From CGI to AI: Is Hollywood Being Replaced One Reel at a Time?
It's 3:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
I got up to go to the bathroom because nature called. Which, by the way, is considerably better than taking care of business in bed.
Why am I mentioning this?
Well, last night during our Fraternity Zoom, one of my Brothers, who ran the New York City Marathon, apparently forgot he'd told us he wore Depends—or a diaper, depending on your preferred terminology—during the race.
He then accused me of providing "fake news."
I am simply reporting what was previously shared with the group. I can't be responsible for somebody's memory failing them. 😂
Anyway...
After taking care of business, I checked the website metrics for NielFlamm.com and then did what far too many of us do when we're awake at an unreasonable hour.
I started doomscrolling Facebook Reels.
And then I came across this video:
It sparked a thought.
Wait a minute... these are full-length movies?
I've noticed something increasingly interesting on Facebook Reels.
I'm seeing more and more full-length movies. And when I say full-length, I mean at least an hour and 30 minutes. Not a five-minute short or a collection of stitched-together clips.
Actual movies.
Some are animated. Others are romance or drama, with characters, dialogue, storylines, scenes, music, and what looks like a complete production.
And here's the interesting part: Some of these productions appear to have been developed using artificial intelligence.
I use the word developed intentionally. I'm not necessarily talking about a traditional movie production where actors perform in front of cameras.
And I am not going to get into the whole "filmed" versus digitally recorded debate. Most modern productions are captured digitally, although film formats such as 35mm and 65mm are still used.
The point is that we're seeing something different.
Haven't we been doing this for years? It's called CGI.
Then I thought to myself...
Self, hasn't this been going on for ages?
Well, yes. It's called CGI.
CGI stands for Computer-Generated Imagery. It's the use of computer graphics to create or manipulate visual content in movies, television, video games, and other media.
Think dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, entire digital worlds, creatures, explosions, and characters that would be difficult or impossible to create practically.
CGI has been part of movie production for decades.
But what I'm seeing on Facebook Reels seems to be taking things another step.
Instead of using computers to create individual elements within a traditionally produced movie, these productions appear to be using AI tools to develop much more of the movie itself.
Characters. Dialogue. Environments. Scenes. Music.
Potentially an entire movie.
And that is a very different conversation.
The Asian connection
Something else caught my attention.
Several of these videos and movies appear to come from Asia.
The particular video I came across featured what looked like a version of the Justice League. It uses recognizable trademarked characters and material. That raises a separate question about intellectual property, licensing, and whether the people creating these productions have permission to use those characters.
I'm not making a legal determination about this particular video. But it certainly makes me wonder how intellectual property rights will be handled as AI-generated entertainment becomes easier to produce and distribute.
The other productions I've seen seem to take an original idea and build an entire movie around it using AI.
There is dialogue. There are different scenes. There is music. Characters interact with each other.
If it weren't for a few cultural clues, I might not have recognized where some of these productions originated.
For example, I noticed American-looking characters bowing to show respect to a boss, leader, or wealthy person. Those little details gave me a hint about the production's cultural origin.
And that's fascinating.
Meet Aeysa: The singer who isn't quite real
This actually reminds me of another example: Aeysa.
At first, I thought this singer was real.
You know, flesh and bones. Somebody who gets up in the morning, gets dressed, goes to work, and probably deals with the same nonsense the rest of us do.
Except she's not a traditional human performer.
She's an AI-created musical artist.
When I watched the videos, I started noticing little clues.
Look at the crowds.
They're almost too perfect. Everyone seems to be arranged just right. Nobody looks particularly sweaty, drunk, or high. Nobody seems to be out of place. The crowd looks like it was assembled in a perfect grid.
Now, maybe that's just me being picky.
But those little imperfections are part of what makes a concert look and feel real.
Real people don't always behave predictably. That's kind of the point.
The future: Cutting out the middle people?
Here's where I start to feel mixed.
I find the technology interesting. In fact, I think we're still in the infancy stage of what AI-generated entertainment will become.
The possibilities are enormous.
Imagine someone with an idea, a computer, and access to the right AI tools creating a feature-length movie without a traditional production company, a cast, a crew, or a recording studio.
That could open the door for people who never would have had the resources to make a movie.
But there's another side to this.
What happens to the actors?
The musicians?
The cinematographers?
The sound engineers?
The people behind the camera?
One of my Fraternity Brothers is a sound guy. He works with sound equipment and holds a boom microphone. That's a real job requiring skill, experience, and an understanding of how to capture sound.
And those are just a few of the people involved in making a movie.
The future could mean removing many of the people who traditionally make entertainment possible.
And that is a shame.
Sometimes the imperfections ARE the entertainment.
Think about what makes a movie special.
It's not always the perfect lighting. It's not always crystal-clear sound. It's not always a flawless performance.
Sometimes it's the way the camera moves.
It's the lighting that isn't quite right.
It's the actor's expression, the unexpected pause, or a line delivery that feels spontaneous.
It's the sound engineer adjusting to something unexpected.
It's the cinematographer finding a shot that nobody planned.
It's the little things that happen when real people are working together to create something.
Those imperfections can give a movie personality.
AI can generate something that looks polished. It can create a crowd that looks perfect, a singer who never misses a note, and actors who never forget their lines.
But does perfect automatically mean entertaining?
I'm not so sure.
Where does this go from here?
I don't think AI-generated movies, music, or other entertainment are going away.
Quite the opposite.
The technology is going to improve. The tools will become easier to use, the productions will become more sophisticated, and it may become increasingly difficult to tell what was created by humans and what was generated by AI.
There are legitimate creative opportunities here. There are also serious questions about copyright, compensation, employment, and what happens to the people who have spent years developing their craft.
I'm curious to see where this goes.
But I also hope we don't get so caught up in what technology can do that we forget why we enjoy entertainment in the first place.
Sometimes the best part of a movie is the part that isn't perfect.
And I don't need every person in a concert crowd to look like they just came out of a showroom.
Give me a little sweat. Give me a little chaos. Give me a sound guy holding a boom microphone.
Give me the good, the bad, and the stupid.
Because if everything becomes perfect, where's the fun?
What do you think? Is AI-generated entertainment the next big thing, or are we heading toward a future where the people who make movies and music become increasingly unnecessary?
Let me know what you think.
And for more of the good, the bad, and the stupid... NielFlamm.com.
Or don't. 😉
Godzilla Minus Zero: Was a Two-Hour Drive to the World's Tallest IMAX Worth It? OH, YES! 🦖
Last weekend, while Airica was out of town, I took a little road trip.
First stop: Bluffton, South Carolina, to pick up my nephew.
Next stop: Pooler, Georgia, and the Royal Cinemas IMAX — home of the tallest IMAX screen on Earth!
This was my second trip to this theater. It's approximately two hours from me and about 30 minutes from Bluffton.
And if you're wondering whether the drive was worth it...
A LOUD AND AFFIRMATIVE YES!!!
I went to see Godzilla Minus Zero, which picks up where Godzilla Minus One left off.
We catch up with Koichi Shikishima and Noriko Oishi as they try to rebuild their lives with Akiko. Japan is still recovering from the devastation of World War II and the destruction left behind by Godzilla.
A lot is going on beneath the monster-sized destruction.
The movie revisits the aftermath of the atomic bomb dropped by the United States, the resentment and desire for revenge directed toward Americans, and the difficult decisions involved in dealing with a creature that threatens an entire country.
There's also the question of what it means to protect a nation while facing the possibility of eliminating a one-of-a-kind creature.
And then there's the family story.
The movie tugs at the heartstrings, drawing on the experiences of war orphans, the importance of family, and the choices people make to keep children and loved ones safe.
It also includes interesting discussions of genetic mutations and the consequences of natural selection.
I found the writing particularly strong. The story kept moving, and despite a runtime of approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, I never felt that it dragged.
The acting is what I would describe as typical over-the-top Japanese acting, but it works. It fits the movie, and the performances remain consistent with the storytelling.
I also want to give credit where it's due: the writing, acting, cinematography, and CGI all work together to keep this movie engaging.
But let's talk about IMAX!
I saw Godzilla Minus One in a traditional theater with laser projection.
That was a good experience.
But seeing Godzilla Minus Zero at Royal Cinemas IMAX?
A WHOLE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE!
Godzilla was bigger.
Godzilla was louder.
And when that enormous creature takes over the screen, you understand why seeing this movie on the biggest screen available makes such a difference.
I also appreciated how the movie used the screen.
Scenes that didn't need the entire IMAX presentation were shown in a letterbox format. That made the dialogue scenes, which are primarily in Japanese with English subtitles, easier to follow.
It's a thoughtful presentation that lets the movie use the full screen when it matters most, without making every conversation a challenge to read.
And believe me, when Godzilla shows up, you want that screen!
One more thing...
No traditional post-credit scene is waiting for you.
But there IS a post-audio teaser.
So don't necessarily rush out the door when the movie ends!
I won’t spoil what happens.
You'll have to experience that for yourself.
My verdict?
Was the two-hour drive worth it?
Absolutely.
Was the IMAX experience better than seeing Godzilla Minus One in a traditional theater?
For me, yes.
Did the story keep me engaged for 2 hours and 15 minutes?
Without question.
This is exactly the kind of movie that reminds me why theatrical moviegoing can still be special. Sometimes, the screen, the sound, and the environment really do make a difference.
And in this case, bigger was definitely better.
If you're considering seeing Godzilla Minus Zero, I recommend finding the best IMAX presentation available.
And if you're anywhere near Pooler, Georgia, Royal Cinemas deserves a serious look.
Now, I want to hear from you!
Did you see Godzilla Minus Zero? Did you see it in IMAX? And would you drive two hours for a movie experience like this?
Let me know in the comments!
For more of the good, the bad, and the stupid...
Or don't. 😉