AI-Produced Films: Disney and Various Producers Interested in the Chinese Seedance Model
Artificial intelligence dedicated to video production continues to gain ground in the film industry. Following controversies surrounding an artificially generated video featuring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in a rooftop fight, Seedance, the model developed by ByteDance, is increasing its presence in the United States due to the interest of various filmmakers and independent producers.
The video, lasting about 15 seconds, drew strong criticism from Hollywood, with accusations of potential copyright violations. Despite this scenario, ByteDance has continued to promote its technology through dedicated events, private meetings with industry professionals, and collaborations with filmmakers interested in AI-based productions.
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, one of the key features that makes Seedance particularly competitive is the relationship between image quality and generation cost. According to data from Artificial Analysis, the Chinese model currently represents one of the most cost-effective solutions available on the market. Generating one minute of video with audio costs about $9, compared to $24 required with Google Veo.
Some film productions are beginning to integrate this technology as well. Director Rupert Wainwright plans to use it for the film "Sebastian", set in 3rd century Rome, with a production that will alternate between traditional shooting and sequences created with AI. Producer Steven Schneider of "Paranormal Activity" announced "Terrarium", a hybrid horror project directed by Jason Zada that will make extensive use of Seedance.
Zada describes a workflow that is very different from traditional methods. Scriptwriting, casting, scene generation, and editing can proceed simultaneously, allowing for modifications to the narrative based on the footage created each day by the AI. According to the director, producing 15 seconds of HD video costs just $5.
Among the most appreciated aspects is the ability to maintain greater visual consistency of characters between shots. Filmmaker Kavan Cardoza uses Seedance to create the fantasy series "The Chronicle of Bones", explaining that he created the protagonists from reference photos, reused by the model to achieve a consistent graphic identity throughout all episodes.
"The rise of Seedance is due to its focus on meeting the needs of filmmakers and producing cinematic-looking products," said Stephan Vladimir Bugaj, senior vice president of JioStar, a joint venture between Disney and India's Reliance Industries. ByteDance has indeed introduced additional specific tools designed for cinema professionals, such as timeline-based prompting, which allows for interventions at precise moments in the video sequence, as well as improvements in the management of camera movements, lighting, scene physics, and animation fluidity.
However, the growing spread of the platform has not alleviated the concerns within the industry. Questions remain, especially regarding intellectual property, actor rights, and potential geopolitical risks associated with using models developed in China.
Meanwhile, competition among AI video generation models continues to increase. On one side are American solutions like Google Veo, Runway, and Luma, while on the other, Seedance, Kling, and Alibaba's HappyHorse are rapidly advancing. Producer interest seems to focus mainly on the performance offered and operational cost, elements that are contributing to accelerating the adoption of hybrid film productions based on artificial intelligence.