August 2024 AI Video Pipeline

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Love it or hate it, as of August 2024, AI Video still has a long way to go.

In this video, AI Samson lays out the current AI Video Pipeline. Although there are a few fledgling story-building tools in development, full-featured “story mode” is not yet available in AI video generators. The current pipeline is:

  1. Create the first and last frames of your clips
  2. Animate the clips between these frames
  3. Create audio and lip-sync the clips
  4. Upscale the clips
  5. Create music and SFX
  6. Edit everything together offline.

It seems new platforms emerge weekly but AI Samson makes these recommendations:

00:23 AI Art Image Generators
09:19 AI Video Generators
16:28 Voice Generators
18:02 Music Generators
20:44 Lip-Syncing
21:52 Upscaling

Keep an eye open for LTX Studio though.

My take: You know, the current pipeline makes me think of an animation pipeline. It’s eerily similar to the Machinima pipeline I used to create films in the sandbox mode of the video game The Movies over ten years ago:

September 8 deadline for CIFF Pitch Sessions

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Folks who follow this blog, know that I love Telefilm‘s Talent to Watch competition. It remains your best chance at funding your first feature film in Canada.

Until they allowed direct submissions from underrepresented folks two years ago, this is normally a two-stage process. Each of approximately 70 industry partners get to forward one (and sometimes two or three) projects to Telefilm and then the Talent to Watch jury selects eighteen or so for funding.

The prize? $250,000. One quarter of a million dollars.

Don’t belong to one of the Industry Partners? No problem!

The Chilliwack Independent Film Festival has got you covered. Launched last year, Pitch Sessions lets you throw your first feature project into the ring; five are selected to then pitch in person at the festival and the winner becomes CIFF’s nominee to Telefilm’s next Talent to Watch competition.

Oh yah, the top five also get free passes and a hotel room for the festival.

The deadline to apply to Pitch Sessions at the 2024 Chilliwack Independent Film Festival is September 8.

My take: If you’ve got a spare $100 and you want to hone your pitch in public, this is a great opportunity. Note that each industry partner sets their own rules but this is the only one I know of that incorporates a live pitch. Just be aware that Telefilm typically doesn’t open the Talent to Watch competition until mid-April.

Deadline approaches for women to apply to BANFF Spark

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The application deadline for this year’s BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media: Producers Edition is rapidly approaching: August 12, 2024.

BANFF Spark provides market access, training, and networking opportunities to help build more Canadian women-owned media businesses.

“Since the program began in 2019, BANFF Spark has already provided opportunities for more than 200 women entrepreneurs. The program is open to all candidates and is designed to empower women of colour, Indigenous women, women with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ women, and non-binary individuals.”

All selected participants will receive:

  1. Online workshops (that address the core components of business development).
  2. Networking opportunities with top industry professionals.
  3. A full-access pass to the 2025 Banff World Media Festival (June 8-11, 2025) and its complement of top industry sessions and international marketplace.
  4. A $1500 CAD travel stipend to attend the 2025 Banff World Media Festival
    (on the condition of in-person Festival attendance).

Apply here.

My take: I love that this is focussed on people and not squarely on projects. I don’t have to mansplain this, just apply!

Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony was spectacular!

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The Opening Ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were four hours long and I enjoyed every minute!

Lady Gaga performed!

And Céline Dion closed the show from the Eiffel Tower:

From the Olympics:

“For the first time in the history of the Olympic Summer Games, the Opening Ceremony will not take place in a stadium. The parade of athletes will be held on the Seine with boats for each national delegation. Winding their way from east to west, the 10,500 athletes will cross through the centre of Paris. The parade will come to the end of its 6-kilometre route in front of the Trocadéro, where the remaining elements of Olympic protocol and final shows will take place. Eighty giant screens and strategically placed speakers will allow everyone to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this show reverberating throughout the French capital.”

My take: It was spectacular! As it should be, costing a reported 120 million Euro.

July 2024 Tier List for AI Video

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Igor Pogany of The AI Advantage recently released a YouTube video that succinctly summarizes the current state of AI Video.

The tools he reviews are:

His favourites (dated mid-July 2024) are:

Runway GEN-3 Alpha and Luma Dream Machine for their clip outputs, but watch out for LTX Studio because of their overall project approach.

See the full tier list at 12:48 for the tl;dr.

My take: this is a super-valuable video that can get you up-to-date in under 14 minutes. Well worth your time.

Reality check: LTX Studio mid-2024

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You’ve seen the Sora samples. The Dream Machine videos. How does LTX Studio, touted as “the future of storytelling, transforming imagination into reality,” stand up?

Haydn Rushworth posted this review:

“There are whole bunch of things it does not do, but I love where it’s going and where I hope it’s going to go…. It’s brilliant for keeping track of all of the shots that you really do need to keep track of. It’s brilliant for scene wide settings and project wide settings, something I’ve been craving, and it’s really, really good at that. It’s great for casting. It’s brilliant for allowing you to then kind of just drop those characters in. I love the generative tools that will allow you to erase bits that you don’t need in your starting shot and to add other bits that you need that will help you tidy up the shot…. My two big gripes and I don’t think these are bugs that they’re going to fix, this is just fundamental features that it needs to be in there. One of them is every shot is slow motion…. Secondly, breaking the fourth wall. It drives me out of my mind!”

Note that LTX Studio can do lots of things:

  • Pitch Decks
  • Storyboards
  • Animatics
  • Videos

Check out the video at the bottom of the corporate webpage.

Here’s a peek at actually using LTX Studio by Riley Brown:

My take: In addition to Haydn’s slo mo and fourth wall gripes, I would add these requirements as well: movement and expression control including blinking and lip-sync. Mid-2024, one has to use each of the many AI tools for what it does best and then bring all the bits together in post. As an early proponent of Machinima (using video games to make movies,) I’m watching this space with interest. My conclusion: advances are being made but we’re nowhere near lucid dreaming.

How do you finance a low-budget movie in Canada?

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Case studies detailing how low-budget movies are financed in Canada are almost non-existent. But I found one!

Courtesy of LA’s The Film Collaborative, Rob Vroom details how he financed 2022’s $2.5M “You Can Live Forever,” a quirky tale of forbidden love. The seminal takeaway:

“We secure a pre-license TV deal that then triggers a top-up fund and the provincial and federal tax credits.“

The summary states:

“To fund Canadian narrative feature You Can Live Forever, Rob Vroom was able to utilize some of the same backers and funders he had used with previous films. They secured a pre-license TV deal that triggered Canadian federal top-up funding and Canadian tax credits. Canadian funding most of the time requires distribution to be in place beforehand, and although the film was Sarah Watts’ and Mark Slutsky’s first feature, Canadian distributor Mongrel Media stepped up and came on early.”

Robert explains:

“I proposed a CAD $2.5 million Canadian budget. I was able to raise that money through Telefilm Canada—through SODEC—which is our Quebec provincial equivalent to Telefilm, via a pre-license deal with CBC and a top-up fund through the CMF (Canadian Media Fund). If you can secure a pre-license fee of at least 5% of your budget, then CMF will top up another 15% of your budget, which for us was huge. And then of course tax credits.”

This table is very revealling:

equity / grant / TV licence / tax credit amount
SODEC CAD $750,000
Telefilm CAD $550,000
CBC Films CAD $125,000
CMF CAD $373,500
Provincial Tax Credits CAD $402,000
Federal Tax Credits CAD $80,000
COVID Support Fund CAD $195,000
Producer Investment CAD $15,000

To summarize how to finance a low-budget feature film in Canada:

  1. Get Telefilm Canada funding.
  2. Get a Canadian Distributor (see below.)
  3. Get a TV license to trigger CMF funds.
  4. Make the movie and apply for Canadian federal and provincial tax credits.

My take: Some might wait until their festival release and the hoped-for bidding war, but I think it’s a great idea to get a Canadian distributor on board as soon as possible. They can help you secure:

  • A direct pitch to a foreign streamer doing business in Canada that as of September 2024 must contribute 5% of Canadian revenue to CanCon (and they can choose to direct invest 2% of that 5%.) See http://www.informediation.com/blog/2024/06/19/is-the-digital-ecosystem-starting-to-look-a-lot-like-tv/ The Big Three are Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. (CAVCO insists you approach these through a Canadian distributor to qualify for Tax Credits!)
  • A Canadian TV deal. They’ll get you in the room to pitch to CBC (includes GEM,) Bell Media (includes CraveTV,) and Rogers. This will then trigger Canada Media Fund funds.
  • An Educational TV deal: Knowledge Network in BC and TVO in Ontario.
  • Airlines for in-flight entertainment.
  • US and International distribution deals.
  • A one-week screening in Toronto to qualify for the Toronto Film Critics Association’s $50K Rogers Best Canadian Film Award, perhaps the biggest film cash prize in Canada. See https://torontofilmcritics.com/awards/signature-award-2-2/ (Hey Rogers, why did you reduce this prize by half, from $100,000? Are you goading someone else to offer more? Netflix and Prime, I’m looking at you!)

Telefilm funds Lim’s “The Bryce Lee Story” for $500K

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Local Victoria, BC, filmmaker Arnold Lim has just secured $500,000 from Telefilm Canada towards the funding of his second feature film “The Bryce Lee Story“.

Arnold is in Paris currently, preparing as Photography Manager for the Paris Olympics — his fifth! He graciously replied to my questions by email.

Q: Congratulations, Arnold! What’s the log line for “The Bryce Lee Story”?
A: The Bryce Lee Story is the story of a young Asian boy named Bryce Lee, who lies about being related to Bruce Lee in order to fit in at school.

Q: What’s your budget and how much has Telefilm committed?
A: We are aiming for a $1.5-million budget, which will be my first low budget film as a Director after working predominantly in micro-budget filmmaking and Telefilm has committed $500,000 to our project.

Q: Where in the world and when are you filming?
A: I love Vancouver Island and feel my home island is vastly underrepresented on film despite literarily being one of the best places on earth. We plan to shoot most of the film in Greater Victoria and Chemainus. My goal is to shoot here for every film if possible.

Q: What’s the biggest issue you face right now?
A: The biggest challenge is funding! Always funding, but equal to that my biggest issue is probably going to be casting. Finding Asian actors in Canada, especially young Asian actors is very challenging for a lot of reasons: from there not being many opportunities for them to begin with, so there aren’t a ton of opportunities to gain on-set experience and grow as an actor; to the performing arts not necessarily being a focus for some Asian parents as an activity for their children. There are of course exceptions but largely casting is always one of my biggest fears going into any film I make that has an Asian lead.

Q: Are there any locations or props in the script that you know are going to be difficult to find?
A: I am going to be looking for working versions of some 90’s cameras so props and production design are going to be a major challenge because our film is set in the late 90’s ish — but I am also excited by the proposition, and grinding those challenges out with a group of dedicated and like-minded artists is something I am excited about.

Q: Are there any cameo roles and do you have folks in mind?
A: I do have at least one in mind. But I can’t say who it is quite yet. 😉 Sorry!

Q: How does going to the Olympics as Photography Manager impact your time?
A: I am very privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of the Olympic experience, but it is always a time of hyper focus for me because it is such a challenging job. In my opinion the amount of time and energy and love and artistry and passion and gruelling grind necessary is akin to making a feature film and I love the challenge of it, but it is a marathon and takes a lot of time and energy and pulls me away from my family. I really miss my wife and children when I am away.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
A: I can’t thank Telefilm enough for the opportunity to make a second feature film, but I am also extremely proud of and grateful to the amazing artists on Vancouver Island and in B.C. who work in and support independent film. I have this opportunity because of amazing people like the producer Lynne Lee and many, many other cast and crew, especially on Vancouver Island, who have chosen to work with me and share their passion and artistry even when the prospects of making money are low and the challenges are high. I can’t thank them all enough.

My take: What can’t Arnold do? Next week I’ll look a ways to raise $1M — if you have ideas, let’s hear them!

Sex in Cinema in 2024

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Stephen Follows claims in Why is sex in movies declining? that “Comparing each year to the baseline of 2000, we can see a steady decline in the amount of sex in feature films. By 2023, it had fallen by almost 40% from the start of the century.”

He says the reasons for this could be:

  1. There are fewer sexual scenes overall.
  2. There are more movies without any scenes of a sexual nature, particularly in action and thriller genres.
  3. Producers and filmmakers might be more sensitive to how sexual content could be perceived or potentially lead to controversy.
  4. Explicit sex scenes could result in more restrictive age ratings or censorship, thereby reducing a film’s international box office potential.
  5. There might be less demand for sexual content in wide-release films on family-friendly streaming platforms.
  6. There could be a rejection of outdated stereotypes as seen through a predominantly male gaze.
  7. The availability of more adult content elsewhere.

However, Jillian Angelini claims on Pop Sugar: Sex Scenes Are So Back — and Better.

She says, “Now, explicit films such as “Poor Things,” “Love Lies Bleeding,” and “The Idea of You” are sending a clear message: Hollywood is hornier than ever.”

She concludes:

“Sex scenes are back, but not like they were before. Instead, they’re transforming to reflect desires for more respectful and authentic intimacy. This era suggests a promising shift towards more inclusive cinema where on-screen intimacy can feel empowering and enlightening for all.”

My take: People who know me know I love romance in movies. Conversely, I abhor violence. Make love, not war!

Is the digital ecosystem starting to look a lot like TV?

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The Spring 2024 edition of the Canada Media Fund’s Perspectives is titled, “Embracing Change.”

Nicole Matiation of Nordicity posits:

“Content is still king, but market imperatives and evolving technology are reshaping business models. It is indeed back to the future as streamers and tech giants incorporate both advertising and subscription revenue streams into their direct-to-consumer business model…. The digital platform ecosystem is starting to look a lot like conventional television.“

Section 1 examines the shift towards a profitability model in the streaming industry. Major streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video are moving away from a subscriber growth-at-all-costs approach to focus on profitability. This includes introducing ad-supported tiers, bundling strategies, and emphasizing tentpole content releases to retain subscribers and boost revenue.

Section 2 analyzes audience behaviour, highlighting that while streaming is popular, linear TV remains relevant across age groups. Audiences still spend significant time watching traditional TV, prompting broadcasters and streaming giants to invest in live events, sports rights, and appointment viewing content to “win the living room.” It also explores the importance of second-screen engagement for content promotion.

Section 3 focuses on the video game industry. Seeing gaming as a new frontier for growth, major streamers like Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube are venturing into cloud gaming services and integrating video game content onto their platforms. While virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse faced setbacks in adoption, immersive experiences in gaming, extended reality (XR), and exhibitions are gaining traction, particularly among younger audiences. The industry is exploring ways to leverage this emerging space for storytelling and engagement.

Section 4 covers key factors shaping the industry’s future, including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI,) initiatives to reduce carbon footprints and the importance of demographic reporting and data collection efforts to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) in the media landscape.

You can read the full PDF.

My take: I think this report is overly optimistic and contrasts with global media trends. In the UK, Nic Newman on Reuters Institute says advertising revenues remain unstable, social media referral traffic is declining, and there is a significant shift towards paid subscription models, all while AI integration and ethical concerns around it are becoming critical issues facing media outlets. In the U.S., media companies are grappling with similar challenges: “Consumers are questioning the value of streaming media while also declaring their unwillingness to ever pay for social media. Just as streaming video providers are rebuilding the ad models that buoyed pay TV, fewer people surveyed are moved by commercial advertising and, instead, seek recommendations from trusted creators and influencers to help them navigate and find value. More are turning to online multiplayer video games for virtual friendship, content discovery, and brand and franchise interactions.” Globally, according to Deloitte, “Convergence has really defined the industry in recent years, as the lines between gaming, TV, and film become even more blurred. User-generated video is competing for audience attention — and advertising dollars. Underpinning all these trends is the influence of diverse and tech-savvy younger generations, who are redefining media and entertainment as they move freely across TV, film, gaming, and social media.” I feel that overall, while there are pockets of growth and innovation, the global media landscape is marked by significant economic, technological, and trust-related challenges that contrast with the hopefulness presented in “Embracing Change.”