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

[Disney Irish]

Yes he's impacted but not the way you have been talking about. He will still get jobs, his career as a voice actor won't be over. Yes, his brother could be impacted, I've said as much. Is that a bad thing? Of course. But someone here, I forget who, said when TP mentioned that jobs are always lost to new tech, it was said those aren't "creative" jobs. My point was there have been plenty of creative jobs lost to new tech and it sucks. But it's unfortunately part of life. If I was to bet, in my lifetime AI will not be good enough to completely replace voice actors for a feature film. I just don't see any AI being able to perform like a Robin Williams in Aladdin or any great performance.

And let's be honest. If Disney said, sorry Jim were going with AI for all the secondary Woody parts, Tom is100% blacklisting them. And when the majority of the popular stars refuse to work with studios because of the same type of situation. The problem fixes itself.

I’m the one who said AI won’t be able to do creative tasks like voice acting in a way like Williams or any other good voice actor does today. At least not for the foreseeable future. Will it be able to replace background noise like crowds and such, sure. But full on character dialog that is nuanced and needs emotion, no. Again at least not anytime soon.

And I agree that once a majority of actors start refusing to do voice roles, or roles in general, because of too many being replaced by AI it’ll fix itself and revert back to normal.

AI is a great tool and can help many industries. However as I’ve been saying now for awhile it should not be used as a complete replacement for human creativity. As once you do that what is left for humanity? Creativity is one of the most unique things about humanity and it should not be replaced wholesale just because of a new toy.

 

[erasure fan1]

The reaction he got (and, I suspect, wanted to get) wasn’t because he was suggesting that AI would gain increasing prominence—no-one is denying that

Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention. But what I got from what he was saying is that, this type of situation has come up throughout history. Lots of careers, creative or not, have been impacted by a change in technology. Does that make it magically right? No. But to say he's wrong because we are on a Disney forum and have more emotion to the subject seems strange to me. AI could be used for good things, and unfortunately there could be some casualties.

 

[LittleBuford]

Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention. But what I got from what he was saying is that, this type of situation has come up throughout history. Lots of careers, creative or not, have been impacted by a change in technology. Does that make it magically right? No. But to say he's wrong because we are on a Disney forum and have more emotion to the subject seems strange to me. AI could be used for good things, and unfortunately there could be some casualties.

This is what I and others were responding to:

It's a cartoon. You can't see the human doing the voiceover work. Just get AI to do it, and that could cut way down on the bloated budgets Disney and Pixar use for their animated films that no longer seem to break even at the box office.

Perhaps “just get AI to do it” doesn’t bother you, but it’s not a direction that I would ever want Disney to go in.

 

[DKampy]

This is what I and others were responding to:

Perhaps “just get AI to do it” doesn’t bother you, but it’s not a direction that I would ever want Disney to go in.

I am not responding to him anymore… as I suspect he is looking for a reaction… I suggest others to do the same…we are feeding into exactly what he is trolling for

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention. But what I got from what he was saying is that, this type of situation has come up throughout history. Lots of careers, creative or not, have been impacted by a change in technology. Does that make it magically right? No. But to say he's wrong because we are on a Disney forum and have more emotion to the subject seems strange to me. AI could be used for good things, and unfortunately there could be some casualties.

Not so much a Disney specific forum but a forum about a company whose business is art. Whose business is creativity.

Automation and technology will always impact jobs and the employment of people, but I can't see there being much room for reasonable debate when it comes to whether or not a content creating company should use artificial means to do so.

Especially since much of the conversation here has been focused on the quality of Disney's output.

 

[erasure fan1]

However as I’ve been saying now for awhile it should not be used as a complete replacement for human creativity. As once you do that what is left for humanity? Creativity is one of the unique things about humanity and it should not be replaced wholesale just because of a new toy.

I think we agree a lot more than not. Creativity is an extremely important part of life. Without it things would be pretty awful. At the same time, being a creative myself, I just can't say one loss is more acceptable than another. And that's what I got from the comments against @TP2000 . Technology will advance. How many creative set builders and designers and stage people lost jobs because of the volume? Or the tech that Jon used in the live action Lion King? But we didn't really get upset then. And really I just think voice acting is just more personal to us so we are under playing the other losses.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think we agree a lot more than not. Creativity is an extremely important part of life. Without it things would be pretty awful. At the same time, being a creative myself, I just can't say one loss is more acceptable than another. And that's what I got from the comments against @TP2000 . Technology will advance. How many creative set builders and designers and stage people lost jobs because of the volume? Or the tech that Jon used in the live action Lion King? But we didn't really get upset then. And really I just think voice acting is just more personal to us.

I can’t speak for others, but my objection to AI isn’t about people losing their jobs (unfortunate as that would be); it’s about the loss in quality that would inevitably result from ditching actual voice actors.

 

[erasure fan1]

Perhaps “just get AI to do it” doesn’t bother you, but it’s not a direction that I would ever want Disney to go in.

He also said it has been happening throughout history and he was railed on for that. It doesn't bother me because I know it won't happen to any amount of success in, probably my lifetime. If he thinks it a good idea, that's fine. But he's really not wrong with the other part. Replacing everyone with AI = bad. Using it to streamline some things and speed up post and making adjustments = good.

 

[LittleBuford]

He also said it has been happening throughout history and he was railed on for that.

Because that was beside the point.

 

[erasure fan1]

Because that was beside the point.

Maybe. But it was made to be a point by all the reaction. And that's the point I saw.

 

[Disney Irish]

I think we agree a lot more than not. Creativity is an extremely important part of life. Without it things would be pretty awful. At the same time, being a creative myself, I just can't say one loss is more acceptable than another. And that's what I got from the comments against @TP2000 . Technology will advance. How many creative set builders and designers and stage people lost jobs because of the volume? Or the tech that Jon used in the live action Lion King? But we didn't really get upset then. And really I just think voice acting is just more personal to us so we are under playing the other losses.

He also said it has been happening throughout history and he was railed on for that. It doesn't bother me because I know it won't happen to any amount of success in, probably my lifetime. If he thinks it a good idea, that's fine. But he's really not wrong with the other part. Replacing everyone with AI = bad. Using it to streamline some things and speed up post and making adjustments = good.

Go review the 2023 Strike thread where AI was also brought up. TP made it pretty clear he is for the wholesale replacement of all actors across the board. Whether we think it’s a useful tool or not he is basically advocating (even if he doesn’t like that word used here) for the acting profession to be completely replaced by AI. That isn’t just a few jobs here and there replaced by technology, that is a whole industry. As why stop there, as once you don’t need actors you really don’t need directors at least not in the same way. And then AI is already talked about replacing writers, so there goes that. Basically except for Studio execs, the whole industry can be replaced by AI at that point.

I know this is an extreme take on this but even as someone who works with AI I know there has to be limitations put on its use.

 

[LittleBuford]

Maybe. But it was made to be a point by all the reaction. And that's the point I saw.

Perhaps you're referring to others' reactions, but as (I believe) the first person to respond to him on the matter, I can assure you that my annoyance was based entirely on his claim that mere "cartoons" can do without real voice acting (because you can't actually see the actor on screen!) and that AI replacements would be "perfectly acceptable". As someone who is passionate about Disney and Pixar animation and actually watches the films in question, I find his position extremely dismissive of the artistry and talent that most of us as Disney fans value. That is what I was responding to. All the subsequent nonsense about Steno Pools and Perot was just an elaborate distraction.

Again, this is where it all began, and what prompted the ensuing reaction:

"It's a cartoon. You can't see the human doing the voiceover work. Just get AI to do it, and that could cut way down on the bloated budgets Disney and Pixar use for their animated films that no longer seem to break even at the box office."

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Have you seen or heard about the original idea and concepts for Wish. Disney fans actually preferred the original versions of the characters and storyline compared to the finalized version we got.

I have not.

I’m the one who said AI won’t be able to do creative tasks like voice acting in a way like Williams or any other good voice actor does today. At least not for the foreseeable future. Will it be able to replace background noise like crowds and such, sure. But full on character dialog that is nuanced and needs emotion, no. Again at least not anytime soon.

And I agree that once a majority of actors start refusing to do voice roles, or roles in general, because of too many being replaced by AI it’ll fix itself and revert back to normal.

AI is a great tool and can help many industries. However as I’ve been saying now for awhile it should not be used as a complete replacement for human creativity. As once you do that what is left for humanity? Creativity is one of the most unique things about humanity and it should not be replaced wholesale just because of a new toy.

Not to mention actors help sell the movie.

Here is the lion King starring James Earl Jones versus here is the lion King with some guy.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I’ve read interviews with the director where she suggests this film could touch off an entirely new series within the franchise.

You would know this if you had bothered to do some research on the film instead of just pick fights.

Is ‘The First Omen’ Setting Up a New Series for the Classic Horror Franchise?

Spoilers: Arkasha Stevenson's prequel is set before the first "Omen" film, but any future follow-ups have some serious timeline freedom.

www.indiewire.com

For your information, toward the end of the film, they show a picture of the American ambasssador who will end up as Damien’s father. The photo is of Gregory Peck, from the original film.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Ha! Take that, @TP2000! There goes your argument!

Imagine if Grey Deleslie stopped doing voice work! The audiences would revolt and these movies would be absolute financial disasters!

What is the point of this comment other than to spread more snark?

 

[Disney Irish]

For your information, toward the end of the film, they show a picture of the American ambasssador who will end up as Damien’s father. The photo is of Gregory Peck, from the original film.

Any sequel would probably take the story away from the original film series

Spoiler: spoiler

and be with the mother and twin daughter.

Edit - To add a spoiler tag, at some posters requests, even though the movie has been out awhile with plenty of opportunity to see it.

 

[Disney Irish]

I have not.

Not to mention actors help sell the movie.

Here is the lion King starring James Earl Jones versus here is the lion King with some guy.

Yep, imagine trying to sell the movie with your favorite AI. Sells itself doesn't it.....

 

[brb1006]

I have not.

To put it brief, the original concept for Wish has Star having the ability to shapeshift into various creatures and characters which would been the perfect opportunity for the character to change into different Disney Characters. Asha was going to have a unique personality instead of being a generic Disney heroine, and Queen Amaya was originally going to be evil which would had been Disney's first villain couple. Even the film's concept art showed how much potential Wish had prior to Executes demanding the film's story changes.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I am EXTREMELY disturbed by this. I entered ino AI the following command: “Write a gay play”.

The below is what it generated, in less than 5 seconds.

What the……?!!!!???!!!???

Title: "Love Unspoken"

Act I:

The play opens in a trendy coffee shop in the heart of the city. We meet our protagonist, JASON, a successful event planner in his mid-30s, who is struggling to find meaningful connections in his life. He confides in his best friend, SARAH, a fiery and outspoken activist, about his frustrations with the dating scene.

As they chat, a handsome stranger, MIKE, catches Jason's eye. They exchange a flirtatious glance, but Mike quickly leaves the coffee shop, leaving Jason wondering if he'll ever see him again.

Act II:

Jason and Sarah attend a local LGBTQ+ rally, where they run into Mike, who is volunteering at the event. They strike up a conversation, and Jason learns that Mike is a writer and a passionate advocate for queer rights.

As they grow closer, Jason finds himself opening up to Mike in ways he never thought possible. They share stories, laughter, and a romantic dinner, and Jason begins to feel a sense of belonging he's never experienced before.

Act III:

As their relationship blossoms, Jason and Mike face challenges from both within and outside their community. They confront issues like internalized homophobia, societal expectations, and the struggles of queer representation.

Through it all, they find strength in each other and in their shared experiences. The play culminates with a powerful declaration of love and a commitment to fighting for a world where all queer voices can be heard.

Themes:

- The struggle for self-acceptance and love in a society that often seeks to erase queer identities
- The power of community and found family in the LGBTQ+ experience
- The importance of representation and visibility in the fight for queer rights

Tone:

- Heartwarming and humorous, with a touch of sass and wit
- Poignant and emotional, with a deep respect for the queer experience

Note: This is a brief outline, and the play would need to be developed further with more detailed character development, plot points, and dialogue.

 

[celluloid]

Except I'm pretty sure that Tom would be mad at Disney if his brother was replaced by an AI, leading to him not willing to voice Woody in TS5 or voice any character in the future. And I'm pretty sure many A-listers would feel the same way about any AI replacing their sound-alike human counter parts as well.

If AI is good enough to replace his brother, it is probably good enough to replace Tom.