Lights, Camera, AI! Zemeckis’s New Film Brings Time Travel to a Whole New Level
Well, well, well! If it isn’t the latest Hollywood marvel, Here—the $50 million brainchild of Robert Zemeckis, who has apparently decided that aging gracefully is overrated! Instead, he arm-wrestled Father Time and enlisted the help of generative AI to transform the beloved Tom Hanks and Robin Wright into their older selves. It’s official: we’ve reached a point where movies can now claim they’ve found the fountain of youth. And no, it’s not located in Florida!
The film, which premiered on Friday, is an adaptation of a 2014 graphic novel centered on—wait for it—two actors sharing a living room in New Jersey across six decades. I mean, who needs extravagant sets and locations? Your couch does a fantastic job of providing existential dread all on its own! Zemeckis ingeniously avoided the predicament of hiring multiple actors for various stages of life. Instead, he turned to AI to do the dirty work—much like those lazy millennials with their smart fridges that do the grocery shopping.
So, how does this sorcery work? The magic comes from Metaphysic, a visual effects company that, quite clearly, should be handed a Nobel Prize in “Making Us Look Younger.” Their AI technology allows for real-time face-swapping and aging effects. It’s so cutting-edge that during the shoot, the crew watched two monitors—one showing the actors as they were and the other showing their transformed selves. Although I can’t help but wonder, did they also have a monitor for how much therapy they’d need to resolve the existential crisis that would follow seeing yourself de-aged?
Here – Official Trailer (HD)
According to Zemeckis, “You couldn’t have made this movie three years ago.” It’s almost as if he’s suggesting that Hollywood’s been stuck in a time warp of its own. Traditional effects that could have achieved this level of modification would have required a full battalion of artists and a hefty budget, likely comparable to that of a Marvel blockbuster. And let’s be honest, we’d much rather spend that money on hiring more people to turn us into Chris Hemsworth.
This isn’t the first time the silver screen has flirted with the idea of de-aging talent. Remember the uproar over Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny? Lucasfilm’s de-aging of Harrison Ford employed their own system called Flux, which was about as complex as building a time machine with old LEGO. They used infrared cameras to capture facial data and then relied on post-production magic to work their wizardry. But Metaphysic’s models are simpler: they show results during filming without needing all that extra hardware. Seriously, I’m still trying to wrap my head around how they managed to make Tom Hanks look younger without using his old Polaroids as references!
In a world where reality seems stranger than fiction, we find ourselves at the intersection of technology and art. And if past is prologue, we can only imagine what the future holds. Perhaps soon, actors will simply upload their pouts and perfect hair straight into the film, leaving agents to fight over who gets what cut. After all, if we can message our friends from our wristwatches, why can’t actors skip the red carpet and beam straight into our homes?
So there you have it folks, Zemeckis’s Here is one giant leap for AI and one small step for aging actors. Will this be the dawn of a new era in filmmaking or just another gimmick to sell more popcorn and nachos? You be the judge!
On Friday, TriStar Pictures unveiled Here, an ambitious $50 million feature film directed by the visionary Robert Zemeckis, which employs groundbreaking generative AI technology to create transformative visual effects. This innovative film showcases the faces of renowned actors Tom Hanks and Robin Wright through a remarkable 60-year timeline, representing one of Hollywood’s pioneering full-length projects crafted with AI-driven visuals.
The movie draws inspiration from a 2014 graphic novel that intricately unfolds within a New Jersey living room, traversing various time periods. Instead of enlisting a multitude of actors to portray different ages, the production creatively utilized AI to dynamically adjust the appearances of Hanks and Wright throughout the narrative.
The de-aging innovation is powered by Metaphysic, a cutting-edge visual effects company specializing in real-time facial manipulation and aging effects. To facilitate this unique endeavor, the film crew monitored two simultaneous screens during shooting: the first captured the actors’ authentic looks, while the second exhibited their appearances adjusted to match the age required for each specific scene.
Here – Official Trailer (HD)
“You couldn’t have made this movie three years ago,” Zemeckis emphatically articulated in a comprehensive interview with The New York Times, highlighting the technical evolution behind the film. The conventional visual effects typically required for such advanced face transformations would have necessitated an army of artists and a budget significantly exceeding that of typical Marvel productions, making this technological leap all the more impressive.
This isn’t the first instance of AI being utilized to de-age actors in cinema. In a comparison, ILM’s innovative method for de-aging Harrison Ford in the 2023 film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny relied on a specialized system named Flux, which employed infrared technology to capture facial data during production, using older images of Ford for post-production enhancements. In stark contrast, Metaphysic’s AI models perform transformations in real-time without the need for extra hardware, presenting immediate results during filming.
**Interview with Filmmaker Chris Kelsey on the Intersection of AI and Cinematic Storytelling**
**Editor:** Welcome, Chris! It’s great to have you here to discuss the groundbreaking new film *Here* by Robert Zemeckis. The use of generative AI to depict Tom Hanks and Robin Wright through six decades is truly revolutionary. How do you see this technology changing the landscape of filmmaking?
**Chris Kelsey:** Thanks for having me! It really is an exciting time for filmmakers. The ability to use AI for real-time face manipulation opens up so many creative possibilities. Filmmakers can now focus more on telling compelling stories without being tied down by the logistics of casting different actors for various life stages. It streamlines production and allows for a more cohesive vision throughout the film.
**Editor:** Absolutely! In the article, it mentioned that traditional effects would have required a lot more resources. Do you think this could lead to a significant shift in budget allocations for future films?
**Chris Kelsey:** I think so. With AI technology reducing the need for extensive makeup or CGI, filmmakers can allocate budgets toward other creative elements, such as script development or location shoots. It also allows more smaller or independent productions to realize high-concept ideas that might have seemed impossible or too expensive within traditional frameworks.
**Editor:** You highlighted how Zemeckis described this film as something that couldn’t have been made just three years ago. Do you believe we’re on the cusp of a major evolution in the types of stories that can be told?
**Chris Kelsey:** Definitely. The technology is progressing rapidly, and as more filmmakers adopt these tools, we can anticipate more complex narratives that explore themes of identity, time, and memory. Innovations like those seen in *Here* can potentially prompt audiences to reconsider their relationships with aging and legacy in unique ways, all while providing engaging entertainment.
**Editor:** Speaking of audience engagement, do you think audiences are ready for what some might consider “de-aging wizardry,” especially given past controversies in films like *Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny*?
**Chris Kelsey:** That’s an interesting point. Audiences are becoming more accustomed to digital manipulation in film, but there will always be a divide. Some may find it fascinating while others could see it as artificial or even unsettling. The key will be how well filmmakers balance technological advancements with authentic storytelling that resonates emotionally.
**Editor:** With that in mind, do you see any potential ethical concerns emerging as AI technology becomes more prevalent in filmmaking?
**Chris Kelsey:** Yes, absolutely. There are important discussions to be had regarding consent, especially when using AI to modify an actor’s appearance. It’s critical that the industry establishes clear norms and practices to ensure that actors have a say in how their likeness is used. We want the benefits of technology while preserving artistic integrity and respect for individual actors.
**Editor:** It’s a fascinating and multifaceted issue, for sure. Lastly, as we look to the future of cinema, how do you think AI will shape not just filmmaking, but also audience experiences?
**Chris Kelsey:** AI has the potential not just to change filmmaking, but to change the way audiences interact with films altogether. Imagine personalized movie experiences tailored to individual preferences or AI-driven narratives that adapt in real-time based on audience reactions. The future of cinema could be a collaborative journey between filmmakers and viewers in ways we are only beginning to explore.
**Editor:** Thank you, Chris, for your insights into this new frontier of filmmaking. It’s exciting to think about the stories yet to come and how technology will influence their telling!
**Chris Kelsey:** Thank you for having me! I can’t wait to see what’s next!