Disney Chief Scientist on How AI Transformed Film Production at the Company

During the recent IBC Conference, Markus Gross, Chief Scientist at The Walt Disney Studios, spoke about artificial intelligence technologies and how they change the film production process for both live-action and animated movies as well as shared what AI tools Disney is already using in filmmaking.

According to Gross, DisneyResearch|Studios (DRS) currently has over 50 researchers who work on reorganizing the film production and distribution pipeline using AI which is set to help the studio increase production efficiency reduce costs as well as support the creativity of screenwriters, directors, and other talent involved in film production.

Gross noted that Disney is already using AI to produce movies, including its capabilities in creating digital humans, virtual production, and deep video processing. He also emphasized that the company has made a lot of efforts over the last 10 years to create digital humans that would be indistinguishable from a real person and could convey real emotional depth.

The scientist shared that currently, specialists at Disney utilize motion capture and the deep learning of AI to create lifelike digital humans. As an example, he brought DRS's Medusa Facial Capture system which has already been used in more than 30 movies, including Avengers: Endgame.

Gross also revealed that DRS developed a capture technology that allows the creation of realistic-looking digital human eyes – this technology was used in Star Wars, for example – and added that AI is also used by the company to de-age or re-age people.

Speaking of animation and virtual production, Gross noted that AI is able to remove the "noise" from animated images, pointing out that this technology helps significanly reduce costs. He also stated that Disney planned to use AI and deep learning to create animated characters that are "truly art directable in real-time" and even touched upon the possibility that one day directors will be able to simply give animated characters verbal instructions about how they should move or which way they should walk.

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