(Yicai) April 2 -- Artificial intelligence is transforming the entire filmmaking process and could cut production costs by more than half, according to renowned Chinese director and screenwriter Yi Xiaoxing.

The clearest example of how AI has already changed the film industry is the use of extras, Yi said in a recent interview with Yicai. In the past, a movie might have needed anywhere from a 1,000 to more than 10,000 background performers, all of whom had to be fed, housed, and transported, while their on-set performances also had to be directed. That, Yi pointed out, has now changed, because crowd scenes can be generated using AI.

Roles for extras will not disappear entirely, but opportunities will shrink sharply, Yi noted. Only scenes involving complex scheduling or complicated interactions will require human extras, he added.

Yu, 41, gained huge popularity from around 2006 for his humorous internet videos and talk shows. Recognized as a pioneer of Chinese online content creation he has since become a successful mainstream film director. Yi launched the popular web series Unexpected in 2013 and wrote and directed the film adaptation of Surprise: Journey to the West in 2015. In more recent years, he has directed productions such as Bath Buddy, Johnny Keep Walking!, and Godspeed.

Yi estimates that AI has already taken over roughly half of actors’ territory, and that as AI models improve, actors without strong skills or a clear personal style will be the first to be replaced.

Even so, he said that opportunities for performances that require real human-to-human connection may increase. Strengthening one's own distinctive traits, enhancing one’s competitiveness, and building a personal brand may be the only way forward, Yi pointed out.

Wider Industry Shakeup

AI’s impact on the industry is not simply about replacing specific jobs on the production line, Yu noted, it is also reshaping production methods, organizational structures, distribution logic, and monetization models at the same time.

Earlier this year, Chinese video-sharing platform Bilibili launched its first AI-themed creative contest, with total prize money reportedly in excess of CNY3 million (USD435,865). The competition received more than 8,300 valid entries, and 143 viral works got more than a million views. On March 31, Bilibili announced 77 winners.

The most impressive work was the first prize winner The Sign, created by DiDi_OK, Yi said, describing it as "a compilation of special effects shots. If it were produced using traditional filmmaking methods, it would require a massive amount of funding and time.

"However, the video was made at relatively low cost and within a controllable timeframe by leveraging AI," Yi said, noting that the work has had a big impact on everyone working in the industry, showing that what is difficult or even impossible to achieve through traditional filmmaking techniques can be done using AI.

DiDi_OK, who works in advertising in London, said the film was inspired by Elon Musk’s remark that the world might be a virtual reality. He then conceived a fable in which the world order collapses after the appearance of a mysterious warning sign. The whole film was made using Google’s Nano Banana, Veo3, and Runway, and the music was generated with Suno.

From Niche to Mainstream
 

Many AI content creators say the speed of technological iteration is too fast. Fenmo, a creator on Bilibili, believes AI videos have crossed the threshold and have truly entered the mass market, with an increasing number of people beginning to use it.

Given the rapid pace of iteration, the issue of cross-shot consistency could be resolved by next year, although complex scenes would still require manual fine-tuning, according to Zheng Lin, producer, screenwriter, and founder of Banshan Shanghai Culture Media. By 2028, the cost of processing power would decrease to one-50th or one-hundredth of the current cost, he noted.

Over half of the top fictional content could be generated using AI by 2031, with production cycles compressed to monthly intervals, Zheng said. A top-tier production team in 2031 might consist of only five people, yet their output could be equivalent to that of 200 now, he added.

Even so, most creators are not pessimistic about AI’s arrival, as humor and aesthetics are still qualities that AI lacks.

"In film and television, the most touching moments often defy convention and common sense, and it's those imperfections that truly make humans and artistic creations fascinating," Yi said. "AI does not make mistakes, and that makes it look mediocre and boring.” That is why he believes AI will remain a tool for a long time to come.

"The tools have changed, but the scarcity of judgment has not diminished; in fact, it has been amplified," according to Zheng. "This is because the range of options provided by AI has expanded from one to 10,000. 

"Choosing the best out of 10 options is different from selecting the best from 10,000, which requires exponentially greater judgment," Zheng said, adding that the true core competency in the future will be knowing "what tasks should be given to AI.”

Editor: Martin Kadiev