We all know AI-content is getting more realistic, but a demo commercial created by digital artist László Gaál shows how rapidly the technology is advancing. In this three-minute video, everything except Gaál himself talking about the process is AI generated.
Not only is the footage for the commercial itself — people, scenery, cars, etc. — entirely AI-created, so is the behind-the-scenes footage showing sets, cameras, crew and everything else.
It’s clever: not only does the video fool most viewers with the commercial, it creates an even more amusing escalation by showing (falsely) how the video was filmed.
This video was created using an AI video generator, Veo 2 from Google DeepMind. That version is still in experimental mode — there is a waitlist get access. Google says Veo 2 has been optimized to reduce the probability of “hallucinations” like hands with too few or too many fingers.
Is AI going to replace moviemaking as we know it today? Not yet. As impressive as the demo video is, there are clearly limitations. For one, 1080p resolution might be fine for a YouTube short, but serious commercial work will need to be higher.
Veo 2 is currently text-based, which means one can’t upload images of locations, sets, or people. This can create issues with, for example, consistent characters. Gaál had to work around this limitation with detailed prompting and, presumably, multiple tries when needed.
Viewers of the demo video have also pointed out the very quick cuts. These could indicate that the “reality” of the AI video breaks down in longer clips. But, Gaál says the quick cuts are an artistic choice and has promised to publish some longer clips showing that the AI content holds up.
Whatever the limitations of the Veo 2 demo, it’s clear that video production is heading toward AI.
Amazon Prime’s Rings of Power is estimated to have cost $465 million for the first season alone. It’s easy to see why. This two minute video offers a glimpse of what went into creating the series:
Another show that uses exotic locations and huge sets is HBO’s House of the Dragon. This video shows the scale of the behind the scenes work to create one episode:
Scouting and filming in exotic locations, building enormous and highly detailed sets, creating elaborate costumes and more all swell the cost of a series like this. Even if you keep the human actors and film them against a blue screen, imagine the cost savings from generating everything else with AI.
Need a craggy outcrop overlooking a windswept beach on a cloudy day? No need to fly to Scotland, just imagine it in AI. Want an elaborate set of ceremonial armor with extensive engraving and studded with jewels? No need to spend weeks in a metal shop crafting it, let AI do it.
Filmmakers are already using AI and CGI extensively, but we can expect their use of it to expand dramatically as better and more powerful tools become available. The Oscar-nominated films Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist were recently under controversy for using AI.
Video production isn’t cheap, at least not if you expect high quality and great production values. If Porsche decided to produce a television commercial set in various locations around Italy, with some scenes appearing to be from years past, the cost would surely run into six figures.
In contrast, the AI demo add took Gaál, working alone, an estimated three weeks for creating both the ad and the behind the scenes footage, editing and sound production.
A small team with better tools than the experimental Veo 2 will be soon able to create impressive videos in a few days without ever leaving their studio.
Marketers with limited budgets (aren’t they all?) will benefit from the ability to create ads and video content that looks as expensive as those from the biggest brands. In particular, the ability to realistically create locations anywhere on the planet, set in any time period will open a world of new opportunity.
Even before these powerful video tools become available, marketers can create all kinds of content with AI, including podcasts.
We’re not yet able to quickly create all of our video content with AI, but we’re clearly getting closer.
One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.
Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.
In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site’s Terms of Service. We’ve summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.
Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:
User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:
So, how can you be a power user?
Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site’s Terms of Service.