[09:49 Sat,7.March 2026 by Thomas Richter] |
Netflix has acquired InterPositive, a company founded by renowned actor and film director Ben Affleck that develops AI tools specifically for professional film productions. Netflix is taking over the entire 16-person development team, and Ben Affleck will serve as a Senior Advisor to further advance the development of AI tools at Netflix. Netflix intends to use the new tools itself and also make them available to its production partners—but apparently does not plan to sell them. 
Tools for Filmmakers Instead of CompetitionThe explicit goal is not generative AI that creates films via prompts, but rather a set of tools designed to simplify time-consuming technical processes that were previously necessary in filmmaking but distracted from the actual creative process. For example, the AI model can be used to remove wires in stunt performances, reframe a shot, or subsequently alter the lighting or background of a shot. InterPositive pursues a very specific approach: a proprietary AI model is trained using the existing material of a film and is thus specifically adapted to that film. According to Affleck, the technology learns from the dailies and can then apply this knowledge in post-production for all individual steps such as editing, color correction, VFX, and more. By training with the specific film material, the AI "understands," for example, the look and visual vocabulary of the cinematographers and directors of a specific film. The tools are designed so that creative decisions remain strictly in the hands of the artists.  Affleck founded InterPositive four years ago, but until now, it operated hidden from the radar in the "stealth mode" typical for startups. Affleck recognized the potential of AI for film production early on, but as someone who—unlike the developers of such tools—has intimate knowledge of Hollywood productions, he found existing AI tools to be inadequate. His goal was therefore the development of software that uses AI (aka Machine Learning) for very specific tasks in professional film production to simplify otherwise very complex work. Artistic Vision vs. Production OptimizationAffleck seems to have come to terms with the particular challenges of producing for Netflix; perhaps he had to, as Netflix is now arguably the most powerful film studio (even if the acquisition of Warner recently failed). Not long ago, he and Matt Damon  quite critically criticized Netflix. During the production of their action film "The Rip," Netflix demanded many changes to make the film more easily consumable for a slightly distracted audience, both at home on the TV and on smartphones. For instance, part of the main action sequences was to be placed at the beginning to prevent viewers from immediately tuning out, and it was requested that the plot be spelled out repeatedly in dialogue throughout the film because many people watch movies on their phones.  In any case, Netflix hopes for millions in savings in film production from the new tools, entirely in line with the company&s efficiency logic. However, the artistic vision that Affleck talks about often seems foreign to Netflix&s frequently extremely algorithm-driven production. For example, Netflix often relies more on algorithms than creatives in film production—for instance, screenwriters are given both the type and frequency of gags by algorithm. The data for this comes, among other sources, from test screenings where audience reactions are analyzed by AI. One can believe Ben Affleck&s motivation in developing his AI entirely in the service of artistic vision, but the contrast with the continuous optimization of film production for greater efficiency and profit margins sought by Netflix—which often lacks any original creativity—is striking.  more infos at bei about.netflix.comdeutsche Version dieser Seite: Netflix kauft Startup von Ben Affleck - KI für die Postproduktion |
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