Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[BuddyThomas]

Advocating isn't the right word here, because I have no ability to impact the decision by Disney to use A.I. for voiceover work. This all started when the topic came up of Bill Hader not being in Inside Out 2 because Pixar wouldn't pay him big bucks for the voiceover work. Obviously the movie went on without Bill Hader's voice, or his agent's cut of that voice.

Geez, there's another job that can go away; talent agents. If the talent is A.I., there's no need for an agent.

And it's now obvious that A.I. can be used for voiceover work. So if Disney needs to reduce their bloated budgets for animation, and they certainly do, why not use A.I. for at least some of the voiceover roles? It would be cheaper and likely faster.

I'm sure this type of technological change will happen in the near future at Disney and Pixar.

So, you’re advocating for this in post after post after post after post, and now you’re not advocating for it. Got it.

 

[Disney Irish]

Advocating isn't the right word here, because I have no ability to impact the decision by Disney to use A.I. for voiceover work. This all started when the topic came up of Bill Hader not being in Inside Out 2 because Pixar wouldn't pay him big bucks for the voiceover work. Obviously the movie went on without Bill Hader's voice, or his agent's cut of that voice.

Geez, there's another job that can go away; talent agents. If the talent is A.I., there's no need for an agent.

And it's now obvious that A.I. can be used for voiceover work. So if Disney needs to reduce their bloated budgets for animation, and they certainly do, why not use A.I. for at least some of the voiceover roles? It would be cheaper and likely faster.

I'm sure this type of technological change will happen in the near future at Disney and Pixar.

Why stop there? I mean if you're going to use AI to replace voice actors you might have well just keep going. Have AI replace all the animators, writers, directors, any actor at all.

Then have AI replace all CMs, you'd never have to worry about seeing facial hair then when riding Pirates again. Better hope AI can fix it when it breaks though -



Disney would save a bundle, no costs what so ever.

 

[TP2000]

So, you’re advocating for this in post after post after post after post, and now you’re not advocating for it. Got it.

You don't think A.I. is going to try to be used in the entertainment industry at all?

Because I think it's going to show up sooner rather than later in Hollywood. And I imagine it will start with voice acting roles.

 

[BuddyThomas]

You don't think A.I. is going to try to be used in the entertainment industry at all?

Because I think it's going to show up sooner rather than later in Hollywood. And I imagine it will start with voice acting roles.

You imagine wrong.

 

[Disney Irish]

You don't think A.I. is going to try to be used in the entertainment industry at all?

Guess you never heard of ILMs Stagecraft.

Still doesn't mean voice actors will be replaced anytime soon.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Guys, just stop responding. It's pointless to try to discuss things with certain posters. Just let them talk and ignore it.

 

[Disney Irish]

Guys, just stop responding. It's pointless to try to discuss things with certain posters. Just let them talk and ignore it.

Yes but sometimes its fun to see where things go.

 

[celluloid]

Because it’s still acting, which is a uniquely human skill.

hilarious on a Disney site.

 

[TP2000]

Don’t think it can happen? The movie industry is the buggy whip manufacturers and AI Entertainment is the car. It’s only a matter of time.

That's my thought too.

I just don't see how A.I. can change the world but be kept out of only one industry; Hollywood and media. Not just in the onstage roles, but backstage stuff too; editing, lighting, special effects, audio, etc.

And what happens if once A.I. is handling the more menial tasks of acting like background extras and minor supporting roles, it gets a shot at a leading role? And what if it's good? And we laugh, or cry, or have whatever human emotion the director wants us to have via the story because of that A.I. actor or actress on the screen? Then what?

But the thought that A.I. won't make a lot of current jobs that require "intellect" totally obsolete across many industries is what makes me chuckle.

Seriously, where is my girl with her steno pad?!? I need to issue a memorandum on this A.I. topic!

 

[LittleBuford]

hilarious on a Disney site.

Why? Characterisation in all animated Disney films is reliant on human skill, from the animators to the voice actors. Would you disagree?

 

[BuddyThomas]

That's my thought too.

I just don't see how A.I. can change the world but be kept out of only one industry; Hollywood and media. Not just in the onstage roles, but backstage stuff too; editing, lighting, special effects, audio, etc.

And what happens if once A.I. is handling the more menial tasks of acting like background extras and minor supporting roles, it gets a shot at a leading role? And what if it's good? And we laugh, or cry, or have whatever human emotion the director wants us to have via the story because of that A.I. actor or actress on the screen? Then what?

But the thought that A.I. won't make a lot of current jobs that require "intellect" totally obsolete across many industries is what makes me chuckle.

Seriously, where is my girl with her steno pad?!? I need to issue a memorandum on this A.I. topic!

This is what makes you chuckle? How telling. And by the way, do you remember a little something called the SAG/AFTRA strike? AI crap was one of the reasons for the strike and actors got some protections in the new contract.

 

[BuddyThomas]

hilarious on a Disney site.

Why?

 

[Tha Realest]

As Disney's only new movie in theaters for March and April, here's how The First Omen is faring thus far financially, after three weeks and with the estimates from overseas just coming in late this afternoon for this weekend's box office. It will need to hit approximately $90 Million at the global box office to break even.

The First Omen: Production $30, Marketing $15, Domestic $11, Overseas $11 = $23 Million Loss and improving

View attachment 780781

The First Omen (2024) - Financial Information

Financial analysis of The First Omen (2024) including budget, domestic and international box office gross, DVD and Blu-ray sales reports, total earnings and profitability.

www.the-numbers.com

So does this mean we’re not getting The Second Omen?

 

[Tha Realest]

In 2024, it would seem we're about at the point where human-guided AI could create perfectly acceptable voiceovers for animation.

And where will the technology be in 2026? In 2028? Etc.?

It seems that AI is definitely one of the ways this new tech could replace human talent. Human talent that is often costly, depending on what type of ratings their latest sitcom or movie recently got.

Moore’s Law + advent of quantum computing means this day will be here before we know it.

 

[Tha Realest]

Which is why many companies are now ensuring their employees know that its to assist not replace jobs.

They’re training their replacements. They just don’t know it yet.

 

[Disney Irish]

This is what makes you chuckle? How telling. And by the way, do you remember a little something called the SAG/AFTRA strike? AI crap was one of the reasons for the strike and actors got some protections in the new contract.

Its funny to think how if the AI is intelligent enough to replace actors it wouldn't also want the same rights and other protections that human actors have. Imagine an AI strike where instead of Hollywood being shutdown it just shuts down the entire world. Yeah good times....

 

[BuddyThomas]

So does this mean we’re not getting The Second Omen?

The second omen is “The Omen”, the original film. You would know this if you had bothered to see the film instead of just blab.

 

[Disney Irish]

Moore’s Law + advent of quantum computing means this day will be here before we know it.

Given that transistors on chips are already hitting its natural physical limits before the atomic scale, not sure how its possible to continue Moore's law much longer. NVidia CEO couple years ago said the same thing.

Quantum computing is another matter and it has a lot of possibilities as we've seen over the last couple years. But none that I think will benefit Hollywood anytime soon.

 

[Disney Irish]

They’re training their replacements. They just don’t know it yet.

Depends on what industry you're talking about.

 

[Willmark]

That's my thought too.

I just don't see how A.I. can change the world but be kept out of only one industry; Hollywood and media. Not just in the onstage roles, but backstage stuff too; editing, lighting, special effects, audio, etc.

My background is information technology, just today we were talking about how AI can handle certain repetitive tasks like the automation of say editing out a background of a photograph for a product/item and how that integrates in a workflow to go to a website.

At the current time in this scenario say AI looks at 50 images and does said task that would have taken a person to do it in substantially more time. AI can do in far less time than they ever could. Instead of them doing the actual work, they are now checking the results. In time it likely will only need to be spot checked then only when there is an issue. Eventually that need is "replaced" by AI.

That is what AI is in the short term: assistive not a replacement… yet. It’s a time saver but it’s only at the earliest stages.

And on a long enough timeline there is certain segments of industries that could be whole-sale replacement.

Only question is when, not if.