AIO Studios, the company of Polish director Patryck Vega, has created the images of realistic digital actors with a range of ages, races, genders, hairstyles, costumes, and styles of movement.
Vega was recently in Cannes to premiere a deepfake film, featuring an actor with Vladimir Putin’s image superimposed on his face, giving the impression that the Russian leader himself starred. Vega has expressed hopes this technology could be used more widely.
The technology his company has created will let directors choose the profiles and number of the extras they want, and then drop them into scenes to move around in the background, removing the need for real actors.
It comes after film and television productions were halted last year when the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America went on strike over the potential use of AI.
There were concerns that actors’ likenesses and voices could be used in their stead, costing them work. Scores of productions were put on hold and at risk when filmmakers downed tools for nearly five months, costing the US economy an estimated $5 billion (£4.08 billion), until a deal was struck that included protections against images and voices being replicated by AI.
‘I don’t have a problem with rights’
Vega said his AI extras would be available to “hire” with a range of looks and types of movement to make up the crowds in the background of pre-shot scenes.
He said: “I have made 50,000 human models that do not exist in reality, so I don’t have a problem with rights, or a problem with strikes in the future.
“I can bring the movie industry a tool where they can keep 50 per cent of their money.”
He added: “We had that strike in the United States, they couldn’t find an agreement.
“I decided to bring a resolution for the movie industry, by creating digitally generated crowds of extras.
“Extras are the most extensive cost in the budget, one of the most. It’s very risky from a production and financial aspect.”
At present, the AI extras all sport modern dress and hairstyles, but the company plans to expand the database to include other eras, allowing directors to use these background actors in period films.
