The Future of Filmmaking? Douyin and Kuaishou Launch China’s First AI-Generated Short Series – 'Sanxingdui' and 'Shanhai Qijing'

China's film industry is taking a bold leap into the future with the advent of AI-generated content.

Leading the charge are two groundbreaking sci-fi short-series, "三星堆：未来启示录 (also known as, Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse)" and "山海奇镜之劈波斩浪” (Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang, which translate to “The Mirror of Mountains and Seas: Breaking the Waves”), both employing cutting-edge AI technology to bring their imaginative stories to life.

"Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse," a 13-episode series, premiered on 8 July 2024, exclusively on Douyin, China's popular short-video platform.

The series, produced by Bona Film Group in collaboration with Douyin's Jimeng AI, transports viewers to a near-future where ancient Chinese relics hold the key to averting a global crisis.

Hot on its heels, "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang," a 5-episode series, debuted on 15 July 2024, on Kuaishou, another prominent short-video platform.

Produced by Star Mang Short Drama with AI support from Kuaishou's Keling AI, the series delves into an ancient mythological world filled with fantastical creatures and epic adventures.

As of 18 July, the 10 episodes of "Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse” have garnered 24.807 million views in 11 days since their release.

On the other hand, the 5 episodes of the short drama "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang" have accumulated 7.451 million views in 6 days since their launch.

A Tale of Two AI-Powered Sci-Fi and Mythtical Series

Despite their shared reliance on AI technology, "Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse" and "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang" offer distinct viewing experiences.

"Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse" adopts a more grounded, narrative-driven approach, emphasising storytelling and character development.

The series blends historical elements with futuristic concepts, creating a captivating world that draws viewers into its mysteries.

"Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang," on the other hand, embraces a more visually stunning, action-packed style.

The series revels in its fantastical setting, showcasing breathtaking visuals and exhilarating fight sequences.

Behind the Scenes: The Power of AIGC

The production of these two AI-powered series highlights the transformative potential of AIGC (Generative AI) in the film industry.

"Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse" and "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang" demonstrate how AIGC can significantly reduce production costs and timelines.

Chen Kun, the director of "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang" shared at the offline screening event,

"In the past, traditional film production required a team of over 100 people, including actors, cinematographers, lighting, sound, crew, and costume designers. Now, with AI, the entire production process has been completely upgraded. Not a single frame is shot with real people, and AI can generate costumes and props, greatly enhancing creative efficiency and significantly reducing production costs."

Chen Kun also noted that traditionally, short dramas of similar scale and quality, whether filmed live or created as animations, took at least 3 to 6 months to produce.

In contrast, "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang" was completed in just 2 months, which would have been "unbelievable" in the past.

By automating tasks such as scene generation, character modelling, and special effects, AI allows filmmakers to create high-quality content with greater efficiency.

Moreover, AIGC opens up new creative possibilities, enabling filmmakers to explore uncharted territories and push the boundaries of storytelling.

AI can generate unique visuals, environments, and characters, breaking free from the constraints of traditional filmmaking techniques.

Douyin's Jimeng AI and Kuaishou's Keling AI

The success of "Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse" and "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang" can be attributed to the powerful AI technologies employed by Douyin and Kuaishou.

Douyin's Jimeng AI is a comprehensive AI video creation platform that offers a range of features, including text-to-video generation, image-to-video generation, and video editing tools.

Jimeng AI's ability to generate high-quality, consistent visuals proved invaluable in the production of "Sanxingdui: Future Apocalypse."

Kuaishou's Keling AI, similarly, provides text-to-video generation capabilities, along with additional features such as video upscaling and lens control.

Keling AI's strengths in visual enhancement and creative control were instrumental in bringing "Shanhai Qijing: Pibo Zhanlang" to life.

AI's Impact on the Film Industry

While AI-generated content offers a myriad of benefits, it also raises concerns about its potential impact on the traditional film industry.

One major concern is the potential job displacement of traditional filmmakers and casts, as AI automates many aspects of the filmmaking process.

This is clearly demonstrated by the insights shared by director Chen Kun.

As a result, this could lead to a decline in the demand for skilled artisans and technicians, potentially harming the creative ecosystem that underpins the film industry.

Another concern is the potential for AI to homogenise storytelling and stifle creativity.

As AI algorithms become more sophisticated, they may start to favour predictable, formulaic narratives, limiting the diversity of voices and perspectives in filmmaking.

Despite these concerns, the potential benefits of AI-generated content cannot be ignored.

AI has the power to democratise filmmaking, making it more accessible to a wider range of creators and enabling the production of more diverse and innovative content.

The key lies in finding a balance between AI's transformative power and the preservation of human creativity and craftsmanship.

Challenges and Opportunities of Using AI

However, it is also important to acknowledge the potential drawbacks of this technology.

A significant concern is the lack of emotional depth in AI-generated characters.

Unlike human actors who can convey a wide range of emotions through their expressions and body language, AI-generated characters often struggle to capture these nuances.

This can lead to characters that feel stiff and unrelatable, hindering the audience's emotional connection to the story.

Faceless people in the background

Another important issue is maintaining artistic control.

As AI becomes more sophisticated, it is important to ensure that filmmakers retain control over the creative process and that AI is used to enhance, not replace, human creativity.

Additionally, there is the risk of AI creating unrealistic or harmful portrayals of people and events.

It is important to use AI responsibly and ethically, and to ensure that it is not used to perpetuate stereotypes or promote violence.

Despite these challenges, the future of AI-driven filmmaking is bright.

With careful planning and ethical considerations, AI has the potential to revolutionise the film industry and create truly innovative works of art.