The wave of artificial intelligence (AI) is sweeping through the film and TV industry, with new technologies such as AI short films, virtual filming, and digital likeness licensing impacting traditional filmmaking and its professionals. Is AI really taking jobs away from the film industry? Terry Lam, the Dean of the School of Film and Television at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, who has over 20 years of experience in the film industry, said that this is actually another technological iteration for the industry, which is facing a new round of skill transfer.
Seeking integration of professional skills with AI
Historically, concerns about technology replacing jobs in the film industry have never disappeared. According to Lam, every new technology leads to changes in job roles and skill directions within the industry, and the challenge for professionals lies in their ability to complete this skill transfer.
He noted that this transfer should involve professionals applying their accumulated film expertise, skills, and knowledge to AI tools rather than relinquishing their skills to AI. It is also important to recognize that while AI is widely influencing the film industry, it still relies on many professionals with traditional film industry experience.
This presents a new challenge for talent development. Lam noted that in the AI era, the film industry needs to cultivate “π-shaped talents.” He explained that π consists of two T’s, meaning that talent should not only have depth in a single field but also possess AI-related skills to complement their original professional abilities.
To adapt to this changing talent demand, the School of Film and Television has introduced various new training content. For example, students are being trained to create visual presentations that translate their creative ideas into visual formats. Lam believes that while many creative ideas can be communicated through tacit verbal communication among people, when working with AI, it is essential to articulate thoughts in a very specific and clear manner.
In practical teaching, AI can serve as an auxiliary tool to inspire students. Lam mentioned that when students complete a creative project, they can input their ideas into AI and observe the results generated. Often, the AI outputs differ from the students’ original concepts, allowing them to understand the collective market and audience insights represented by big data.
Lam emphasized that while personal expression can be retained in creative work, film and entertainment products are aimed at the public and should not be self-indulgent. Students need to learn to understand audience and market demands, which is a significant challenge for creators in the new era.
Is Hong Kong lagging in AI film development?
Hong Kong experienced a golden age in filmmaking, but is it lagging in the development of AI films and AI short films?
In response, Lam believes that the concept of speed is relative; every new field will have its pioneers, and being fast does not necessarily equate to having the best quality of development.
He views film works as entertainment products, asserting that each new product has its own development cycle.
Lam stated that while Hong Kong may be a latecomer in the AI short film market, it has a solid foundation in the film industry and is fully capable of bringing a fresh perspective to short films. At the same time, he noted that the rapid development of the mainland market has revealed some concerns. He observed that the mainland short film industry is experiencing aesthetic fatigue, with repetitive themes emerging, indicating a need for new creative elements. A healthy market state requires both fast and slow development.
Regarding the new form of AI short films, Lam believes that Hong Kong and the mainland’s related industries are entering the race from different starting points. Hong Kong filmmakers are more focused on catching up based on the existing film and television industry, while the driving force behind mainland short films largely comes from internet companies that are not originally from the film industry.
Lam mentioned that Hong Kong has long excelled in the integration of Eastern and Western cultures and has accumulated extensive experience in collaboration with Southeast Asia. Currently, mainland short films are actively seeking to export their content, with many mainland short film platforms recruiting talent in Hong Kong and promoting project collaborations to leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in reaching overseas markets. He believes that Hong Kong can definitely bring a new atmosphere to the short film industry.
The core of film export lies in local characteristics
When discussing the challenges of exporting AI short films, Lam stated that the focus should not solely be on relying on AI to generate content but on ensuring that AI produces works with distinctive characteristics.
He added that in the past, exporting films required significant cultural and creative transfer to convert local cultural creations into content that overseas audiences could understand. Similarly, using AI for creation also necessitates infusing one’s own culture and local color into the technically generated outputs.
At the same time, Lam emphasized that merely imitating or catering to others’ styles will always place one in a secondary position. Without one’s own culture and local characteristics, exporting content becomes meaningless; if the output is indistinguishable from others, the product lacks unique value. According to Lam, Hong Kong has long been engaged in content production for international markets and understands the importance of localization. Only by retaining local characteristics can one secure a position in the international market.
(Reporters: Laura Cheung; Camerapeople: Sammi; Video Editor: Sammi; Editor: Laura Cheung; English Editors: Rachel Liu, Darius; Producer: Tracy)
