Artificial intelligence, or AI, is revolutionising the Canadian film industry and the ways it ascribes to everything from script writing to visual effects. While AI’s influence on filmmaking is widely discussed, its influence on movie theatres is just as important. Theseaters are changing and evolving and becoming more sophisticated with artificial intelligence and smart projectors and other tools to be relevant. However, how exactly are Canadian cinemas accommodating this change?
The Impact of AI on Filmmaking
The revolution brought by AI in filmmaking includes it automating complex tasks, streamlining the production, generating the content and virtually everything in between. AI powers de-ageing actors, the creation of hyper-realistic CGI and guesses about audience reaction, before even a movie has been released. Warner Bros and Netflix already have been using AI for data driven decision making so that movies conform to the tastes of the audience.
This means that for Canadian theatres, this is a wave of AI enhanced films that they will have to adapt to. As AI generated visuals and effects are getting more common in cinemas, cinemas need to upgrade their technology to be able to show high resolution, AI enhanced films without losing its quality.
AI-Powered Enhancements in Canadian Theaters
Canadian theatres are also using AI to improve the projection and sound in their theatres to keep up with AI driven films. Real time movie scene analysis is done by projectors with AI support which adjusts for the brightness and contrast based on the viewing conditions. Likewise, the AI enhanced sound systems tend to adapt with the different auditorium sizes and hence deliver the immersive audio in each seat.
From Cineplex theater chains to capsule hotels, other chains and every day business experiment with the use of facial recognition to alter lighting, temperature, and even to suggest what concessions to buy based on a customer’s past purchases.
AI in Theater Marketing and Audience Engagement
AI based analytics monitors the preferences of the customers and instead of generic promotions marketing campaigns are tailor made according to individual consumer tastes. Thus, Cineplex and Landmark Cinemas hang AI driven chatbots to offer films suggests based on the film viewing history, which in turn makes the ticket purchase more personalized.
AI is also benefiting social media marketing. Trends are analysed with advanced algorithms and movies are predicted to perform best in a certain region. Thieves can use AI insights to improve showtimes, run targeted promotions and squeeze as many sales as they can out of the tickets.
Collaboration Between Theaters and AI-Driven Studios
Not only are theaters cohabiting with AI, they’re involved with AI driven studios to construct novel cinematic experiences. Machine learning is being used by Canadian theaters to generate AI generated trailers, where they use what scenes would play into a demographic most.
AI focused film startups partner with a few of the independent theatres to screen AI generated short films as part of experimental showcases. Dynamic ticket pricing, using AI, is also another way in which the price of the ticket is adjusted in real time to respond to the demand, in a similar way as airline price models.
This partnership guarantees the theatres keep up with an ever changing business. Rather than simply being part of the exhibitor club, Canadian cinemas are pioneers in accepting content and marketing strategies underpinned by AI.
The Future of Copyright and Intellectual Property for AI Films
Can such AI made films actually exist in real time? And if so, what rights do they belong to? AI blurs the boundaries and these take traditional copyright laws for granted that protect human created works. In Canada, IP laws have not yet caught up with the way that AI can be used to help create content.
As regulations change, studios and theaters must work under different operations. According to some, AI generated works should be owned equally by both developers and the filmmaker, another facet claims that only human creators should have copyright. However, legal uncertainty prevails over AI’s impact in copyrights. The need for updated IP laws wanes in existence as AI filmmaking advances.
What Lies Ahead for Canadian Theaters and AI?
The idea that the AI revolution in filmmaking is still a far off future is totally wrong. Canadian theaters have been adopting fast from AI enhanced screenings and also from data driven marketing. They are merging smart project systems by AI, streamlining processes through the use of AI and working with AI studios. However, copyright remains a continuing concern and there are also matters concerning audience expectations.
But to thrive, AI is not optional for theaters. For those that invest in AI driven innovation, they will be able to remain competitive and will provide moviegoers an experience that they can not replicate at home. Theaters that resist risk obsolescence.