On Thursday, May 16, more than 850 filmmakers, AI startups, technologists and media executives gathered at Los Angeles Center Studios for “AI on the Lot,” a one-day conference on the growing applications of genetic artificial intelligence in filmmaking . Organized by the AI education nonprofit Artificial Intelligence of Los Angeles, the conference featured a keynote from former Warner Bros. executive Renard Jenkins, several panels, hands-on demos, and concluded with . an hour-long screening of AI films created as part of a competition in the days leading up to the event.
The auditorium was standing room only.
Returning to Los Angeles for a second year, AI on the Lot brings together thought leaders from established AI companies such as NVIDIA and Dell, pioneering founders such as Edward Saatchi of Simulation AI, and acclaimed directors and presenters such as David Slade ( Black Mirror), Matt Nix (Burn Notice) and Mark Goffman (Bull). The general focus was on the ways AI can augment filmmakers’ workflows, which can lower VFX and animation costs, allowing smaller teams to achieve more with less.
Todd Terrazas, Executive Director and President of AI LA;
“As creators and studio executives alike seek opportunities to better understand GenAI and how it will impact the entertainment industry, AI on the Lot is a timely opportunity to meet the artists and technologists leading this latest revolution in filmmaking,” said Todd Terrazas, Executive Director. and President of AI LA.
The conference kicked off with former Warner Bros. technology executive. Renard Jenkins to give a keynote address on Generative AI applications in the film industry. Jenkins is now President and CEO of I2A2 Technologies and President of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. Jenkins is a gifted orator, something he says he inherited from listening to his grandfather, who was a preacher.
Keynote speaker Renard Jenkins is now President and CEO of I2A2 Technologies and Chairman of … [+]
Jenkins addressed the fears people have, particularly in Hollywood, that people will walk away from the process. That they will lose their jobs. “Hollywood is a dream factory.” He said. “We get to enjoy the output of so many people. I see AI as a way to improve that, but some people see it as a warehouse of nightmares.” Jenkins sees AI as a tool, like Adobe illustrator. It is to “enhance, not replace”. AI won’t save money, he said, but it will save time.
Jenkins’ view of the human being at the center of the AI creation process was later countered by panelist Edward Saatchi of The Simulation, which launched Showrunner a year ago. As a proof of concept, the showrunner created episodes of South Park from a single message. Saatchi believes that legitimate, original entertainment can be crowdsourced and episodes written by AI with minimal text messaging. There could be AI channels that created content that prompts itself. Actually, The Golden Key, which won Best Immersive Experience at SXSW in March, were tales written and illustrated by Stable Video. The world was enchanted. It could be a YouTube channel or a streaming service. No one else was talking about it.
The AI winner of the Lot “Cinema Synthetica” contest.
The day ended with the screening of three AI short films in the Cinema Synthetica competition. “Love at First Bite,” a “zom-com” (zombie romantic comedy) created by AI filmmakers Nem Perez, Adriana Vecchioli and Jagger Waters. The film used real actors (Vecchioli and Waters) and a variety of AI/tech tools including Midjourney, Runway, Adobe Premiere Pro, LensGo, Magnific, Udio, Topaz Labs and ChatGPT, as well as a script by Emmy Award winner Bernie Su . .
