MIP London Panel Takes Optimistic Stance on AI, Citing ‘Shogun’ Success and ‘Brutalist’ Concerns

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A MIP London panel has taken an optimistic stance on artificial intelligence in production.

On Tuesday, Mark Endemaño, a partner and head at international consulting company AlixPartners, shared their research with peers in the same field and a discussion group, taking place at London’s Savoy Hotel.

The panel consisted of Eline Van Der Velden, the CEO/founder of Particle6, Jason Mitchell, founder of The Connected Set, and Avi Armoza, CEO of Armoza Formats, all of whom shared an optimistic perspective on the application of artificial intelligence in cinema, television, and broader content creation.

En this example, Endemaño cites various case studies that utilized technology, such as FX’s Emmy Award-winning series “Shogun,” which incorporated virtual actors to enrich its battle scenes, the Netflix documentary “Churchill at War” which employed Churchill’s voice to narrate letters and speeches, and the podcast “Virtually Parkinson,” a revival of late British TV presenter Michael Parkinson’s interviews made possible by AI voice technology.

Endemaño acknowledged that within the creative community and among fans, there’s a significant resistance towards AI. A notable instance of this is seen in ‘The Brutalist’, where a debate erupted over voice manipulation, and ‘Heretic’, which included a disclaimer stating that no AI was involved in its production. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider safeguarding intellectual property at every turn.

AI isn’t vanishing, it was emphasized, and unlike trends such as virtual reality, it’s not a fleeting phenomenon. Instead, ethical AI is the path we should be taking. As Endemaño explained, “It’s about producing content that honors intellectual property rights, human creativity, and employs technology to enhance storytelling, rather than for technology’s sake.” Additionally, transparency, privacy, accountability, and environmental considerations are crucial aspects to focus on, but ultimately, we need to establish rules and principles that encourage responsible, ethical AI usage.

Mitchell, who runs The Connected Set production company, has employed AI in various ways such as image and video generators, sizzles with AI-generated footage, and chatbots for scriptwriting assistance. However, he clarified that they are not currently using AI in live productions due to broadcasters’ apprehension towards its inclusion at this time.

Van Der Velden argued against the idea that advancements in artificial intelligence must replace human input. “Now we’re producing short films entirely through AI,” she explained. “This includes synthetic humans – even drama series solely created by AI. People often overlook the creative process this entails. As a human, you play a crucial role when brainstorming ideas with AI. You need to be extremely engaged.

While Mitchell concurred and emphasized that the application of AI isn’t intended for reducing workforce in production, Armoza pointed out: “If you consider writing rooms with fifteen individuals, [with AI] you might only need two or three. I believe we should acknowledge this trend. It could potentially lead to a profession requiring fewer people.

Mitchell shared insights about his company’s Snapchat output: “Previously, we created three episodes weekly. Now, utilizing AI, we could generate three episodes daily. Consequently, we post 15 videos a week, which translates to a fivefold increase in earnings while maintaining our current workforce. I believe there’s almost an endless supply of content we can share.

The inaugural MIP London runs Feb. 23-27.

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2025-02-26 18:54