Deep Dive: Hong Kong filmmakers hope AI can help city’s stagnant movie industry

Video producer Roger Proeis is walking around a massive railway station. The station, complete with ticketing machines, escalators, seating areas and advertising billboards, is fake; he created the scene within his 5,000 sq ft studio using artificial intelligence (AI).

Proeis, the Norwegian CEO of film production firm Votion Studios, is convinced that the new technology will shake up the industry, change how traditional filmmakers work, and trim costs.

By creating realistic virtual locations, for example, there will be no need to fly actors and crew to different places, and audiences will not be able to tell the difference.

There are other ways AI can be used at various stages of filmmaking, right through to the tedious stage of post-production editing and making technical fixes.

“Training AI models on extensive real-world data sets can save time and resources in creating accurate and immersive environments and production workflows,” he said. “AI can also automate tasks like video editing, colour grading and visual effects [compositing].”

Hollywood filmmakers have already begun using AI to tweak scripts, select cast members, shorten the time it takes to choose locations, and even predict their films’ financial success.

Some Hong Kong filmmakers have embraced AI.

Film editor Wong Hoi, who has won multiple awards for his work, said he believed AI could improve film production in many ways.

He recalled editing the blockbuster hit Bodyguards and Assassins, which won eight Hong Kong Film Awards, including best film and best director, in 2010.

“It was shot in Shanghai. The production team built a physical set, and it felt like Hong Kong had been transported there,” he said.

It cost HK$50 million (US$6.4 million) to create the set, resembling Hong Kong’s Central district in the 1900s, on a site as big as 10 football fields.

“The set was magical. But now, if we use AI and virtual sets, we can achieve equally stunning and detailed results without needing extensive construction,” said Wong, chairman of the Society of Film Editors Hong Kong.

He estimated that AI could cut the costs and the time needed to create film locations in half.

“Human creativity is key, and we will not be replaced by AI, but people in the industry and all Hongkongers must embrace new things to avoid being left behind in the tide of progress,” he said.

Staff writers

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Question prompts

1. What did Roger Proeis say about using AI to build virtual sets?

(1) He said the technology can shake up the industry.
(2) Filmmakers wouldn’t have to fly actors to different locations.
(3) He doesn’t think audiences can tell the difference between AI and real sets.
(4) He thinks AI is too expensive to be helpful right now.

A. (1), (2)
B. (1), (4)
C. (1), (2), and (3) only
D. All of the above

2. Name THREE tasks in filmmaking that AI can assist with.

3. If Wong Hoi could have used AI for Bodyguards and Assassins, how might it have changed the production of the movie? Explain using News and Glossary.

Question prompts

1. What is unique about this music video by Hong Kong singer Jeffery Ngai? Do you think the set is real or created by AI?

2. List ONE benefit and ONE challenge of using a virtual set. Explain using News, Glossary and your own knowledge.

• Some aren’t convinced AI can fix a film industry stuck with stale plots and the same old faces

• Others say Hong Kong is too reliant on targeting mainland China and overseas markets and can’t compete with streaming

While some have embraced the use of AI in filmmaking, experts say it’s not the answer to improving Hong Kong’s stagnant film industry.

Filmmaker Norman Chan Hok-yan, associate director of Baptist University’s film academy, said the technology could not fix the field’s most pressing issues, such as tired storylines and the overuse of big actors.

“Many big-budget productions often fall into the same genre as crime thrillers. The cast tends to be just a handful of well-known stars audiences have grown tired of seeing repeatedly,” he said.

Chan said the abundant choice offered by online streaming platforms had also made it harder for Hong Kong films to score at the box office.

Chan, who produced classics such as An Autumn’s Tale in the 1980s, said Hong Kong films did not enjoy global recognition because major companies focused on co-productions with mainland China mostly targeted the market there.

“Such multimillion-dollar productions often prioritise established stars, while new actors are left to continue in smaller roles, creating a gap in the talent pool. But even big stars are no longer a guarantee of box office success,” he said.

Veteran filmmaker John Chong Ching, who produced the classic Infernal Affairs trilogy, said Hong Kong’s film industry was too focused on breaking into the mainland and overseas markets to think about technology.

“Nobody has the time to be preoccupied with the use of AI. We are more concerned about making breakthroughs with our storytelling, presentations, scriptwriting and how to attract viewers and tap different markets,” he said.

“Without good storytelling and thought-provoking content, it doesn’t matter what kind of AI you use.”

Chong said some sci-fi blockbusters had used advanced technology but received bad reviews and made little profit.

“The script comes first; then we’ll see if technology can complement the script and provide value for money,” he said.

Baptist University has established two research projects adopting text-to-video technologies. MotionGPT allows users to input text prompts and transform them into a video for BuVatar, an AI-powered digital avatar, to perform programmed actions and behaviour.

“You can simply ask an avatar to walk for five seconds, squat for five seconds, and jump,” said Dr Chen Jie, an assistant professor at the university’s department of computer science.

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MotionGPT specialises in motion generation, and BuVatar creates virtual characters, so combining them offers a low-budget production solution for the film industry and those in academia, Chen said.

“Take martial arts films as an example. The technology offers filmmakers more options, allowing actors to quickly demonstrate actions to directors through simple commands or showcasing desired movements to actors,” he said. “This reduces retake time and enhances filming efficiency.”

Producer and actor Tenky Tin Kai-man, former chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, said the local industry’s use of AI was still in its infancy.

He saw its role as “purely complementary” and did not think it was the answer to the industry’s problems.

“Movies need originality, creativity and the human touch,” he said.
Staff writers

Question prompts

1. List TWO challenges faced by Hong Kong’s film industry.

2. To what extent do you agree that Hong Kong’s film industry should use AI to foster success and growth? Explain using News and Issue.

3. According to Dr Chen Jie, what purpose could the MotionGPT and BuVatar AI tools serve in the film industry?

(1) Generating text prompts for scriptwriting
(2) Creating virtual characters
(3) Facilitating motion generation for digital avatars
(4) Enhancing filming efficiency

A. (1), (2), and (3) only
B. (1), (3), and (4) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (2), (3), and (4) only

Question prompts

1. Using the chart, make ONE observation about the value of generative AI in the global film industry.

2. Provide TWO examples from News or Issue that support your answer in the previous question.

virtual set: digital environments created using computer-generated imagery (CGI) or other virtual reality technologies. These sets can replicate real-world locations with high fidelity, allowing filmmakers to shoot scenes without physically travelling to different places.

post-production editing: the stage in filmmaking in which footage is assembled, edited, and enhanced to create the final product. AI can be used in post-production editing to automate repetitive tasks and improve efficiency.

stagnant: not growing or developing, stuck

box office: the commercial success of a film, measured by the revenue generated from ticket sales at cinemas

blockbusters: big-budget films with great potential for commercial success.

News

1. C

2. AI can create realistic virtual locations, reducing the need to physically travel for filming. Additionally, AI can be used to automate tasks like video editing, colour grading, and visual effects compositing, saving time and resources. It also assists in script editing and casting. (accept all reasonable answers)

3. Wong Hoi said the team built a massive physical set in Shanghai, which cost HK$50 million (US$6.4 million) to make. Using AI to build the sets virtually, instead of on location, could have saved time and money.

Illustration

1. This music video by Hong Kong singer Jeffery Ngai takes place on a large ship. I don’t think it is real because it would be a lot of work to create a boat just for a short music video. / I think it could be real because he might have reused an existing set piece from an old movie or music video. (Answers may vary)

2. Virtual sets can accurately replicate real-world locations, allowing filmmakers to shoot scenes without physically travelling to different places. This could save time and money. One challenge could be that these sets would not look 100 per cent real if AI isn’t utilised properly and might not have a human touch. (Accept other reasonable answers)

Issue

1. According to Norman Chan Hok-yan, Hong Kong’s film industry suffers from the repetitive nature of big-budget productions and the over-reliance on well-known actors. He noted that many productions fall into similar genres like crime thrillers, with a limited pool of familiar faces, leading to audience fatigue. Moreover, the abundance of choices offered by online streaming platforms like Netflix has made it harder for Hong Kong films to compete at the box office.

2. While AI can boost efficiency, I do not think it is the solution to reviving Hong Kong’s film industry. I agree with John Chong Ching, who said that rather than focusing on AI technology, the industry should prioritise good storytelling and thought-provoking content over technological advancements. He cited examples of sci-fi blockbusters using advanced technology but failing to impress audiences or generate significant profits. Tenky Tin Kai-man shared similar sentiments. He stressed the need for originality and a human touch in movies. / I agree that AI can help revive Hong Kong’s film industry. Since the industry suffers from repetitiveness, AI can suggest new ideas and be involved in casting new faces that can propel its growth. If people keep doing the same things, the industry will remain stagnant. Since Hong Kong is also struggling to compete with offerings on streaming platforms, AI can help make the production process more efficient so that films can spend less money to make something even more grand and original than what is offered on streaming. (accept all reasonable answers)

3. D

Chart

1. The value of generative AI is predicted to rise because more movies will be produced using AI in the coming years.

2. Filmmakers are considering using AI to build virtual sets, and universities like Baptist University have established research projects to develop new AI technologies and explore their use. (accept all reasonable answers)