Renowned Hollywood filmmaker Tyler Perry announced that he has indefinitely halted his Atlanta studio’s $800 million expansion plans. According to the Hollywood giant, this decision came after he experienced the mind-blowing developments in artificial technologies, including OpenAl’s text-to-video model Sora.
Perry’s announcement comes after OpenAl debuted the software on February 15, 2024, days before the release of his recent film on Netflix, “Mea Culpa.” According to the OpenAI website, Sora is capable of generating minute-long videos.
Furthermore, the website noted Sora does this “while maintaining visual quality and adherence to the user’s prompt.” “We’re teaching Al to understand and simulate the physical world in motion,” the San Francisco-based Al company said.
“With the goal of training models that help people solve problems that require real-world interaction.” The renowned filmmaker reportedly started planning the expansion four years ago. According to reports, the proposed expansion would add 12 soundstages to the 330-acre property.
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Tyler Perry said in an interview that hearing AI can do those things is “one thing.” “But seeing the capabilities, it was mind-blowing,” he added. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the renowned filmmaker noted how Sora would help with movie production.
Perry noted that his productions “may no longer have to travel to locations or build sets.” In addition, Tyler Perry told The Hollywood Reporter that he’s been “watching Al very closely.” He also noted that he heard murmurs about Sora’s launch last year.
However, he stated that it was when he saw OpenAl’s demonstrations that he realized the technology’s potential. “It’s shocking to me,” Tyler Perry told the outlet. When asked what shocked him, Perry responded, “I don’t have to put a set on my lot. I can sit in an office and do this with a computer.”
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In addition, Perry said he’s used Al in two unannounced films to avoid sitting in the makeup chair for long periods. “That kept me out of makeup for hours,” he said. “In post and on set, I was able to use this Al technology to avoid ever having to sit through hours of aging makeup.”
Although Tyler Perry noted AI’s multiple advantages, he expressed his concerns. The multitalented filmmaker said the technology makes him worry for “everyone in the film business.” “I was looking at it, and I immediately started thinking of everyone in the industry who would be affected by this,” he said.
Perry states this includes actors, transportation workers, sound engineers, and editors. “I’m thinking this will touch every corner of our industry,” Tyler Perry added. During the interview, Perry also called Al’s use in Hollywood “up in the air.”
In addition, he described it as “malleable” due to how quickly the technology is evolving. “I feel everybody in the industry is running a hundred miles an hour to try and catch up,” he said. “To try and put in guardrails and to try and put in safety belts to keep livelihoods afloat.”
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Tyler Perry added, “We’re all trying to figure it out.” Despite using Al, Tyler Perry told the outlet that he feels no pressure to continue doing so. The renowned filmmaker stated that his studio is “doing extremely well.”
While he noted that the technology does not affect him, he expressed concern about the upcoming people in the industry. “I’m concerned about what will happen to them,” he said. In addition, Perry said that “a lot of jobs are going to be lost” in the near future.
Consequently, Tyler Perry said the solution is for all the film unions to stand together during contract negotiations. “I think this is a time for galvanizing one voice in notion to help save,” he said. “And protect the individuals of our industry.”
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