Transformative role of AI
In light of the current and future impact of Artificial Intelligence on the audiovisual sector, the third day of MIA | Mercato Internazionale Audiovisivo featured a special session hosted by Creative Europe Desk Italy MEDIA in collaboration with MIA, which explored the transformative role of AI across the production chain and examined the implications of the recent AI Act. Martin Dawson, Deputy Head of Unit Audiovisual Industry and Media Support Programmes, DG CONNECT, European Commission, introduced the panel by stating that artificial intelligence is an exciting and rapidly emerging field, adding, "We all have to learn more about it." He also emphasized that the European Union is the first in the world to regulate artificial intelligence, establishing a legal regulatory framework. "We do not want to prohibit artificial intelligence; we want to ensure that AI is a common good, both from a social and economic point of view," he said.
Enrico Bufalini, Project Manager, Creative Europe Desk Italy MEDIA; Director, Archivio Luce, Cinema and Documentary, Cinecittà SpA, added that Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how the industry creates and experiences films and content. "Nevertheless, we consider it a threat regarding the possible loss of jobs in the near future," he pointed out. "The Ministry of Culture and the Italian government, by the EU, are working on regulating AI, trying to balance technological innovation and copyright," he mentioned. On the other hand, he admitted using AI tools: "They are very useful; it's essential to have such tools to automate and reduce our repetitive tasks. Moreover, AI is helping special effects artists push the boundaries of what is visually possible, creating immersive worlds that can fascinate audiences globally. Machine learning algorithms are also being employed to analyze trends and predict what kind of content will resonate with viewers, helping studios make data-driven decisions in an increasingly competitive industry," he described.
The panelists—Radek Wegrzyn, Co-Founder and CEO, Magical Realist (Germany); Dariusz Jabloński, President, European Producers Club (Poland); Christina Caspers-Roemer, General Manager & Managing Director, TRIXTER (Germany); Miki Mistrati, Executive Producer, Snowman Productions (Denmark); Ariens Damsi, Producer & CEO, Eliofilm (Italy); and Carlo Rodomonti, Head of Strategic and Digital Marketing, Rai Cinema—then shared their experiences with AI. Mistrati said networks and broadcasters need to be pushed into the AI world because, ultimately, "It's just the best assistant you can get as a creative person. There are positive waves at the moment, but from a political point of view, they are a bit more afraid and want to build a wall around using AI in creative environments." He also asserted that AI is often the best tool for creative work because it digs into things deeply. Damsi spoke about his AI-powered film, presented in Venice and created entirely without actors or human voiceovers. "The only human parts, which are the most important ones, are the creation, the idea, and the development of the concept and script. Our AI film is pretty sensational, but the thing that blows my mind is that the human work we had to put in felt even bigger than the work we normally do," he said.
Caspers-Roemer pointed out that AI and machine learning have been present in visual effects for a long time, especially when using scanning data and its application in production pipelines. Wegrzyn focused on how to reach audiences in the AI era, stating, "We can't prohibit AI. It's a bottoms-up revolution, not a top-down one. People, especially young people, use it with a playful approach, so we need to encourage them to use it more. We need to enhance AI literacy and skills. That's the most important thing." He also shared that he uses AI tools in many aspects of his company and advised that "sometimes the best question you can ask a large language model is: 'What do you need to know from me to give me the best possible answer?'"
Jabloński emphasized that independent producers are the "most creative people in the audiovisual sector, and we are fascinated by and already using AI." He added, "We can use AI from the treatment and idea phase through production, budget economization, money-saving, marketing, distribution, cinemas—AI has its place in every aspect." However, he also expressed concerns about issues like copyright, saying, "We have an AI Act, and we are delighted that Europe was the first to think about this, but we also need additional good practices to fulfill the AI Act in practical life." He cautioned that algorithms might limit creative originality, stating, "Everyone watching big companies and platforms sees the erosion of originality due to algorithm-driven decisions. That's a real danger because AI tends to average things out, while I believe in the uniqueness of everyone's creativity."
To conclude the panel, Rodomonti stated that Rai Cinema aims to lead innovation. "A public company should be the most important player, investing early in new technologies to create a new production model and to understand how to use technology easily," he said. In collaboration with La Sapienza, the most important public university in Rome, and the University of Amsterdam in Turin, Rai Cinema has launched a unique initiative to create short films with students, allowing them the freedom to explore any topic. "We created content that was awarded during pre-Europe and was later available on Rai Play. We tried to create content in a new way. The idea is to develop a new model that producers can use to create something innovative and lead the direction," he explained.
ESTABLISHED PROPERTIES VS ORIGINAL IPs
Adapting a property into audiovisual media often stems from the belief that well-established properties have a better chance of success compared to original IPs in today's crowded market. Screen adaptations require a strong effort in development and production to compete globally without losing the original work's essence. Massimo Fenati, CEO of Eaglet (UK); Tom Beattie, Founder, CEO, and Producer at Tiger Aspect Kids & Family (UK); Alexandre Hénin, Managing Director & Producer at Bayard Animation (France); and Maurizia Sereni, Head of Creative Development at Movimenti Production (Italy) discussed these trends.
"You have two ways of thinking about picking up a property. The first one is ratings, which refer to how it sells and whether it sells well. And, of course, we fall in love with the character, and even if it's not a huge hit at the moment, we believe it can become one. That's how we pick up all the properties," explained Fenati.
Beattie referred to "Super Happy Magic Forest" and why his production company adapted it into a TV series. "It had this fantasy background; the book has a gaming influence. Reading through it, I felt like I could write 150 stories for it, or episodes, because it had this huge world, and these five characters were kind of like an eclectic family, and it felt like there was something for everyone," he explained. "It had a simple premise that we took from the books, which were the three core themes: quests, picnics, and frolicking. In the UK, 'frolicking' means just having great fun. This is our formula for the series: every episode has a quest, and you can only have a picnic when you're on a quest, and you can only frolic once you've finished a quest. So that's the formula, and it works within the rules of the series," he revealed.
Sereni talked about the adaptation that Movimenti is working on with the "Topo Gigio" IP. "It was a puppet that turned 60 in 2011, and it's a very well-known property worldwide because it traveled extensively during these 60 years. She said that it was a silent property, so we needed to adapt and create a new series to engage the youngest audience," she said. The other IP that Movimenti is working on, "Miniheroes of the Forest," based on a French illustrated book series. "We loved the concept and characters, but we needed to work on the environment and the stories to create a proper format. So, we created 52 episodes, each lasting seven minutes," she commented.
NEW CONTENT FACTORY
Adler Entertainment, and 39Films announced the launch of Writing Box, a content factory of audiovisual products created thanks to the collaboration of authors worldwide. A community with a strong international identity brings together the best generation of Italian and foreign authors to create stories and characters that can be distributed on the foreign market.
On the company's board is Alfredo Federico - founder in 2011 with Dario Lanis of 39Films - producer of high-profile auteur films such as "Tropa de Elite," directed by Jose Padilha (Berlin Film Festival, Golden Bear Winner, 2008), "The Burning Plain" directed by Guillermo Arriaga (International Venice Film Festival Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica Biennale di Venezia, Official Competition, M. Mastroianni, 2008); Marco Colombo and Mattia della Puppa of Adler Entertainment, producers among others of "ZUCCHERO - Sugar Fornaciari" and "Mogwai: If the Stars Had a Sound" and Simona Banchi, producer of films and documentaries ("Fascisti su Marte", V "iva Zapatero!,").
Writing Box will start with its first residency in Tuscany from 22 to 27 April in collaboration with Nostos Screenwriting Retreats. Four projects will be developed during this first residency: three films and one TV series. The films are "Azzardo," based on a book by Alessandra Mureddu (Einaudi) with the screenplay by Laura Paolucci and Agustina Macri, "Neppure un capello" with the screenplay by Francesco Trento in collaboration with Giaime Maccioni and Marco Cipriani, "Lella" (the story of Lella Lombardi) with the screenplay by Francesco Trento, Adele Augruso and Agustina Macri, and finally the TV series "Il Principe" by Giulia Pagnacco and Davide Lo Schiavo. The residency will see the participation of two of the most important names on the international art scene, Meg Le Fauve (Oscar nominee for Inside Out) and Joe Forte.
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