Picture this! It’s Saturday night. You’re on your couch, scrolling endlessly through a gazillion movie titles on your television.
Then you click on a new app on your favorite streaming service.
Let’s call it: “Filmmaking Stuff On Demand.”
But unlike other streaming services, this app lets you create the movie you want to watch in real-time. So from a drop-down menu, you choose a story set in rural Pennsylvania about a 20-something down-on-his-luck appliance store salesperson who one day meets a successful entrepreneur from New York.
Then you add some classic ‘now or never’ drama and maybe a love interest. You click ‘Create,’ and voila! A movie perfectly tailored to your tastes begins playing. Sounds like sci-fi, right? Well, yes and no.
Creating Custom Movies with AI
If the scenario I just described becomes a reality, you might wonder if AI will take your job. If history teaches us anything, the good news is probably not. Or at least not anytime soon.
Years ago, producers were concerned that cheap cameras and easy distribution would enable everyone and their grandpa to make movies and call themselves filmmakers.
This would saturate the market in ways akin to sweatshop labor producing comparable goods for less money.
As it turns out, that’s precisely what happened. However, what also happened was that many of those movies were so bad that whenever something good would hit the market, word quickly spread. And just like always, movie audiences bought good movies and ignored the bad movies.
AI and the Evolution of Filmmaking
What happens when AI can analyze the history of movies, reduce it into a formula, and produce whatever the audience wants to see? This is nothing new.
Smart people in Hollywood have already reduced movies to essential plot points and formulaic elements.
“Let’s hire a famous director and cast a famous actor in an epic movie written by a top screenwriter. This is going to be a blockbuster!”
But guess what? Many blockbuster movies do bomb. A lot. This is because a film is not remembered for hitting every plot point the audience expects.
A great movie is remembered for the unforeseen and subtle nuances that leave you with a lasting emotional impact long after the movie ends.
And when it happens, it’s magic.
Think about it like this. What type of movie would Jaws be if the mechanical shark had worked? Or what about the day Harrison Ford had stomach issues on the set of Indiana Jones? And in a rush to get to the bathroom, he used a gun in a sword fight? That scene became iconic.
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
AI will undoubtedly transform the movie industry. But it’s essential to remember that AI is a tool. It’s meant to aid us, not replace us. It doesn’t eradicate your unique creative perspective or innate craving for compelling stories.
The key to success in the fast-evolving landscape of film production is to stay one step ahead of the curve. By learning to utilize AI effectively, we can prepare ourselves for whatever surprises the future might hold.
Change is a part of life, and it’s especially true in the dynamic world of filmmaking.
Filmmakers are no strangers to change. We adapt, we innovate, and we embrace the new. If we can stay ahead of the curve and harness the power of AI, we’ll be ready for whatever the future holds.
As my father would often remind me, “Jay, change is part of life. Things change.”
And if you’re ready to be part of this exciting future and want to stay ahead of the curve, why not join the Filmmaking Mastermind? We have a few seats left, and we are enrolling now. So get started.
