Film director Brady Corbet has defended the use of artificial intelligence-driven technology to enhance the performances of stars Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones in The Brutalist. The movie’s editor, Dávid Jancsó, stated that most of the Hungarian dialogue used by Brody and Jones was modified with speech synthesis software Respeecher to refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy.
Jancsó emphasized that the goal was to preserve the authenticity of the actors’ performances in another language, not to replace or alter them. The director also highlighted the human effort that went into creating the film, stating that “every aspect of its creation was driven by human effort, creativity, and collaboration.”
Corbet added that Adrien and Felicity’s performances are “completely their own,” despite the use of AI technology. He praised the team’s achievement in perfecting their accents with dialect coach Tanera Marshall.
The use of Respeecher is not unique to The Brutalist, as it was also used by Disney+ to recapture the late James Earl Jones’ voice on Obi-Wan Kenobi and increase the vocal range of actress Karla Sofía Gascón for her role in Jacques Audiard’s movie. AI technology has become a common practice in post-production processes, with various companies using it to enhance performances.
The debate surrounding AI-enhanced performances is ongoing, but Corbet and Jancsó emphasize that there should be an open discussion about the tools available to filmmakers. The film has received several awards nominations, including Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Critics Choice Awards.
Source: https://people.com/brutalist-director-adrien-brody-felicity-jones-ai-backlash-8777448