The world of cinema is not the result of chance, but of teamwork between artists, writers, visual effects experts and, sometimes, even artificial intelligence.
It is the case of Everything Everywhere All at Oncea film that benefited from the support of Runwaya startup based on Amazon Web Services (AWS) which creates generative AI tools for multimedia content.
Runway’s AI tools
Runway deals with applied research in AI, designing and developing AI models for creating content, such as video, images, 3D and text. Additionally, it provides tools that help users at every stage of the creative process, from ideation to post-production.
The company allows anyone, even without technical skills, to generate professional quality content, thanks to a series of AI Magic Tools that operate directly in the browser.
The main goal of Runway is to di democratize content creation and to facilitate interaction between storytellers and emerging technology.
Artificial Intelligence in cinema
As you surely already know, generative AI is a branch of Artificial Intelligence that uses mathematical algorithms to generate data. For Runway users, these algorithms look like simple and intuitive tools that simplify video production tasks.
In fact the Runway tools they integrate seamlessly into pre-existing workflows, offering a familiar interface. However, behind these interfaces, there are sophisticated algorithms that work together to produce desired results. Generative AI tools are able to create new elements, such as images, videos or texts, from different types of input.
For example, natural language is one of the simplest methods to control image generation algorithms, but other inputs, such as video, can also be used. This is the underlying principle Gen-1Runway’s first video generation model.
A success story: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Il film Everything Everywhere All at Once is an example of how Runway’s AI tools can be used to create stunning visual effects.
The team of artists who worked on the film was very small and had limited time. For this reason, he decided to use Runway tools, saving time and automating the most tedious stages of editing. In particular, in the rocks scene, the team used the Runway’s contour tracing tool to quickly and precisely cut out rocks. All while sand and dust moved across the frame.
This made it possible to reduce days’ work to just a few minutes (and take home some Oscars).
