And the Oscar goes to … AI Brody

The Oscar nominations have been announced. One of the favourites is Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, who is also nominated for this prestigious award. The film tells the story of a Jewish architect who emigrated from post-war Europe to the USA in search of a safe haven for himself and his wife. Even before the nominations were announced, there was a heated debate about whether Adrien Brody should receive the award for his phenomenal acting performance, due to the fact that his accent, which we hear throughout the entire film, was improved by AI tools. As you can see, it didn’t matter in the context of Adrien’s nomination, but will the controversy surrounding the use of AI in the film ultimately have a decisive impact on the verdict of the American Film Academy?

AI improved Adrien Brody’s accent in The Brutalist – how does technology change cinema?

The film The Brutalist uses artificial intelligence to subtly correct the Hungarian pronunciation of actors Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones. The film’s editor, Dávid Jancsó, revealed that Respeecher technology was used to improve the authenticity of the Hungarian dialogue. Both actors worked with a dialect coach, but the producers wanted perfect pronunciation, which is difficult to achieve using traditional methods. Are such practices the future of cinema, or rather a threat to the authenticity of acting performances?

How Respeecher technology works

Respeecher is an advanced speech synthesis tool that allows the voice of one person to be transformed into the voice of another, while retaining all the emotions, intonations and natural sound. The process is based on machine learning algorithms that work in several key stages:

1. Collecting voice data – The developers first record samples of the target voice. In the case of The Brutalist, these were recordings of actors who were to use a Hungarian accent.
2. Acoustic analysis – The Respeecher system analyses the unique characteristics of the voice, such as timbre, speech rate and the way certain phonemes are pronounced.
3. Machine learning: Based on the provided samples, algorithms learn the characteristics of the voice and then generate a digital version of it that faithfully reflects the original characteristics.
4. Sound synthesis: In the final process, the actor’s voice is modified to fit the requirements of the creators – in this case, it was about the authentic sound of a Hungarian accent.

The advantage of this approach is that the actor does not have to re-record the dialogue. As emphasised by the film’s creators, the technology was used exclusively as a supporting tool, not replacing the work of the actors.

AI in the film industry – breakthrough or threat?

The use of AI in films such as The Brutalist is just the tip of the iceberg. The technology is finding more and more applications in cinematography:

• Special effects – AI allows for the generation of realistic visual effects, which reduces production costs.
• Post-production: AI-based tools automate processes such as editing, colour correction and sound quality improvement.
• Scriptwriting: Algorithms that analyse popular film plots can suggest new storylines.
• Digitalisation of actors: AI makes it possible to rejuvenate or ‘revive’ deceased actors for use in new productions. (Raindance)

Legal and ethical aspects of using AI in cinematography

The use of AI in film raises many legal and ethical questions, which are becoming increasingly pressing with the growing use of this technology. In the case of The Brutalist, we can identify several key issues:

1. Copyright – Does the digital voice generated by AI belong to the actor, the technology company, or the film producers? The use of an actor’s voice in synthetic form may give rise to claims for remuneration for additional use of the image.
2. Transparency – Viewers were not informed about the use of Respeecher during the first screenings of the film. Should filmmakers openly communicate such practices, especially when they affect the perception of performances?
3. Impact on the acting profession – Critics fear that the development of AI may lead to a decrease in the demand for voice actors or even actors themselves, as their voices could be generated synthetically.

Controversy and impact on Oscar chances

The revelation of AI use in The Brutalist has sparked controversy in the film industry. Concerns have been raised that such practices could undermine the authenticity of acting performances and lead to ethical dilemmas surrounding the use of technology in the arts. In the context of the upcoming Oscars, some experts suggest that the use of AI in The Brutalist could affect Adrien Brody’s chances of winning the Best Actor award. Nevertheless, both the director and the film editor assure that AI was only a supporting tool, not a substitute for the talent and work of the actors.

Summary

The Brutalist has become a symbol of a new era in cinematography, in which artificial intelligence is becoming a creative tool, but also a subject of controversy. The case of Adrien Brody and the use of Respeecher opens a discussion about the limits of technology in art. Should AI only support creators or will it dominate the industry, replacing human creativity? One thing is certain – the future of cinema will be closely linked to the development of technology.

Sources:

• Respeecher – Official website
• The Guardian – Oscars and AI Controversies
• Raindance – AI in the Film Industry
• The Independent – The Brutalist and AI Usage
• Vulture – The Brutalist AI Controversy
• Forbes – From Script to Distribution: AI’s Role in the Film World
• ABC News – The Brutalist Director Responds to AI Controversy