# AI De-Aging in Hollywood: The Case of *Here* and the Future of Film Technology
On November 1, 2024, TriStar Pictures launched *Here*, a $50 million film helmed by Robert Zemeckis that has attracted attention not just for its engaging storyline but also for its innovative application of artificial intelligence (AI) in visual effects. Featuring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, the film utilizes real-time AI-driven facial transformation techniques to depict the actors over a span of 60 years. This represents one of the pioneering full-length Hollywood productions to utilize AI-enhanced visual effects, establishing a new benchmark for the film sector.
## The Story Behind *Here*
*Here* adapts the 2014 graphic novel by Richard McGuire. The narrative takes place mainly in a singular living room in New Jersey yet traverses various time periods, delving into the lives of different characters who have occupied the space through the years. Instead of casting different performers to represent the characters at various ages, the creative team decided to employ AI to adjust the appearances of Hanks and Wright throughout the cinematic experience.
The de-aging technology implemented in *Here* was crafted by Metaphysic, a visual effects firm specializing in instantaneous face swapping and aging effects. During production, the crew utilized two screens: one displaying the actors as they looked in reality and another featuring their AI-altered, age-appropriate representations. This setup enabled filmmakers to observe the de-aged images of the actors in real time, marking a significant shift from the conventional post-production-heavy visual effects process.
## How AI De-Aging Works
Metaphysic’s de-aging technology is based on tailored machine-learning models that have been trained on frames from the previous works of Hanks and Wright. This dataset comprises a diverse array of facial movements, skin textures, and appearances subjected to different lighting situations and camera angles. By scrutinizing this information, the AI is capable of producing immediate face transformations that accurately portray the actors at varying ages, thus eliminating the lengthy manual post-production efforts that traditional CGI typically demands.
In contrast to older de-aging methods that depended on frame-by-frame adjustments, Metaphysic’s technique leverages real-time AI processing. The system assesses facial landmarks and correlates them with trained age variations, delivering transformations almost instantly. This breakthrough permits filmmakers to witness the effects during shooting, cutting down on both time and expenses associated with traditional visual effects.
“You couldn’t have made this movie three years ago,” Zemeckis remarked to *The New York Times*. Conventional visual effects for such sophisticated facial modification would have necessitated hundreds of artists and a budget akin to a Marvel extravaganza. In comparison, Metaphysic’s AI models facilitate a more streamlined and budget-friendly process, enabling high-quality outputs with fewer resources.
## AI in Hollywood: A Growing Trend
While *Here* marks a major achievement in AI-driven de-aging, it is not the inaugural film to explore this technology. In 2023, *Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny* implemented a custom system known as Flux to de-age Harrison Ford. Nevertheless, this approach required infrared cameras for facial data capture during filming, followed by significant post-production work using older images of Ford. In contrast, Metaphysic’s AI models can perform transformations without added hardware, yielding results in real time.
The adoption of AI in filmmaking is extending beyond mere visual effects. Companies like Runway are pioneering text-to-video generation tools, while others, such as Callaia, are developing AI systems for script analysis and pre-production tasks. However, the increasing utilization of AI in Hollywood has ignited discussions regarding its effects on the sector, especially among unions advocating for actors and writers.
## Union Concerns and Industry Debates
The premiere of *Here* coincides with a period when Hollywood studios are investigating various AI applications, though amidst significant debate. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have both raised alarms about the potential for AI to supplant human creativity in fields such as scriptwriting and acting. Recent union contracts have established strict limits on the integration of AI into creative workflows, yet numerous industry veterans feel that the technology’s impact is unavoidable.
“Everyone’s nervous,” commented Susan Sprung, CEO of the Producers Guild of America, to *The New York Times*. “And yet no one’s quite sure what to be nervous about.” The swift advancement of AI technology has left many in the industry pondering its long-term consequences, particularly regarding job security for actors, writers, and other creative individuals.
The SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023 underscored these apprehensions, with union leaders cautioning that AI could one day replace human performers. Although the strike resulted in certain restrictions on AI usage, the technology continues to develop, and its presence in Hollywood is anticipated to expand in the forthcoming years.
## AI in Future Films
Metaphysic’s technology has already been utilized in other
