Khaberni - The digital streaming giant "Netflix" officially announced its acquisition of "InterPositive", a company specialized in AI-supported filmmaking technologies, which was founded by the Oscar-winning actor and director "Ben Affleck" in 2022.
The acquisition is part of a broader strategy adopted by the company to benefit from the rapid developments in the field of artificial intelligence within the entertainment industry. Netflix has already used generative AI technologies to execute some of the visual effects in its original works, assuring investors that it is in a strong position to effectively benefit from the ongoing developments in this field.
The journey of "InterPositive" began two years ago, when Ben Affleck started exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on the film industry, and instead of joining the wave that seeks to replace actors, Affleck focused on "protecting human creative power".
Affleck stated in a comment on the deal: "I knew I had a responsibility towards my colleagues and our industry to protect the essence of the human story, which is the ability to judge and appreciate", adding that technology has always evolved alongside artists, from silent cinema to virtual production, and that joining his team to Netflix is a natural step to continue this legacy.
InterPositive Technology
The company's technology is distinctive because it does not aim to create artificial actors, but rather focuses on solving complex logistical and technical challenges in post-production. Its tasks include:
- Continuity problems: Ensuring details match between different scenes.
- Lighting and environment adjustments: Automatically improving image quality and shadows.
- Completing missing scenes: Compensating for missing shots or addressing inaccurate backgrounds.
The company's initial model relies on "visual logic", as it has been trained on a private dataset within closed studios to ensure adherence to classic cinematic rules, allowing directors to raise "daily shots" to improve and adapt the model for a specific project.
Details of the deal and new leadership
Despite the announcement of the deal, the financial value of the acquisition has not been disclosed, while Ben Affleck will continue his role within the new company as a senior advisor at Netflix, alongside the transfer of the entire InterPositive team to work under the platform's umbrella.
In the same context, Netflix officials emphasized the importance of this step; where Elizabeth Stone, head of products and technology at the company, said: "Our approach to artificial intelligence is always focused on serving the needs of the creative community in a meaningful way.. Joining the InterPositive team came because of our shared belief that innovation should enable storytellers rather than replace them".
This deal is rare for Netflix, which usually prefers to build its technologies internally rather than acquiring external companies.
This acquisition comes shortly after Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's "Artists Equity" signed a cooperation agreement with Netflix, before the release of Affleck's upcoming film "Animals" on the platform later this year.
In light of the growing concerns in Hollywood about the dominance of artificial intelligence, Netflix is seeking through this partnership to present a "responsible" model, where Bella Bajaria, head of content at the company, clarified that the goal is to give directors more options and greater control over their artistic vision, with the human element remaining at the heart of the creative process.
