By Jack Rosher
It seems that for quite some time now, Hollywood got addicted to sequels. Since a proven concept reduces the risk of failure, a sequel is like placing a bet with better odds or playing online pokies that you know will result in a win. But just how many sequels are we going to take until something new and brilliant comes up? It seems that a Canadian company might have the answer and it involves Artificial Intelligence.
A Revolution in How Scripts Are Written
“Hollywood is using very primitive data analytics”
This is the statement with which Jack Zhang, the CEO of Greenlight Essentials, opened his claim that with the use of Artificial Intelligence, Hollywood producers will be able to start developing original hit movies and let go of the over-used sequel tactic. The company he runs offers a software that analyses audience profiles, movie plots, box office and ticket sales to provide an accurate prediction of a film’s future success and anticipate the target audience. This is an approach that could change the entire entertainment industry and improve scripts in such a way that they deliver original content for viewers.
From a Platform all the Way to a Blockbuster
With the same idea in mind, the Wattpad platform was lunched several years ago. This story-writing platform already has over 65 million users worldwide and anyone can publish books via the app or website. All users have the possibility of reading and commenting on other stories which makes it a great environment for fresh and creative content.
Wattpad uses AI to mine all the data submitted by their users and offer valuable insight regarding what’s popular, a method that helped turn some of the users into bestselling authors over the years. Two years ago, Wattpad Studios was launched as a company to produce TV series and movies alike.
Actually, one of the most-watched Netflix movies of the moment, The Kissing Booth, had its beginnings as a story delivered on Wattpad. Beth Reekles, then 15-years-old managed through Wattpad to land a deal with Random House for a book and later on, the book turned into a movie.
Thanks to the technology involved, Wattpad Studios are able to track the stories that attract more interest and whenever something sparks really impressive results, it’s a guarantee that it will work for an even wider public. As if 65 million users weren’t enough.
Can Algorithms and Software Create Art?
Both Zhang from Greenlight Essentials and the people over at Wattpad see technology as more of a tool for creating original and attractive content, rather than a source of raw content. This is the situation for now, at least, until bigger advances in the domain of AI and Machine Learning are made.
Movies will probably always need the human touch in order to become works of art since, no matter how advanced AI is right now, it won’t be able to appeal to those human-like feelings that give you goosebumps when in front of the big screen. But a symbiose between AI and human producers for better data mining and feedback on what will work and what will not, will definitely help Hollywood create more original content and letting go of the never-ending sequels and prequels.
