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Bruce
Boardmeister
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7963
Location: Portland, OR
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 Posted: Mon May 06, 2024 6:47 am Post subject: When A.I. Vocalization Is A Good Thing |
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Randy Travis can sing again:
From CBS Sunday Morning…
https://youtu.be/zM2UzZ4TVGw?si=seP4PHOK9gBU4a95
OK. That’s one good thing.
B
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I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. . |
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Bob Bergen
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Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 965
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| Posted: Mon May 06, 2024 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Agree! And it represents the definition of what our union contracts refer to as consent. This represents the next generation of residual profit sharing for the voice actor, as it is inevitable generative AI will use old content to create new content, which will continue to bring in revenue to the heirs of voice actors way after they have passed. Heirs have always profit shared on older content residuals, but we have never seen new content created from older content. This is the silver lining I have been talking about for the past few years regarding AI. |
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Fran McClellan
The Thirteenth Floor
Joined: 15 Feb 2010
Posts: 1313
Location: Middle of Nowhere, PA
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| Posted: Tue May 07, 2024 9:53 am Post subject: |
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Wow! It's great to see AI being used for good. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go reapply my mascara after watching that.
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Lee Gordon
A Zillion
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6854
Location: West Hartford, CT
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| Posted: Tue May 07, 2024 11:12 am Post subject: |
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| Bob Bergen wrote: | | Heirs have always profit shared on older content residuals, but we have never seen new content created from older content. |
I recall, quite a few years ago, somebody made a commercial, not with AI, but just with clever and skillful video editing, that incorporated a long deceased celebrity (Humphrey Bogart, or someone of that ilk) into the pitch. I don't recall whether the producers had negotiated with his heirs for the rights to use his likeness or whether this was the test case that brought about the decree that such compensation was necessary. But the concept is exactly the same.
I think this is a point a lot of voiceoverists seem to be missing. AI is a tool. The fact that AI exists and people are going to use it is not the issue. The issue is, whether the people whose voices and/or likenesses are reproduced retain control of those likenesses so that they are not used inappropriately and that the artists (or their heirs) are properly compensated.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice
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Bob Bergen
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Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 965
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| Posted: Tue May 07, 2024 12:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I recall, quite a few years ago, somebody made a commercial, not with AI, but just with clever and skillful video editing, that incorporated a long deceased celebrity (Humphrey Bogart, or someone of that ilk) into the pitch. I don't recall whether the producers had negotiated with his heirs for the rights to use his likeness or whether this was the test case that brought about the decree that such compensation was necessary. |
That is protected under The Fred Astaire Act, which basically states that a deceased celebrity's image or voice may not be used for new content unless their heirs give consent, which always comes with negotiated compensation. For a few years several in leadership at the union thought this would also protect and profit share when AI is used for the same purpose, but AI needs very different and separate laws and protections. |
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Mike Paul
Contributor IV
Joined: 05 Oct 2021
Posts: 130
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Wed May 08, 2024 11:08 am Post subject: |
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So nice to see, thanks for sharing Bruce. For all the bad in the world, sure does feel good to see something like this happening. It would be super interesting to work on the production side of this.
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Mike Paul
https://speakingofmike.com |
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Moosevoice
Backstage Pass
Joined: 16 Nov 2012
Posts: 414
Location: Iowa
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| Posted: Wed May 08, 2024 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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The Randy Travis piece was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.
Proves that AI is not 100% evil to our livelihoods.
Maybe just 90%
; )
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Lee Gordon
A Zillion
Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6854
Location: West Hartford, CT
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| Posted: Wed May 08, 2024 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Bob Bergen wrote: | | For a few years several in leadership at the union thought this would also protect and profit share when AI is used for the same purpose, but AI needs very different and separate laws and protections. |
I would have thought so, too. The principal is basically the same. I agree, if AI isn't covered by those existing laws, we need ones that do provide similar protections.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice
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Bob Bergen
CM
Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 965
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| Posted: Thu May 09, 2024 7:41 am Post subject: |
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| Lee Gordon wrote: | | Bob Bergen wrote: | | For a few years several in leadership at the union thought this would also protect and profit share when AI is used for the same purpose, but AI needs very different and separate laws and protections. |
I would have thought so, too. The principal is basically the same. I agree, if AI isn't covered by those existing laws, we need ones that do provide similar protections. |
Correct! And much of this needs to come from legislation above and beyond SAG-AFTRA. The reason AI is not covered under The Astaire Act is because The Astaire Act covers existing work, images and voice. AI enhances and (or) manipulates this existing work. It goes so technically beyond, it needs protections that go beyond The Astaire Act. Our contracts are providing this protection and profit sharing for our work, but there are no provisions for deceased actors. The good news is this is aggressively being addressed. |
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MooreVoices
Contributor II
Joined: 23 Sep 2012
Posts: 59
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Sat May 25, 2024 7:12 am Post subject: |
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| Lee Gordon wrote: | | Bob Bergen wrote: | | Heirs have always profit shared on older content residuals, but we have never seen new content created from older content. |
I recall, quite a few years ago, somebody made a commercial, not with AI, but just with clever and skillful video editing, that incorporated a long deceased celebrity (Humphrey Bogart, or someone of that ilk) into the pitch. I don't recall whether the producers had negotiated with his heirs for the rights to use his likeness or whether this was the test case that brought about the decree that such compensation was necessary. But the concept is exactly the same.
I think this is a point a lot of voiceoverists seem to be missing. AI is a tool. The fact that AI exists and people are going to use it is not the issue. The issue is, whether the people whose voices and/or likenesses are reproduced retain control of those likenesses so that they are not used inappropriately and that the artists (or their heirs) are properly compensated. |
These four words are the most import words in the entirety of the discussion, wherever it is being had, inside of this larger paragraph of best practices.
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Freedom is not knowing your limits but realizing that you have none. |
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MooreVoices
Contributor II
Joined: 23 Sep 2012
Posts: 59
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Sat May 25, 2024 7:19 am Post subject: |
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I was coming of age at the same time of hip hop.
This artist was one of THE most heavily anticipated at that time...then just like that, larynx destroyed in an auto accident.
THESE two stories are what are exciting about AI.
https://rockthebells.com/articles/the-doc-cbs-morning-ai-interview/
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Freedom is not knowing your limits but realizing that you have none. |
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JohnV
Been Here Awhile
Joined: 25 Feb 2016
Posts: 233
Location: Md/DC
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| Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2024 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Somebody must already have this book optioned...
A personal vendetta goes awry when an ex-actor tries
to bring a dose of theatrical reality to the 21st century's
popular form of live drama where actors have
sold themselves out to be analysed and coded and rented,
thus getting their revenues from shows that use those parameters to
surrogately 'cast' them in perfectly human-like but all-robotic performances.
last bedside scene:
“It’s too late to find a permanent niche.”
His friend replies,
“It was too late when you were born old man! There isn’t any such thing—
hasn’t been for the last century. Whatever you specialize in,
another specialty will either gobble you up or find a way to replace you.
If you get what looks like a secure niche somebody will come along and
wall you up in it and write your epitaph on it. And the more specialized
a society gets, the more dangerous it is for the pure specialist …
You’ve got one specialty that’s safe…
The specialty of creating new specialties. Continuously. On your own…
More or less a definition of Man, isn’t it?”
Walter M. Miller Jr
"THE DARFSTELLER" 1955
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SoundscenesDC, main talent and production offices just 385k km up the gravity well in LuNoHoCo Center, old satellite studios still bookable at the future site of Johnson City! |
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