Iconic Horror Filmmaker Making AI Scary Movies Sounds Like A Terrible Idea
Jason Blum is the latest major Hollywood figure to agree to a deal with a major AI company, according to The Hollywood Reporter, he is entering into a pilot program to make short films with the technology. The famous horror producer will be teaming up with Meta, serving as the director of a short film. That choice will throw him and Blumhouse Studios deep into controversial territory with fans and many within the film industry.
The Meta Movie Gen
Meta has been testing its new Meta Movie Gen tool which generates video and audio based on text prompts. Jason Blum is one of a handful of directors who signed a deal to help Meta finetune that AI tool. The shorts are non-commercial, being used to help test and refine Meta’s technology before its larger release.
So far, three short films have been made with Meta Movie Gen, and Jason Blum’s will be the fourth created using the controversial AI technology. Casey Affleck, Aneech Chaganty, and the Spurlock Sisters directed the short films that have already been made. Chaganty’s short, i h8 ai was the first to be released, officially kicking off the pilot program.
The AI Controversy
Jason Blum’s involvement in AI filmmaking is troubling for many fans, as the artistic use of technology has become incredibly controversial. Generative tools like Meta Movie Gen are built on pre-existing works of art, which some feel are a form of creative theft. The environmental impact of the technology has also come under fire due to the massive amounts of energy they require, a problem text-to-video is expected to exacerbate.
While there’s inevitably going to be some fan pushback to Jason Blum’s AI short, the response within the film industry will likely be much worse. Concerns over the technology replacing human jobs were central to last year’s Hollywood strikes and animators are expected to strike next year over the issue. One of horror’s most important producers dabbling with the technology is sure to create some professional tension and possibly drive creatives away from the company.
Commenting on his involvement with the program, Jason Blum called AI a new tool for directors. He emphasized that creative humans would always be the driving force behind filmmaking and claims he wants to help refine the technology so it caters to the needs of those creatives. His statement made no mention of the creatives who won’t be involved in making the short film or future projects made in its mold, like actors.
A Growing Problem
The pilot program Jason Blum is involved with is just one small part of the emerging text-to-video AI trend. OpenAI developed a similar tool called Sora, and the company has reached out to several studio executives about using it. Adobe has also stepped into the world of text-to-video generation with Firefly Video Model, which is currently in Beta.
A Hollywood producer helping to refine new filmmaking technology wouldn’t normally be a reason for concern, but Jason Blum’s AI usage is a troubling development. The technology threatens numerous jobs in the industry and it’s particularly disappointing to see a newer, groundbreaking studio like Blumhouse welcoming that change. His short film will be released in 2025 and it’s sure to ruffle more than a few feathers.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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