Knowledge

Transform Your Video Production with AI

26 May 2023 | Madhuwanti for Red Bangle

Lights, camera, AI! Yes, you heard us right! With the rise of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the world of video production. It’s already impacting Hollywood, from pre-production to post and marketing in the form of generative AI.
We are talking about special effects and CGI, script writing, casting, and distribution. It’s already providing production teams with a range of powerful tools to create, edit, and distribute videos more efficiently and effectively than ever before. We already saw it being used to knock decades off Harrison Ford for a scene in the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Then there was Sunspring, a short science fiction movie written entirely by AI in 2016.
In this blog, we’ll explore further how AI is transforming video production and the exciting possibilities it holds for the future of the industry.

Automated Editing

One of the most significant ways AI is transforming video production is through automated editing. AI-powered editing software like Lumen5, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Magisto, among others, use morph cuts, auto reframe, automatic scene editing, and machine learning algorithms to analyze raw footage, identify the best shots, and stitch them together to create cohesive story.

This process is much faster than traditional manual editing and can save production teams time and effort. They can also convert text into video, color correct, and adjust lighting, and sound levels to enhance the overall quality of the video.

One such example is the trailer of the horror movie Morgan, which was edited using IBM’s Watson AI system. The AI analyzed the movie’s scenes and identified the most suspenseful moments to create a 60-second trailer. It builds tension by highlighting the movie’s key plot points. The AI also selected the most effective shots, scenes, and sound effects to create a polished and engaging trailer that effectively promotes the movie.

Personalized Content Creation

It’s no joke. AI is enabling video production teams to create personalized content for specific audiences. AI algorithms can analyze user data, such as browsing history and social media interactions, to understand their preferences and create videos that cater to their interests. This allows video production teams to deliver targeted content that resonates with their audience, increasing engagement and driving higher conversion rates.

An example that comes to our mind is the celebration of 30 years of partnership between Adidas – the footwear and apparel partner of the Boston Athletic Association (BAA). The digital agency Grow and Adidas created 30,000 custom and personalized videos for every runner of the Boston Marathon as part of their #createlegend campaign. The production team shot, edited, rendered, and delivered every film within hours of completing the 2018 Boston Marathon. The campaign drove 12x in product sales.

This was a clear example of how the brand can deliver more relevant and engaging content to its target audience, which can further build brand loyalty and drive sales.

Advanced Animation

AI is also transforming the animation industry, making it possible to create more complex and realistic animations. AI-powered animation software like Cascadeur, Plask, Radical, DeepMotion, etc, can create characters, environments, and objects based on real-world physics and behaviors, giving them a more lifelike appearance. This technology is particularly useful for creating animations in fields such as science and engineering, where accuracy is critical.

An apt example is Seasons, a two-minute animated film created collaboratively by an artist, AI, and various software tools, including Daz3D, Unreal Engine, Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere.
The artist adapted Stable Diffusion ML algorithms, originally designed for creating images, for animation. For the uninitiated, Stable Diffusion ML algorithms are used for generating images from prompts. The resulting movie is lifelike with a dreamy quality, showcasing AI’s potential in producing inspiring art.

Speech Recognition

AI-powered speech recognition technology is transforming the video production industry by quickly and accurately transcribing audio, making it easier for editors to create closed captions and subtitles. This is particularly useful for making content accessible to people with hearing impairments or non-native speakers. Speech recognition algorithms use machine learning to analyze speech and transcribe it into text, saving editors significant time and effort. This technology is revolutionizing the industry by improving accessibility and making video content more inclusive.

Real-time Analytics

AI-powered video analytics software can provide real-time insights into how users interact with video content. This data can help video production teams understand which parts of the video are most engaging, where users drop off, and what elements could be improved. With this information, video production teams can optimize their content for maximum engagement and conversion rates.

Visual Effects

AI can also be used to create and enhance visual effects in videos, from adding CGI elements to adjusting lighting and color grading. It also learns to recognize objects, reconstruct scenes, manipulate images and videos, and generate and even render new VFX effects in real-time to make the video more realistic and interactive.

Coldplay’s inventive yet stunning music video Up&Up by Israeli directors Vania Heymann and Gal Muggia comes to our mind.

The video’s stunning visual effects with a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere (read where eagles fly underwater, the planets bop about on a city sidewalk and volcanoes popcorn) demand your undivided attention.

It was created using a combination of practical effects, such as filming actors on green screens, and digital effects, which were added using a variety of tools, including Adobe After Effects and Maya.

The digital effects allowed the video’s creators to create complex and otherworldly scenes, such as a giant hand reaching down from the sky to hold a city in its palm, or a massive whale swimming through the clouds. These were seamlessly integrated with the live-action footage, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing film.

Besides the aesthetics, there are concerns. To start with, deep fakes (remember Donald Trump’s arrest and Pope in a stylish white puffer coat) cause mayhem with misinformation, perpetuating biases and job displacements of writers and voice-over artists, among others. Additionally, there is a risk that AI-generated content may lack the creativity and nuance that comes from human input, potentially leading to a decrease in the overall quality of video content.

Despite that, we will see growth and innovation in AI technology. Effects will be profound and powerful that the video production industries haven’t even imagined. However, as with any new technology, caution must also be exercised in the development and deployment of AI in video production to ensure it is used ethically and responsibly.

Want to make a video that can leverage AI tools to create that mind-blowing video? Write to us at [email protected], and we’ll help you create it.