At this year's edition of the INCONTRI film conferences (13-15 March), we took the opportunity to meet up with Sylvia Rothe, chair of AI in media production at the HFF University of Television and Film Munich. We asked her about her research and about the newest trends in AI-based tools that are proving useful for filmmaking.

Cineuropa: What are you currently researching at the HFF?
Sylvia Rothe: We are a small research group of three people and are currently busy with presentations within the film industry, so there isn't quite as much room for research. However, our research work basically consists of testing existing AI tools for the media industry on the one hand, and developing new ones ourselves on the other. In the latter case, our focus is on maintaining ownership. If, for example, you write a script and let AI help you, you still want to retain control over the output. In the interaction between computer and human, the human should remain the one who makes the decisions. A second focus concerns the use of AI in making media inclusive and accessible. There are not many sign-language interpreters, and AI could make up for the shortage. The third area we are active in is virtual production.

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How can the topic of accessibility be combined with film production?
AI can already do many things: it already generates subtitles, for example. Our aim is to upgrade the existing functions, which have so far been used on a small scale, so that they can be used on a large scale. At the same time, we are researching new things. Film music plays an important role in this. How can it be made tangible for people who cannot hear without simply describing it in words? How can rhythm and mood be reproduced?

You are giving a presentation at INCONTRI. What points are most important to you?
First and foremost, I will give an overview of the tools that already exist and are of interest to the film industry. Sora, for example, is a video-generation tool that is currently causing a lot of excitement. It achieves a quality that has never been seen before. Alongside Sora, I will also be presenting other tools that are not yet used in film production but could be of great benefit to the field. One example is a tool that enables you to adjust the poses of animals in filmed footage. It is possible to simply make animals look in one direction or another without having to wait for them to do it on their own. The software is not yet available, however. The same applies to the tool that allows individual objects to be inserted afterwards, after filming. So, if a traffic light is missing, it doesn't necessarily have to be reshot. This can make things easier for productions. In my presentation, I will also talk about the legal aspects of AI. Various laws are currently being drafted that deal with the topic of copyright.

Will artists no longer be needed at some point?
They will always be needed. I'm convinced that AI won't make as many jobs redundant as many people fear. Of course, it depends on us. If we get too lazy and say, “I'll let AI do it,” then of course it will. But I don't believe the results will be what we want or need. I do believe there will be AI films, but AI will do simple, trivial things. It can't create emotionally moving works – it needs artists for that. I believe professionals such as dubbing actors, make-up artists and costume designers, who are now all very worried about their jobs, will have to pass them on. The work will change, and perhaps not so many of them will be needed. You can design costumes on the computer, but it's necessary to wear them on set so that the actors can get a feel for them. Adjustments on set have to be done by people who have the knowledge to do it. Extras in the background might be replaced by AI avatars, but the main actors will still be needed. I don't see how facial expressions can be taught to AI in detail. This is also created in the dialogue between the director and the actor. It's a language that doesn't necessarily work through words. What's important is the experience in film and in life that people bring to the table. The same applies to voice actors. AI can do simple things, but not when it comes to conveying emotions; there are many different ways of saying something so that it touches someone. Even if there is the danger that in the future people will say AI is easier and cheaper than human labour, everyone should be aware of how important human creative work is in making impressive films.