What will the films of tomorrow look like? Max Wiedemann is the Co-Founder of LEONINE Studios and Managing Director of W&B Television and Wiedemann & Berg Film. The leading film production company in Germany is responsible for the 2007 Oscar®-winning "The Lives of Others" and the international streaming success "Dark".
The Decoder: How is LEONINE currently using AI?
Max Wiedemann: We've established LeoChat, our in-house internal platform that accesses the currently most relevant generative foundation models.
The Decoder: Interesting. How did that come about? Did you develop it yourselves?
Max Wiedemann: We adapted an open-source model. Our goal was to make Large Language Models available to all employees and, considering the costs given our large number of employees, to establish usage-based billing instead of user-based billing. We also wanted to enable access to various models like OpenAI and Claude via API calls.
The Decoder: How can your employees use the AI models?
Max Wiedemann: As mentioned, Large Language Models are available to all employees. But we also work with other tools that we apply selectively – this depends on the internal exchange between the departments and our manager for AI strategy and implementation, who jointly identify and test new tools and special application possibilities. To provide our employees with a secure framework for use and to protect rights such as copyright, trademark law, personality rights, etc. for the different trades in film production, a clear usage guideline was an important prerequisite for us from the start when dealing with AI. This guideline explains, among other things, which AI tools can be used without concern and what to consider for input and output. In addition to governance and technical access, we also offer internal training so that employees are enabled to use the tools as effectively as possible.
The Decoder: How is this being received by the employees?
Max Wiedemann: Our AI workshops and training are incredibly well received. Our employees see it as a real opportunity to expand their skills. It's impressive what positive impact AI tools can have on productivity and how they can be used as a source of inspiration. It's a powerful addition to the working world.
"There are impressive examples of how [...] creative work with materials reaches a new level"
The Decoder: Can you name a few concrete use cases?
Max Wiedemann: The use cases are as broad as with word processing or Outlook - it extends to all areas and departments – the added value is individual. There are impressive examples of how summarizing scripts is simplified or how creative work with materials reaches a new level. Not on autopilot, but as a tandem between human and machine. That's why AI isn't a standalone new area for us; it affects the entire company. We have AI ambassadors in every area who are in exchange with our AI department about potential use cases. Where it makes sense, we multiply successful use cases from one area across all other areas company-wide.
The Decoder: Do you have any special examples where employees have surprised you with applications?
Max Wiedemann: What impressed me is how well the models can now develop a contextual understanding of materials. We've done tests with scripts where we asked the AI about the happiness value of the main character on a scale from -10 to +10 in each scene. The answers sometimes showed a real understanding of plot and characters. The scripts weren't public domain, so they couldn't have been part of a training dataset whose story the AI had already analyzed. In our test cases, the AI gained this insight from the context of the scripts. However, you have to put this into perspective; AI still hallucinates, and if no human with the appropriate skills evaluates the results, you won't get satisfactory results overall. But when both come together, someone who understands their job and knows how to handle AI, productivity and creativity can be greatly expanded. And of course, you have to consider that the development is still at the very beginning.
The Decoder: How do you see the optimal collaboration between AI and employees in the film industry?
Max Wiedemann: For me, it's an integral part of daily work in many areas, just like using a computer or a phone. There's a reliable study from Harvard Business School showing that teams with AI support reach their goals 25% faster and achieve 40% better results. Maximum traction comes from a combination of qualified people and AI. It's hard to predict how it will develop further. Many forecasts should be taken with a grain of salt.
The Decoder: How are you using AI in film production?
Max Wiedemann: Currently, we mainly use AI in pre-production. You have to distinguish between the transformative and the disruptive part of the technology. Transformatively, AI supports all areas of previous film production - from idea generation to working with materials to visual concepts. But AI could also disruptively, i.e., fundamentally change filmmaking. One approach is generative AI for moving images, where we're still at the beginning due to a lack of quality, consistency, and control. But there are first projects in advertising, music videos, and animation. The other way is shifting physical filming into the virtual world, where game engines play a key role. There are fascinating AI-driven innovations here as well. But we're still far from replacing actors.
The Decoder: Are you conducting research in this area yourselves?
Max Wiedemann: We're observing the developments very closely and are also active ourselves, but I can't give any details yet.
"It's pointless to be afraid of it; you have to embrace new technical possibilities, which the film and television industry has always done successfully so far"
The Decoder: What do you think of Tyler Perry's decision to cancel his $800 million studio project after the introduction of OpenAI's Sora?
Max Wiedemann: You have to look at it differentially. Sora was a leap in quality and consistency, but not in control. Creative control is crucial for filmmakers. For me, the classic way we make films isn't obsolete yet. But we have to consider the topic at all levels. It's pointless to be afraid of it; you have to embrace new technical possibilities, which the film and television industry has always done successfully so far, because nothing is as inherent to this industry as permanent technical progress. You can look at how it started over 100 years ago, where we stand today, and which technical innovations have transformed our industry again and again over the years. And so far, it has always led to an increase in volume and quality. So I wouldn't know why we should be afraid of this technical innovation now.
The Decoder: How do you assess ethical questions such as the use of training data or the possible loss of jobs?
Max Wiedemann: These are big questions that go far beyond a single media company. We're facing the question: utopia or dystopia. In the utopia, we create value and services on an unimaginable scale with minimal resource input and distribute wealth fairly. In the dystopia, power is concentrated in a few super companies. On the topic of training data, we need a clear approach in the EU. I don't think the current opt-out model is practicable, as it's hardly lived in practice. A first step would be transparency: companies must disclose what data their models were trained on. In the next step, one could think about remuneration models similar to GEMA.
"Talent and skill remain crucial"
The Decoder: What advice would you give to young filmmakers?
Max Wiedemann: Talent and skill remain crucial. It still makes sense to learn a creative profession and become good at it. At the same time, it's becoming increasingly important to continuously educate oneself and be able to handle AI tools. Lifelong learning will become an even more integral part of every professional life.
The Decoder: How do you perceive the response to AI in the industry, also in comparison between Europe and the USA?
Max Wiedemann: A large part of AI innovation currently comes from America, followed by China. In Germany and Europe, you don't feel as much of it yet. This also has to do with the startup culture and willingness to take risks. In the USA, investments in such technologies are made on a completely different scale.
The Decoder: Where do you see positive future visions for the use of AI in the film industry?
Max Wiedemann: I'm an optimist by default, so I always see a positive future. You also have to have the positive in mind to work towards it in a targeted way. And I still believe that talent and creative skills will be the key qualifications for creating extraordinary films and series. In the music field, you can do with an iPad today what you needed a top-equipped recording studio for in the 90s. And yet there are still great artists, there are still superhits. I believe that the audience can distinguish whether something really stands out as something worth seeing or hearing. And that's why I think that filmmakers in most disciplines we currently see will continue to have a future – provided they engage with these technologies and use them to get better. And some job profiles will change, which has always been the case, it's just happening much faster now. Maybe in the future, an actor will have a virtual buddy who goes through the script with them and discusses the content sequence of the scenes at the beginning of a shooting day, explains the mood of the character, and points out peculiarities, or AI is used to make suggestions for improvement regarding the performance. I can imagine that this will be a great form of addition and sparring in all areas, and we'll have even more fun at work.
The Decoder: Is there an AI film or AI story that has particularly moved you?
Max Wiedemann: There are many films that have dealt with the topic in different ways – from "Wall-E" to "I, Robot" and "Terminator" to "Her" – each shows a different aspect. With the recent developments in language technology, we're getting closer and closer to the vision from "Her". It will be exciting to see how this develops further. And as a positive vision of the future, I would see Data from "Star Trek".
The Decoder: Are you planning to address AI themes in future productions yourself?
Max Wiedemann: Yes, we're already seeing many near-future scenarios where AI plays a role. Films and series are always a reflection of the zeitgeist, and AI has a big influence on our culture. Therefore, we will reflect the topic in various forms in our productions. I can't name specific projects yet, but AI will definitely play a role in our future productions.
