Hong Kong Filmmakers Embrace AI to Cut Costs and Boost Creativity

Hong Kong's film industry, turning, ai, save, time, money, come is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce production costs and enhance creativity. Filmmakers are utilizing AI-generated virtual sets to eliminate the need for physical locations and automating tasks like video editing and visual effects.

Why this matters: The adoption of AI in the film industry has far-reaching implications for the global creative economy, as it could lead to increased efficiency and reduced costs for productions worldwide. Moreover, the integration of AI in filmmaking could also democratize the industry, making it more accessible to emerging talent and diverse voices.

Film producer Roger Proeis, CEO of Votion Studios, has created a fake railway station using AI within his 5,000 sq ft studio in Hong Kong's New Territories. Proeis believes that AI is revolutionizing, the, rise, ai industry, changing the way traditional filmmakers work, and trimming costs.

The key benefits of AI in film production include creating realistic virtual locations, automating tasks like video editing and visual effects, and saving time and resources. Film editor Wong Hoi estimates that using AI could at least halve the cost and time needed to create film locations.

Visual effects artist Evan Halleck used AI tools from Runway to automate tasks on the Oscar-nominated film "Everything Everywhere All At Once". "It was cutting things out better than my human eye was, and it gave me a clean mat that I could use for other things," said Halleck. Rotoscoping, in, opinion, has, been, very, slow, painful, process "So, it was nice to automate things."

Runway CEO Cris Valenzuela has seen the growth of AI adoption in the film industry. "They're using it, not just for its speed, but it automates the tedious and time-consuming aspects of making videos and films," said Valenzuela. "It's transformative because it frees up your time and costs to focus on the creative iterations and ideas. It translates days of work into minutes."

However, some filmmakers remain skeptical about the use of AI. Filmmaker Norman Chan Hok-yan believes AI and technology cannot fix the most pressing issues in Hong Kong's film industry, such as the lack of diversity in genres and the dominance of a few well-known stars. Veteran filmmaker John Chong Ching says Hong Kong's film industry is more concerned about breaking into the mainland and overseas markets.

Despite the skepticism, Alibaba Digital Media and Entertainment Group has announced an investment of at least HK$5 billion in Hong Kong's culture and film industries over the next five years to help reboot the sector. The industry has struggled with stale formulas, reliance on the same group of ageing actors, and competition from online streaming platforms.

As Hong Kong's film industry grapples with these challenges, the adoption of AI offers a potential path forward. By reducing costs, automating tedious tasks, and enabling more creative freedom, AI could help revitalize the industry and allow Hong Kong filmmakers to focus on crafting compelling stories that resonate with global audiences.

Key Takeaways

• Hong Kong's film industry is adopting AI to reduce costs and enhance creativity.
• AI-generated virtual sets and automated tasks can halve production time and costs.
• AI can democratize the industry, making it more accessible to emerging talent and diverse voices.
• AI tools can automate tedious tasks, freeing up time for creative iterations and ideas.
• Alibaba is investing HK$5 billion in Hong Kong's film industry to help reboot the sector.