Sven Larsen

In only three days, my latest offering, Trust No One, will be available at a steep 80% discount on Amazon! That’s a total savings of $4 on the ebook version of the book. Be sure to set up a reminder on your calendar now! If you know anyone who loves reading or historical fiction, be sure to share this promotion with them, too! #AmReading #TrustNoOne #AmazonDeal #Discount #TakeAdvantage #WWII #HistoricalFiction #ThrillerNovel #WorldWarII #ConorThornSeries

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This is crazy. If you work (or are interested) in filmmaking, you need to listen to this TED podcast with Scott Mann of Flawless. Here’s how AI performance transfer works: 1. 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: The AI first analyzes an actor’s performance, mapping the facial expressions, emotions, and specific nuances, such as how their mouth moves when they speak certain words or deliver emotions like sadness or joy. 2. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲: Once the AI has mapped this performance, it can “transfer” it to a different shot or scene where the actor might not have performed the exact same way. For example, if the actor nailed the performance in one take, that performance can be applied to other shots without requiring additional reshoots. !!! 3. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: In the context of vubbing (visual dubbing), performance transfer can be used to preserve an actor’s performance even when their dialogue is translated into another language. The AI replicates the original emotional intensity and expression in sync with the new, dubbed dialogue. 4. 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Performance transfer offers filmmakers the ability to fine-tune performances after the film has been shot. If changes to the performance are needed during editing, such as delivering a line differently or enhancing an emotion, it can be done digitally without calling the actor back for reshoots. As for 𝘃𝘂𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴, it works by using advanced AI to sync the mouth movements of actors with dialogue in different languages. Here’s a breakdown of how the process works: 1. Analysis of the Original Film: The AI begins by analyzing the original performance in the film. It studies the actor’s facial expressions, specifically the movements of the mouth, and how they correspond to the spoken words. This analysis is deep and detailed, essentially creating a “map” of the actor’s facial performance . 2. Mapping New Dialogue: When the film is dubbed into a new language, the AI uses this performance map to adapt the actor’s mouth movements to match the new language’s dialogue. 3. Synchronization with Cultural Nuance: The AI doesn’t just sync lips; it also accounts for the nuances of different languages and cultures. 4. Generative Manipulation: The AI employs generative techniques to create new mouth movements that fit the new dialogue. 5. No Use of Pre-existing Data Without Rights: The AI strictly uses clean data (licensed and purpose-shot content) for training. It doesn’t pull from unauthorized sources to ensure that the actors’ rights are respected, and the technology is built on ethical foundations . 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗱𝘂𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 w/ Scott Mann https://lnkd.in/eeN9mHhB

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WHAT THE HELL DOES A PRODUCER DO? Perhaps a better question is what *doesn’t* a Producer do? Truth be told, the best producers do a little bit of everything very well. And they let experts do *a lot* of their specific specialties. As a Producer on hundreds of different projects, I have done damn near everything. Last minute wardrobe malfunction, check. Sous chef? Got you. Operate the B cam? On it. Travel agent? Yep. Relaying bad news notes to talent? Not my favorite, but sure. Negotiating contracts? I’m not a lawyer but I play one on TV. Selling? Bartering? Pitching? Raising funds? Yes yes yes yes. As a Producer, you’ll wear many hats. My old pal Bryan Terry used to tell people he was a magician when inquired about what he did for work. I like to imagine the reactions from strangers or potential dates as he straight-faced told them he performs magic for a living. But he was right! We make things appear out of thin air. There are sooooo many types of Producers but ultimately, each of their roles is to push forward the project in a way that gives everyone a win. I take that W seriously and I can safely say that I am undefeated. I’ve never had a project that didn’t stand up on its legs and run through the ribbon at the finish line. Sure, some of those races were ugly f***ing wins, but we notched the victory nonetheless. Sprints, marathons, relays - all part of the job. So here’s to all my colleagues who proudly take the title of Producer. Keep up that entrepreneurial spirit and continue to engage with terrific projects and even better people. For you others in the biz, give a Producer you know a hug or a high five. They probably need the support and encouragement in this weird time, post-“golden age” of content. #producer #film #television #content #digital #magic #magician #filmmaker

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SAG-AFTRA Strikes For AI Video Game Consent. Voice Actors Are Urged To 'Stay Away From Games' ... https://lnkd.in/ezdQvgVf ... July 31, 2024 Picketing has begun in a new SAG-AFTRA strike targeting the use of AI in video games - the outcome of which will have major impact on the #careers of #voiceactors in that genre. In negotiations for the Interactive Media Agreement, #SAGAFTRA wants members to be able to consent to a company's use of past union performances in the creation of new union content via #AI (artificial intelligence). #Voiceover industry associations - NAVA and WoVO - urge all voice actors to stay away from video game projects during the strike. Legendary voice actor / union advocate Bob Bergen gives us deep background and perspective on the strike and what's ahead for the VO industry ... #voiceovers #videogamestrike

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Should you shut up during an election, or do more PR than ever? Some companies certainly seem to follow their civil service counterparts into "purdah" mode, going into hibernation. Others carry on like nothing is happening. I remember screening these kinds of calls when I was a full-time reporter. Here's a few points for consideration: ⏸ It is worth pausing any major campaigns you have planned for the days surrounding the election, especially if you rely on news reporters picking up your story. There is simply not going to be any room in news pages, and reporters from other sections of the paper might be busy filling in with political coverage too. 🔎 Take a good hard look at the election narratives. Is there a storyline you have a unique perspective or take on where it makes sense to speak up? Is there an issue that *isn't* being covered but really deserves to be? Is it worth potentially alienating one side with what you say? ⏩ If you want to be part of the election conversation, move fast. You can't take three days to respond to a party manifesto - or even three hours. Journalists are incredibly busy at this point so appreciate quick turnaround comments based on verifiable facts, not vague assertions based on anecdata. Prepare well so you can get your messages out rapidly. This is not easy. However audiences do swell around elections, so if you can get your voice into the news, it will be heard.

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This to me is a very positive sign because it points to how I expect more creative deals are likely to progress - not by arbitrarily ripping off videos and audio (which I think is catching up with the AI innovators) but rather by establishing a framework whereby given actor and character rights can be assigned and compensated. Authors, musicians and artists are probably next in the queue, with dancers and athletes shortly thereafter. Why the latter? Because dance (and movement) is a language, and training on that language will become a big part of being able to build convincing video in particular. I expect to see the rise of motion artists, dancers working with mocap which can then be digitized and fed into motion generators, with licensing then based upon the final product. This in turn may indicate a shift in thinking away from hourly payment and toward points. This is especially critical for artists who produce individual works, but ultimately applies to creatives. As an artistic contributor, you get a certain percentage of either the net or (preferably) the gross of production. Needless to say, investors would much rather pay a certain amount upfront to artists than see them get residuals, but overall, residuals make FAR more sense to a creative of any sort, ASSUMING that they can get a decent percentage. This is why I think creatives are likely to be more proactive about unionizing.

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As 404 Media reports based on documents leaked to its reporters, the TV and radio news giant Cox Media Group (CMG) claims that its so-called "Active Listening" software uses artificial intelligence (AI) to "capture real-time intent data by listening to our conversations." "Advertisers can pair this voice-data with behavioral data to target in-market consumers," the deck continues. #privacy #security #surveillance #tech #communication

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