Lionsgate Teams Up With Runway On Custom AI Video Generation Model

AI Enters Hollywood: Lionsgate, the studio behind major franchises like John Wick and The Hunger Games, has partnered with AI startup Runway to create a custom video generation model using the studio’s vast library of films and TV shows.

• The partnership aims to develop AI tools that can assist filmmakers, directors, and other creatives in augmenting their work throughout the production process.
• Lionsgate’s vice chair Michael Burns views this collaboration as a way to create “capital-efficient content creation opportunities” for the studio.
• Several Lionsgate filmmakers have reportedly expressed excitement about the potential applications of this AI technology in pre-production and post-production stages.

Runway’s AI ambitions: The startup has gained attention for its generative models, which have previously raised questions about the use of unlicensed content from the internet.

• Runway’s CEO, Cristóbal Valenzuela, emphasizes that the goal is to provide filmmakers with new ways to bring their stories to life, positioning the AI as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement for human creativity.
• The specifics of the deal, including compensation for creative teams whose projects may be used as training material, remain unclear.

Industry implications: This partnership comes at a time when AI implementation in the entertainment industry is increasing, despite concerns from many filmmakers about job security and creative control.

• Lionsgate, known for its smaller budgets compared to other major studios, may see this AI integration as a way to keep production costs down.
• The use of AI in film and TV production was a significant point of contention during the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, particularly regarding the creation of AI replicas of background performers.

Legislative landscape: Recent developments in California highlight the growing tension between AI advancement and protecting creative professionals’ rights.

• Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed two SAG-AFTRA-backed bills granting performers and their estates more control over the use of their digitally created likenesses.
• Another bill, SB 1047, currently under consideration, could make AI developers liable for “critical harms” caused by their products.

Balancing innovation and ethics: The Lionsgate-Runway partnership raises important questions about the future of content creation and the role of AI in the entertainment industry.

• While the technology promises to enhance creative processes and reduce costs, it also brings concerns about job displacement and the potential misuse of actors’ likenesses.
• The industry will need to navigate carefully to ensure that AI augments rather than replaces human creativity and that proper protections are in place for performers and creators.

Looking ahead: The impact of AI on Hollywood’s future remains uncertain, but collaborations like this one between Lionsgate and Runway are likely to become more common.

• As AI technology continues to advance, it will be crucial for studios, unions, and lawmakers to work together to establish ethical guidelines and protective measures for creative professionals.
• The success or failure of this partnership could set important precedents for how AI is integrated into film and TV production in the coming years.