Netflix CEO Responds to Cameron’s AI Cost-Cutting Vision: Improving Movies by 10%
During Netflix’s recent first-quarter earnings call, Co-CEO Ted Sarandos had something to say about director James Cameron’s AI prediction for reducing film production costs by half. Sarandos thinks there’s a better opportunity to make movies 10% better, rather than just focusing on cutting costs. He highlighted Netflix’s use of AI in set references, pre-visualization, VFX sequence preparation, and shot planning as examples of how technology can enhance film quality.
Sarandos pointed to “The Irishman” as a benchmark, mentioning its advanced de-aging technology from 2019 that was costly and had limitations. In contrast, he brought up “Pedro Paramo,” a film by cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, which utilized AI-powered de-aging at a fraction of the cost of “The Irishman.” Sarandos emphasized the importance of creators using new and improved tools to achieve what was once impossible. The goal is not just to save money, but to create better and more engaging content by leveraging technology effectively.
