kilmer
in a movie (with permission of course).
I see actors will end up creating their own AI versions of themselves and licencing them out. A potentially handy way to generate income – without having to be on set. Especially when royalties start to come into play (once unions become more involved).
Not to mention that whether we like it or not, this is what the next generation will be growing up with – so they are going to be watching it and it will become the norm.
I believe there will still
always be live-action films and shows, because that’s what we love to do, but
AI films means you don’t need a large budget to make a film.
It opens opportunities to small indie
filmmakers to create something.
Do you agree or not? Have you made an AI Film or looked into it?
I'd love to know your thoughts on AI in film and how the scene is changing.
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