OpenAI Technology to Power First Full-Length Animated Film
OpenAI is stepping into Hollywood with plans to back an animated movie that will be made mostly with artificial intelligence.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the project is called Critterz and will follow a group of woodland animals who set off on an adventure after their quiet home is disturbed by an outsider.
The idea for Critterz came from Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI. He began working on the characters three years ago, first using DALL-E, the company’s image generator, to design them for what was supposed to be a short film.
Now the project has grown into a full-length feature, with OpenAI putting its technology front and center to show how AI can speed up and reduce the costs of animation.
The budget for the movie is set at under $30 million, which is far less than what traditional Hollywood animated films usually spend.
On top of that, the team wants to finish production in just nine months, which is also a fraction of the time such projects normally take. Nelson explained that the goal is to prove a point: “If Critterz works, it could open the door for more AI in filmmaking.”
Production duties will be shared between Vertigo Films in London and Los Angeles-based Native Foreign, a studio known for blending AI with traditional methods.
Native Foreign already worked with Nelson on a short version of Critterz, using DALL-E to create the visuals before animating them into a mock nature documentary.
Even though AI will be heavily used in the film, humans will still play a big role. Professional voice actors will be hired to bring the characters to life, and artists will create hand-drawn sketches that will later be enhanced with OpenAI’s image and chat tools.
The script was written by a team that includes writers from Paddington in Peru, adding more traditional storytelling expertise to the mix. The filmmakers are hoping to premiere Critterz at Cannes Film Festival in May next year.
This move comes at a time when AI in Hollywood is a hot-button issue. Many actors, writers, and other creatives have pushed back hard against AI, fearing it could replace their work.
It was only recently that SAG-AFTRA ended a long strike with new rules that require studios to get “informed consent and compensation” if they plan to use AI versions of actors, whether alive or deceased. At the same time, AI companies, including OpenAI, are facing major lawsuits from artists and studios over the use of copyrighted material in training AI tools.
OpenAI’s entry into feature films could either set a new standard or spark even more debate about the future of entertainment.
By keeping costs low and speeding up production, Critterz may show what AI can offer, but it could also raise more concerns about what happens to jobs in the industry if AI takes on a bigger role.
This is a bold move by OpenAI, and it’s going to get a lot of attention. On one hand, it’s exciting to see how technology can change filmmaking. On the other hand, the timing couldn’t be more sensitive, since Hollywood workers are still recovering from long strikes over AI’s impact. If Critterz is a hit, it could change the industry, but if it fails, it might slow down AI’s entry into film. What do you think? Should AI have a bigger place in movies, or should Hollywood keep things traditional? Share your thoughts in the comments.