March 18th, 2024: Renowned filmmaker and producer Tyler Perry has put his $800 million expansion plans for his Atlanta studio on indefinite hold after witnessing the capabilities of OpenAI’s new text-to-video model, Sora.
The AI technology, which debuted on February 15, allows users to create video images from text prompts, potentially revolutionizing the filmmaking process.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Perry expressed his astonishment at Sora’s capabilities, stating, “Being told that it can do all of these things is one thing, but actually seeing the capabilities, it was mind-blowing.”
The planned expansion would have added 12 more sound stages to Perry’s 330-acre production facility, one of the largest in the United States.
Perry, known for his successful “Madea” film series, believes that Sora could significantly reduce the need for filming on location or building sets. “I no longer would have to travel to locations.
If I wanted to be in the snow in Colorado, it’s text,” he said. “If I wanted to write a scene on the moon, it’s text, and this AI can generate it like nothing.”
While acknowledging that Sora could enable filmmakers to produce movies and pilots at a fraction of the current cost, Perry expressed grave concerns about the potential impact on jobs in the entertainment industry.
“I am very, very concerned that in the near future, a lot of jobs are going to be lost,” he said. “It makes me worry so much about all of the people in the business. Because as I was looking at it, I immediately started thinking of everyone in the industry who would be affected by this, including actors and grip and electric and transportation and sound and editors, and looking at this, I’m thinking this will touch every corner of our industry.”
Perry admitted to using AI technology in two of his recent projects to avoid spending hours in aging makeup, but like other studios, he is still trying to navigate the implications of this rapidly evolving technology.
He emphasized the need for regulations to protect the industry and its workers, stating, “There’s got to be some sort of regulations in order to protect us. If not, I just don’t see how we survive.”
Looking beyond the entertainment industry, Perry called for a government approach to help everyone sustain employment in the age of AI.
“If you look at it across the world, how it’s changing so quickly, I’m hoping that there’s a whole government approach to help everyone be able to sustain,” he said.
As the entertainment industry grapples with the potential impact of AI technology on jobs and production processes, Tyler Perry’s decision to pause his studio expansion serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that lie ahead.
