AI Disclosure

No Spoon Productions deeply respects the skill and ingenuity of workers in creative industries. We abhor the notion of technology replacing labor wholesale, and as such, pledge never to “hire” AI instead of a human for any open role as a business. Ever.

However, as a tech-forward production company, No Spoon does take a more nuanced stance on the issue than many speaking out about it today. We recognize AI’s potential for great harm, not only to the film industry but to society as a whole. We also recognize its potential to enhance and support human creativity. We believe there is a time and a place for AI in production pipelines, especially for independent filmmakers who do not have access to the same financial resources as big studios. In fact, AI-powered production pipelines are already the status quo, even if filmmakers are generally keeping quiet about it.

In the interest of transparency, No Spoon hereby discloses the use cases in which we are comfortable with AI, and the use cases in which we’re not.

These guidelines are a work-in-progress and will be updated over time as we gain more production experience and listen to worker feedback.

General Principles

No Spoon will always elect to use AI tools that are sustainably powered and trained on licensed data sets, where such options exist in the market.

Where wholly ethical options are not readily available (essential tools like search engines and post-production software often give you no choice in the matter), No Spoon elects to use such tools minimally, and never at the expense of skilled human labor.

Pre-Production

Previsualization

AI may be used in the idea stage to brainstorm visual identity and to establish mood boards, which will only ever be used to inform the work of a human designer or writer. AI is never used to create detailed storyboards, concept art, or promotional material.

Trivial Screenwriting Help

AI may be used to generate minor script details such as character, location, or brand names; or to conduct preliminary research that is later fact-checked. AI is never used to write scenes or dialog, or to develop plot.

Legal

AI may be used to generate boilerplate contract language that is then rigorously edited by a human.

Post-Production

Image & Video Resolution

AI may be used to upscale visual assets from lower resolutions and frame rates to higher ones, for purposes such as retouching, reframing, slow-mo, or timeline conformity.

AI will not be used to cheaply and artificially “remaster” previously released material.

Scene Extension/Cleanup

AI may be used to add or remove background elements to a shot that would not be practical to manipulate by a production designer during shooting.

Performance Enhancement

AI may be used to alter an actor’s mouth movements to better facilitate ADR performed by that same actor, or to pair an actor’s best line delivery with their best blocking, or with the best shot composition, if these occurred in different takes.

AI will not be used to make an actor deliver a performance they did not otherwise substantially perform, except when a license to do so has been negotiated in advance by the actor in question. Such a license would only ever be pursued in the interest of potentially continuing a franchise after an actor’s death, or as a last resort due to irreconcilable scheduling conflicts.

Additionally, No Spoon will never ask to commercialize an actor’s AI-generated likeness without establishing a royalty fee structure compensating the actor or the actor’s estate, on top of a base licensing payment.

Audio

AI may be used to enhance the vocal clarity of an actor’s performance due to background noise or miscalibrated/dysfunctional recording equipment. It may be used to make an actor speak another language or dialect in their own voice, whether for narrative purposes or to provide localization for foreign markets where dubbing is not a feasible option.

AI may be used to generate highly specialized speech that would be difficult or impossible for available actors to produce, such as dead languages or alien languages.

AI will not be used to generate musical scores, cues, or sound effects.