Showrunner has announced the development of a new generative AI model aimed at recreating lost footage from The Magnificent Ambersons, Orson Welles’ 1942 adaptation of Booth Tarkington’s 1918 novel. The original film had a runtime of 131 minutes, but was reduced to 88 minutes by RKO Pictures without Welles’ involvement after he lost control of the editing process.
Showrunner believes that generative AI can restore the film closer to Welles’ original vision. Edward Saatchi, co-founder of Showrunner, stated that while current AI technology struggles to sustain a narrative over longer formats, advancements are being made that could allow for AI-driven films in the future. Welles had provided detailed instructions on how he envisioned the film’s editing, but these were not implemented, and the studio reportedly destroyed the negatives of the lost footage.
The project aims to supplement the missing footage using a combination of AI-generated visual approximations and live-action sequences featuring actors whose faces will be altered digitally to resemble the original cast. Showrunner plans to utilize its FILM-1 model to produce keyframes for these scenes and will reference set photographs to establish spatial contexts.
To assist in this endeavor, Showrunner has enlisted Tom Clive, an AI VFX artist with experience in face-swapping, and filmmaker Brian Rose, who has previously attempted to restore The Magnificent Ambersons using hand-drawn animation based on archival materials. However, Rose noted challenges related to character representation and uncertainties regarding the intellectual property rights held by Warner Bros. Discovery, which complicate potential legal ramifications of releasing a restored version.
Notably, Showrunner has previously engaged in legally contentious projects, such as unauthorized episodes of South Park. The company has chosen not to monetize the Ambersons project and expressed a willingness to transfer the work to intellectual property holders if they see potential for it outside of academic use.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/772635/showrunner-orson-welles-the-magnificent-ambersons