ARTS

AI films may be what your business needs

Produced at a fraction of the cost of traditional movies, AI-generated films are poised to empower businesses much like social media did

Helmi Yusof
Published Thu, Sep 5, 2024 · 06:00 PM
    • "The Frost: Part One" will be shown with "Part Two" at the upcoming AI film festival Creator RenAIssance at the Art Science Museum.
    • "The Frost: Part One" will be shown with "Part Two" at the upcoming AI film festival Creator RenAIssance at the Art Science Museum. PHOTO: WAYMARK

    THE opening minute of The Frost: Part One tells you everything you need to know about the potential of films generated by artificial intelligence (AI). To be screened at Singapore’s first AI film festival, this 13-minute movie takes viewers to the sweeping landscapes of Antarctica, where a team of scientists is braving the icy terrain to investigate a mysterious signal. The snow-covered panoramas are captivating, but as soon as the camera shifts to close-up shots of the characters’ waxy faces, you can tell these are computer-generated images.

    If produced as a live-action film by a major Hollywood studio, the cost of shooting at a real Antarctic location would run into the tens of millions of dollars. Even a traditional animated version might cost millions. Yet AI production platform Waymark had crafted this entire film on a “low five-figure” budget, as its co-creator Josh Rubin proudly states – a testament to the cost-efficiency of AI in film-making.

    This has implications beyond the film-making industry. Just as social media has boosted the marketing strategies of millions of businesses and individuals, AI film-making will likely help just as many create promotional videos, training materials, product demonstrations and social media clips without the need for expensive film crews, equipment and location shoots.