The artificial intelligence research firm that signed a notable partnership with Lionsgate and trained its AI models on the studio’s vast 18,000-title film and TV library is now investing in emerging technologies with a fund for independent filmmakers. We are trying to encourage the use of .
Runway, led by CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela, on Thursday announced the Hundred Film Fund, which will offer grants ranging from $5,000 up to $1 million to encourage film production that leverages the company’s AI technology. .
The fund includes Tribeca Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal, Television Academy emerging media executive Lee Storm, Company 3 founder Stefan Sonnenfeld, NVIDIA executive Richard Kelis, and artist will.i.am. An advisory committee including Mr. To be eligible for the grant, “the grant must be used to work on an AI-powered film (that makes prominent use of runway within the project),” the foundation’s FAQ page states. There is.
Runway, which raised $141 million in funding last year and whose investors include Google, NVIDIA and Salesforce Ventures, announced the deal with Lionsgate on September 18th, the studio will give the company its own The idea is to grant access to the library (John Wick’s home base). Hunger Games, Twilight, Saw series). For the past two years, Runway has also hosted an AI Film Festival with sponsorship from the likes of Coca-Cola and Goldman Sachs, encouraging filmmakers to submit short films that utilize AI tools.
The agreement with Lionsgate comes amid heated debates in courtrooms and boardrooms over mining film, television, writing and art for AI models. This is the first time it has been announced. Copyright battles are likely to heat up, with some companies choosing to take cash from AI companies and others filing lawsuits.
Some major media brands (such as Condé Nast, News Corp, Vox Media, and The Atlantic) have agreements with AI companies that allow them to use publishers’ writing as training data, but Hollywood studios No similar agreements have been announced.
“The history of art is the history of technology, and these new models are part of our continued efforts to build innovative mediums for artistic and creative expression,” Valenzuela said at Lyons. I mentioned the gate contract. “The best stories are yet to be told.”
