Warner Bros. signs deal for AI program that determines an actor's financial value to a movie

The deal has been signed with Cinelytic, which analyzes data and helps filmmakers make informed choices

Warner Bros Logo (WB)

The robot revolution has begun, and it's targeting that which we hold most dear - Hollywood. Warner Bros. has signed a deal with Cinelytic for an AI program that assesses an actor's value, and how much a film starring them can be expected to make in the film market. 

The movie division of Warner Bros., headed by Toby Emmerich, has signed a deal to use the Cinelytic's project management system, which was launched last year. according to a report by the Hollywood Reporter. The system uses "comprehensive data and predictive analytics" that will help the company make the most financially viable casting decisions in the early stages of movie production.

Founded in 2013 by Tobias Queisser, Cinelytic aims to assist filmmakers in finding context through analytical data, so filmmakers can make better informed decisions. Their AI has been in development and beta testing for the past three years. They've signed deals with Ingenious Media, Productivity Media, and STX. 

The program isn't expected to be able to predict surprise hits, or major flops, but it does claim to reduce the number of hours required to properly research everything a film company's decision-makers need in order to make informed decisions. With the right data in hand, production companies can more easily figure out the best decisions on how to budget for marketing, distribution, and determining release dates. 

“The system can calculate in seconds what used to take days to assess by a human when it comes to general film package evaluation or a star’s worth,” according to Queisser.

Queisser stresses that the system is not meant to replace creative decision making. “Artificial intelligence sounds scary. But right now, an AI cannot make any creative decisions,” he said. “What it is good at is crunching numbers and breaking down huge data sets and showing patterns that would not be visible to humans. But for creative decision-making, you still need experience and gut instinct.”
