Will artificial intelligence replace motion designers?

[Santanu Bhattacharjee]

AI will remain a tool. AI wont replace humans. But cheap labor will replace expensive or good labor, because cost cutting is in the highest interest of the top managers , clients.

http://www.santanu.biz

santanu.biz

Corporate Video and Film Makers Mumbai - Santanu Productions

Premium Corporate Video & Film Makers in Mumbai. 30 year's experience, 3000+ productions, 500+ clients, 90% returning Customers. Call 9892913567

[Lillian Young]

Perfectly stated!

I also feel that AI has shifted what impresses non-artistic people who may be clients. You can make something amazing but because AI can generate something just as — if not more impressive, they may shrug at your work where before, they were impressed.

I am more concerned though with free software also being a threat to longtime 3D and motion pros. People who weren’t even into the craft for lack of desire to pay are now in this space.

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Santanu,

Sorry, I’ve been absent.

You make a good list:
“With the advent of cheap DSLRs, film crew shrunk. Smartphone cameras
killed the photography business because many client couldn’t perceive
the difference. Free YouTube and COVID made every other guy a filmmaker.
Cinema is dead because of the OTT. Video businesses shrunk.”

I started out in the days of filming and editing on U-Matic LowBand (1980’s). Back then we thought that the VHS would kill off the cinema. If working for a broadcaster, you most definately did not accept VHS – unless it had the only shot of a celebrity falling down stairs, or similar. VHS did not kill the cinema.

In the 1990’s the introduction of DV-Cam into news production was interesting. I had a newspaper cut on my notice board that compared a 1980’s News Crew of 7 people, with that of 2 people in the late 1990’s – still video tape.

Cheap DSLRs was a game changer in quality at low-ligt v that of your traditional video camera. But came with headache’s in editing and working with sound. Just because someone has a DSLR, does not make them a fully fledged video production specialist unless they understand all the components. There is also the “small” matter of turning up and filming the CEO, C-Suite, investors and clients with something that looks like a toy. Many clients wants the lights, sound and camera to feel like they are on proper TV.

The clients that wants to take their own pictures, are also those who have a niece or nephew that can do the job. Those are not your clients, not yet anyway. Keep in mind that as Instagram and other Social Media platforms proves, there is soo many more pictures and videos out there, where most of the people making them could not afford the services of a professional in the first place.

YouYube is an interesting point. But you need 1 million+ followers and views past 10 million to make good money out of that. And, Google will still take their share. If anything, as YouTube is predicted to overtake Netflix as most watched on your smart TV, the OTT streamers are the ones to watch out.

As a teenager I started out as a 35mm cinema projectionist. I love the cinema! But here is the problem; the modern cinema skrunk their screens, hiked the prices on soda and pop-corn + often I’ll see dust on the projector sensor, or dirt on the screen itself + still be asked to pay £ 60+ for my two kids and me. My new 4K 65′ OLED (LG) came with free sound bar and bass booster. And, with a 1GB internet connection 4K streaming is not a problem + for £ 14.00 I can boost my Netflix package to play higher quality without adverts for a month. Most importantly with that TV in relation to distance to the sofa, I get the same, if not a better viewing experience than I do in 90% of a “modern” cinema screen in the UK – the cinema chains lowered their quality and got greedy on the cost of going, and that is what is killing them.

Short answer: You are selling a fabulous end product with brilliant service. If you communicate that to your client, they will continue to use your business.

If you spend more time looking over the shoulder, rather than ahead, they will overtake you 😉

If you like readin, one of my favourite business books, ever, from 1996, is Andrew S Grove’s

“Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company”

He talks about the “Strategic Inflection Point” which can have a lot of different meanings. But in relation to where both customer habits and technology (A.I.) is moving at speed, it is worth getting the crystall ball out and check what direction that you should move in next..?

Atb
Mads

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Lillian,

Keep in mind that “A.I.” is predominantly an advanced version of Machine Learning. And, that all the information that A.I. is gathering it is getting from somewhere, online. Although someone might create a new unique image, it comprises other people’s intellectual property.

There is nothing wrong with that, and there are ways in which it can be mitigated against. But currently no-one is seriously objecting. But soon they will. We are already seeing politicians taking a keen interest in fake videos used to incite hate, or pleasure.

There are also individuals than no-one offering A.I. would dare to get into the boxing ring with. One great example from this week:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm559l5g529o

Sooner, rather than later, A.I. providers may be asked to provide a list of sources for every text, photo, audio or video that they create.

If you are in the business of creating unique designs, maybe you need to assert your copyright by giving the client a licence to use it. But not allow them to modify it (or ask an A.I. to “copy” it).

Sadly, on high-end 3D software, most the expensive packages have only got themselves to blame. I gave up on AutoDesk years ago and have recently done the same with Maxon. Not necessarily because of price, but more that their sales department doesn’t know how to treat small-scale operators.

Yes, I have gone to Blender, who conveniently has made an app that you can download for free straight from the Microsoft Windows store + HumbleBundle.com every so often offers a raft of Blender course for under £20.00.
Does this make me a professional animator?
No, but it gives me an entry level to grow from. And for the minor projects where I want to use it, it suits me perfectly.

I have recently got Davinci installed, which comes with Fusion at the cost of free.
That won’t make me a top compositor either, but it gives me a tool to fix things with.

What I am trying to suggest is that nothing beats a skilled animator.
The question is: Who are you selling to and what are you selling?

Instead of selling the service of animation, maybe look to be the person who is involved in the brainstorm and conceptualising the project?

Atb
Mads

bbc.co.uk

ChatGPT: Scarlett Johansson left 'angered' by chatbot imitation

The star says she is "shocked" after OpenAI launched a chatbot with a voice "eerily similar" to hers.