Is AI the future of movie-making?

 

Is AI the future of movie-making?

I. Lead-in. Discuss the questions with other students

A.   How do you think artificial intelligence (AI) could change the way movies are made?

B.   Do you think AI could ever replace human actors in movies? Why or why not?

C.   In your opinion, should filmmakers rely more on AI technology or traditional methods? Why?

 

II Match the words from the left column to to their meaning. Use four words in your sentences.

  

1.	disruption	A.	all the episodes of a television series available to buy or download
2.	consistent	B.	the most typical and conventional
3.	enchanted	C.	typical of an imaginary state in which there is great suffering, oppression, and injustice
4.	box set	D.	to recognize something as different
5.	streamer	E.	means of making a living
6.	reluctant	F.	reasonably priced
7.	to enhance	G.	a child of a famous or successful parent, whose own success is believed to be due to their family connections
8.	mainstream	H.	easy to use and understood
9.	to distinguish	I.	unwilling to do something
10.	dystopian	J.	a company that streams video
11.	livelihood	K.	disturbance or problems that interrupt a process
12.	to unleash	L.	having a magical quality
13.	affordable	M.	of the same quality
14.	accessible	N.	to improve the quality of something
15.	nepo baby	O.	to allow something very powerful to happen suddenly

 

III. Interactive vocabulary. Follow the link. Study the words using flashcards, check your understanding, practise spelling new words. Play matching vocabulary game and solve the crossword puzzle. Take a test to check your knowledge.    

https://www.studystack.com/EditData2.jsp?saved&studyStackId=4207884

 

IV Watch the video and fill in the gaps with the words you hear.

 

In the country that popularized film a new generation of startups believe they

are laying the foundations for a massive 1) ________ to the movie-making world.

- Let me show you how it works. I'm going to start with a simple one, which is text to 2) ________.

 By using generative AI companies like Runway can create videos in seconds that would normally take a 3) ______      ________artist days.

-        Let's do a sky with clouds. I can choose directions on style or cinematic choices, or angles that I want to preview. I really like this one. It seems like the light is coming out of the clouds. The AI is taking that 4) ________and now generating a video out of that. The AI is basically able to take that 5) ________and create consistent realistic and accurate videos that represent what you're writing. You can see now the clouds are moving, the sky is turning a bit dark, a storm is coming. These are short clips of four seconds that I've just generated from text, but I also put them together in a small clip. So, let's see how that looks.  

The AI is able to predict how objects might move.

 -You can 6) ________with a brush what objects you want to move within that picture. So, in this case I will select just the sky, and you can see now the sky is moving. I can select the boat, and now the boat is going to move as well. I can select here a person walking on the street or the smoke from the cigarette.

 .. or how things look from different 7) ________.

-        In director mode you can move a camera almost like a video game: top, left, down, up, 8) _____   ___, zoom out, and use that as the starting point for any story you want to tell. 

The AI also allows actors to be 9) ________with a click.

-        You can use it for generating different worlds, basically any world that you want. So here I'm in my office in New York but let's say I want to go to one enchanted fantastical world. So, I just clap my fingers like this and I'm now using this video plus a text 10) ________to transport myself into another world. I can go into an anime world. So, I can do and 11) ________between different universes just by using AI.

  Runway is one of a number of companies hoping to make AI 12) ________to the future of the movie business. So how long will it be before your local Multiplex is showing 13) ________     ________entirely generated by AI or producing an entire High box set for a streamer? Runway’s founders are reluctant to give a 14) ______   ______ but they believe it's a case of when, not if.

-        Someone will make a movie just with your phone that will be watched by hundreds of millions of people. It's going to change the 15) ________of filmmaking and the landscape of cinema.

 

V Watch the video in Task IV or read all the text in  Task IV. Are the sentences true (T) or false (F)? Correct the false statements.

1.    New startups are changing the way movies are made.

2.    By using generative AI, companies create videos in days that would normally take a visual effects artist just a few seconds.

3.    The AI can interpret the language and generate consistent, realistic, and accurate videos that reflect what you're writing.

4.    The AI can predict the movement of objects.

5.    With AI, you can define the appearance of objects from various angles.

6.    In director mode, you can move a camera almost like a movie: top, left, down, up, enhance the color, and use that as the starting point for any story you want to tell.

7.    The AI makes it possible to instantly alter actors with a single click.

8.    You can use it to generate different worlds, but it can only create realistic worlds and not fantasy ones.

9.    I can do and switch between different universes just by using AI.

10. The founders of AI startups are unsure about when things will happen.

11. The founders of AI startups are convinced that it's just a matter of months before their vision becomes a reality, not whether it will happen.

12. Everyone will create their own movies using just their phones but there will be no audience to watch these creations.

 

VI Watch the video and put the sentences in the correct order. Note that the sentences in the exercise aren't the exact ones you hear, but they convey the same information.

 

A.   Having AI tools doesn't automatically make someone a filmmaker. The heart of creativity remains in experimentation, and these tools enable faster experimentation than ever before.

B.   When it comes to blockbusters, AI might excel in genres like animation and sci-fi. However, realistic films such as historical epics pose a challenge for generative AI.

C.   We're still at the early stages of this technology, but it won't be long before we reach a point where distinguishing live-action footage from AI-generated video becomes difficult. AI could eventually revolutionize the movie industry and have the same impact as the invention of the camera itself.

D.   Of course, the idea of machines creating videos based on text prompts may not appeal to everyone.

E.    There are concerns that AI could eliminate jobs, even replacing human actors on screen. However, proponents of AI in filmmaking argue it has the potential to unleash new forms of creativity.

F.    Currently AI struggles to achieve the lifelike quality these films require. Some AI-generated content can appear very surreal, akin to Salvador Dali’s style.

G.   This shift could mean fewer advantages based on family connections and more chances for outsiders to make their mark. Consequently, the most significant change will be who gets to tell stories.

H.   By making film production more affordable, AI could democratize the industry, offering opportunities beyond traditional Hollywood circles.

I.      The invention of the camera was a pivotal moment that created a new art form through technology. Similarly, we're now at a critical moment where a new era of cinema is emerging.

J.     This technology is still in its early stages in the film industry. Runway, for instance, has been used prominently in big-budget movies. Beyond mainstream cinema, artists and filmmakers are experimenting with shorter films.

 

VII Comprehension check. Watch the video in  Task VI  and answer the questions.

1.    What examples of high-profile use of AI technology I film industry are given in the video?

2.    How is AI technology used outside the commercial mainstream?

3.    What film genres is AI currently suited for?

4.    What genres cannot fully embrace generative AI yet? What are the problems of using generative AI technology in those genres?

5.    What big companies are working on their own text to video generators?

6.    What fears are associated with the use of generative AI in the film industry? 

7.    According to the video, what opportunities might the use of generative AI in filmmaking offer? 

8.    In which way can generative AI offer more opportunities for outsiders in Hollywood?

 

VIII OVER TO YOU. Get ready to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using AI in filmmaking. Use the questions below to organize your ideas:

A.   How do you think AI could impact the types of movies that are made? Do you think it could create new genres or styles?

B.   In what ways can AI help filmmakers explore new storytelling techniques or genres that were previously challenging or impossible?

C.   What are the potential drawbacks or challenges of relying on AI technology in filmmaking?

D.   How might AI-powered filmmaking affect the diversity of stories and perspectives represented in movies? Can you think of any examples?

E.    Do you believe AI could eventually replace certain aspects of filmmaking traditionally done by humans, such as cinematography? Why or why not?

F.    What do you predict will be the biggest challenges and opportunities for the industry in the next decade?