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Although an AI replica might now get the same fee as a corporeal performer, using the replica can still save a lot of time and money. Instead of having to pay a crew for a week\u2019s work in the New Mexico sun, the Voorheeses created new scenes with Kilmer entirely using AI. In some of them, Kilmer\u2019s character even speaks an authentic 1920s version of the Navajo language, although the actor himself didn\u2019t speak the language when he was alive.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs independent filmmakers, it\u2019s the most freeing thing,\u201d Coerte says. \u201cI love working with talent. But AI allows us to really reduce the elements that make it so complicated and expensive to tell a story. My friends feel lucky if they get one movie or one pilot a year. If you\u2019re working with filmmakers of the modern era, you\u2019re gonna be able to make 10 feature films a year.\u201d John believes that the traditional way of making films\u2014shooting on a set with a human cast and crew\u2014is going to become \u201ca niche, bespoke thing, like theater productions.\u201d As Deep as the Grave<\/em>\u2019s production process, meanwhile, will become the norm.<\/p>\n To an AI skeptic, the Voorhees brothers\u2019 manic enthusiasm for this tech can feel chilling. \u201cOne of the best things you learn very quickly is to actually just let the AI do as much of it on its own as possible,\u201d Coerte raves. \u201cIt often comes up with even better ideas than you come up with. It\u2019s trained on the best of everything.\u201d The duo walks me through some of the steps they took to transform an old photo of Kilmer into a walking, talking cinematic character. From what I see, this performance wouldn\u2019t exactly win him an Oscar\u2014and thanks to the Academy\u2019s new rule<\/a> stating that acting nominations must be \u201cdemonstrably performed by humans with their consent,\u201d it wouldn\u2019t be eligible anyway.<\/p>\n