AI and Hollywood: Some Key Questions




Ai is everywhere- or so it may seem. While much of the industry’s attention is on the direct impact of AI tools on aspects like video generation and copyright, there’s a more insidious side to consider- with the ever-present algorithm determining what stories get visibility and audience-reach, the stakes are rising. Brandon Blake, our entertainment attorney on the inside from Blake & Wang P.A, unpacks some key issues.

The Data Conundrum

While the hidden hand of catering to the ever present algorithm is most felt on social media, Hollywood is not free from its grasp either. In particular, viewership data- often played very close to the chest by individual platforms- suffers from something of a feedback loop created by recommendation engines in streaming services. Is human-first innovation dead? Not quite- but it may be in its demise, with what machines will let viewers see increasingly responsible for shaping… well, what viewers get to see in the first place. If algorithms, not true human taste, are deciding what stories get told and what doesn’t, there’s considerable knock-on ramifications in both fiction and non-fiction spaces. 

Curation is the Biggest AI Risk, Not Creation

Are creators right to be worried about the impact of AI on their mediums? Definitely. But the biggest risk in using AI for the broader moviegoing culture may not be its impingement into the creation process, but the dangers of allowing it curation powers. Why take risks if AI is promising a sure-fire hit? It’s human nature to want a fall-guy when making executive decisions, and AI-generated data sets may well be the ultimate fall guy for executive hesitation on new ideas and takes. For TikTok and company, maybe it doesn’t matter if a dopamine-driven spate of kitten videos comes to dominate the data set. For more sophisticated projects, however, something more than ‘viewer engagements’ needs to drive the decisions. Especially when ‘age regression’ and ‘deep fakes’ enter the argument.

Of course, AI and technology in general has a role to play in shaping the future of filmmaking. However, it is equally critical that it stays a tool to streamline development, and doesn’t become the ultimate decider in what gets made and what doesn't. A tool, not a replacement for human judgment (and accountability). And right now, it seems AI interference in the creative process could go either way.                                         

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Is Kung Fu Panda 4 the Key to a Reinvigorated 2024 Box Office?

Image
 With Dune: Part Two having finally powered up the 2024 box office, it's time to build on that impetus if the wider box office recovery is to continue. There could be another strong contender lurking in the wings for this weekend’s releases- but it will doubtless surprise you to learn that this hope lies with the fourth installment of the animated Kung Fu Panda saga! Blake & Wang P.A. entertainment attorney Los Angeles , Brandon Blake, has more on this ironic twist for us.                                                                          Brandon Blake Two $40M Grosses on the Cards For the first time since July 2023 and the Barbenheimer dual release, we have a chance at not one, but two, films grossing over $40M this weekend. In fact, those figures may top $50M! While Dune: Part Two...
Read more

Netflix Ad Tier Turns in Fantastic Growth

Image
 What a difference half a year can make! With Netflix’s ad-supported subscription tier first launched only 18 months ago, the streamer has managed to nearly double its subscriber base since the start of 2024. Blake & Wang P.A. entertainment lawyer , Brandon Blake, fills in the details. Brandon Blake Impressive Subscriber Gains Netflix’s total subscribers for the ad-supported tier now number 40 million monthly active users. In January 2024, it was 23 million. The streamer was understandably gleeful to reveal this news at its first in-person Upfronts presentation in New York earlier this month. At its first-ever Upfronts presentation, which was held digitally in 2023, the ad tier had 5 million monthly active users.   Additionally, we were told that 40% of active signups now opt for the ad-supported plan, in countries where it is currently available. Of course, much of this can be attributed to a rather kind price ($7 domestically) for this tier, well below most of ...
Read more

Hulu on Disney+ is Officially Here

Image
While the Hulu on Disney+ Beta bundle has been live since last year, we have officially reached the point of full integration. Intriguingly, much of the executive focus on the new bundle has been around the technical advancements needed to unite the two platforms. You could take a look at entertainment lawyer Brandon Blake, from Blake & Wang P.A., looks in more depth at the united offering.                                              Brandon Blake Technical Advancements While few viewers are likely to know (or care, frankly) about the backstage technology that powers their viewing experience, Disney executives have been keen to hammer home the potential for happier, healthier subscriber engagement and retention with the new tech shift. They have gone as far as to call it the “most extensive technical advancement” since launch. At this point, it is clear that they ...
Read more