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Sven Bliedung von der Heide: "It will be another four years before we can make AI-based films"

Sven Bliedung von der Heide: "It will be another four years before we can make AI-based films"
Photo: © Volucap

The film industry is affected by the rapid development of AI systems like no other; it encompasses the entire process chain. One example of this is volumetrics: Volucap is not only the only volumetric studio in Germany, but also the global market leader. AI tools are an integral part of the company. We spoke to Managing Director Sven Bliedung about his business and how AI could revolutionize film in the future.  

 

INTERVIEW  Boris Messing    

 

CCB Magazine: Hello Sven. You are Managing Director of Volucap, the first and only volumetric studio in Germany. Is your system already based on AI?    

Sven Bliedung von der Heide: We are the studio with the highest image resolution in the world - this sets us apart from other volumetric studios and makes us the global market leader. And of course, we use a whole range of AI tools. It takes a lot of algorithms just to estimate the depth data in order to generate 3D animations later on. For example, there are always areas where the camera cannot see, and the black spots then have to be calculated by the AI. We have a total of 42 cameras filming from all angles, and a 3D figure has to be created from this at the end.

CCB Magazine:Volucap was involved in the fourth film in the Matrix saga, Matrix Resurrections, among others. Can you explain in more detail how such a volumetric capture works?  

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:In contrast to photogrammetry, where a still image is taken of objects that are then animated, volumetry can be used to capture the movements of an actor. The computer games industry actually only takes photos of objects or people and then animates them. That's why they often look so doll-like, because it's not filmed in three dimensions like we do. We record all variations of an actor's movements that are later used or shown in a movie. In contrast to a motion capture system, we no longer have to simulate anything after shooting. The resolution is extremely good. You can even see the eyelashes on faces and our level of detail is by far the best in the world.

CCB Magazine:Today, real people have to come into your studio to be captured volumetrically. How long will it be before AI systems can create people entirely from 2D images? 

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:I don't think that will take much longer. The only question is how detailed this view will be. The difficulty will be to achieve photorealistic quality. In any case, there will be more and more opportunities to create people in 3D on the basis of normal video data. I think it may be another four years before we can make completely AI-based films - without a human having to do anything, with a script and everything.  

The big competition for actors will be AI actors. In future, actors will have to make an effort to be digitally recorded - this way they keep the licensing rights for themselves and also earn money from appearing as an avatar

CCB Magazine:Now that you mention it, the screenwriters' strikes in the USA were not very long ago. When will it be possible to replace actors with AI systems? Today, you can already turn an old Harrison Ford into a young Harrison Ford. 

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:Have you seen the new Indiana Jones movie?

CCB Magazine:No. 

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:It doesn't always look good with young Ford. But to answer your question, yes, the big competition for actors in the future will be AI actors. Now it's the case that well-known actors like Harrison Ford can increase the value of a film production through their presence. At the same time, however, there is a trend towards increasing animation of actors. In the future, actors will have to make an effort to be recorded digitally. This way, they keep the license rights for themselves and also earn money when they appear as an avatar without necessarily having to be present at the shoot themselves.

CCB Magazine:But the actors can't be completely replaced after all. Only their form changes to a certain extent.

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:Well, I think that could change faster than we think. If you look at 4DPeople.com, for example, there's already a whole catalog full of ready-made 3D extras. If you go to the movies and want to see a good action movie, it doesn't really matter whether it's a real actor or an AI actor. People with real biographies will not be decisive for the success of a production, just like in blockbuster films. Disney films, for example, also work - without any humans at all. They are all invented characters. We will see how society changes and how acceptance of AI characters may increase. Overall, we are becoming more tolerant of digital content. 

CCB Magazine:In any case, it is clear that no other creative industry is as affected by the changes brought about by AI as the film industry. In which areas are AI tools already being used as standard today? Where do you see the greatest potential?  

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:What many people don't realize is that there is no one AI tool that replaces this or that. The reality is that AI is being used throughout the entire production chain. Many tools are already being used as tools. Adobe, for example, has built in a whole range of AI tools under the name Firefly, where you can automatically convert scripts into storyboards and also create 3D animations of scenes. This is all still in the beta stage, not yet a standard, but offers great potential.

With our technology, it is already possible for actors to be a character in a video game and earn money from it. The gaming industry is many times larger than the film industry - this opens up completely new opportunities

CCB Magazine:Developments in AI are coming thick and fast. Is it even possible for a studio like yours to keep pace with technological developments?

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:We work together with many research institutes such as the Fraunhofer Institute, Stanford and the Max Planck Institute. So we always have our finger on the pulse of development. We are in regular contact with these institutions and therefore have access to technologies before they even come onto the market. We provide them with data and they show us the basic research they conduct with it. It's a win-win situation.

CCB Magazine:Perhaps an idle question, but I have to ask it: What about jobs in the film business, which jobs might be eliminated by AI and which new ones might be created?

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:Hard to say. AI systems constantly need new training data sets to train with, which means that actors will still be needed, but their field of activity will probably change. The actor helps to improve the AI. Many will have to reorient themselves, but there will also be new markets. With our technology, for example, it is already possible for actors to be a character in a video game and earn money from it. The gaming industry is many times bigger than the film industry. This opens up completely new opportunities. 

CCB Magazine:How has Volucap changed with the availability of AI? Will you still be around in five years' time?

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:I don't think we'll still be doing traditional 3D animation in five years' time. We have created a camera system with which we can generate very high-resolution data that can later be used for AI training data. Our longer-term goal is to generate training data that will continuously improve the AI systems. This is because the training data sets that improve AI systems are slowly being exhausted. Our business model will change so that in future we will only supply training data. 

CCB Magazine:Finally: What will the movie of the future look like?

Sven Bliedung von der Heide:Mmh. When I imagine Netflix in five years, you go to the website, choose your genre and actors and then the movie is created on demand. It will be completely customized content. You won't need a camera anymore. 

CCB Magazine:I'm excited.

Category: Innovation & Vision

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