Mega-producer Tyler Perry put $800 million expansion plans for his Atlanta, Georgia, studio on hold after seeing the capabilities of OpenAI’s new Sora model, which allows users to create video images from text prompts. .
“It’s one thing to be told it can do all these things, but to actually see what it does is amazing,” he told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday about Sora, which debuted on Feb. 15. he said.
Perry, whose new film “Mea Culpa” premieres on Netflix on Friday, said the expansion will add 12 more sound stages. However, all of that is “currently and indefinitely on hold,” a decision Perry made in response to the potential impact Sora would have on the film’s production as we know it. As an example, Perry envisions a scenario where the need to shoot on location and build sets is a concern of the past.
“I’ve been hearing about this for about a year now, but I didn’t know until recently when I saw a demonstration of how it would work. It’s mind-blowing to me,” Perry said. Told.
“You don’t have to go on location anymore. If you want to be in the snow in Colorado, it’s a text away,” he continued. “If you want to write a moon scene, it’s text and this AI can generate it like it’s nothing.”
Perry called Sola a “game changer” with the potential to allow filmmakers to produce films and pilots at a fraction of the cost, but added: “Many jobs will be lost in the near future. I’m very concerned that this may happen,” he added. lost. “
Perry acknowledged using AI in two recent projects that will be announced soon. By using this AI technology, we were able to eliminate the need for hours of makeup application both after and on set. ”
The makers of “Madea” explained that “like any studio in town,” they are “trying to figure it all out.”
“It feels like everyone in the industry is running 100 miles an hour trying to keep up, trying to put up guardrails and put on their safety belts, just to make a living,” he said.
