The case for using AI for indie film reviews (if tech is developed to be able to write good reviews)
Regardless of how it is presented to the public, everything in US film (and probably worldwide) - Hollywood and indie - is about money. If you have the money, you can make and release films, buy ads in publications, and get reviews. There are 200+ reviews for a mediocre Hollywood movie now at Rotten Tomatoes site - for the new Fantastic Four movie. At the same time there were less than 10 reviews for an indie movie that was playing at IFC Center in NYC last week. Outside of even IFC runs, there are 100s of indie movies - fiction features and doc features - that come out on VOD and YouTube every week these days that do not get reviewed and do not get any articles written about them.
With some effort I and many other indie filmmakers are able to get some reviews for our movies. However, the vast majority of new indie films are not reviewed. Film is art, it is easier to make and release films now than it was in the past, and all films deserve reviews and articles about them. That's how the public and various media learn about the movies, and reviews are useful for film distribution, and developing an indie filmmaker's career. And reviews are a documentation of human art/film making activities - a useful thing to have for the future.
As far as I know the tech does not exist yet to create AI film reviews that would be similar to film reviews written by a human expert - an experienced film reviewer. For a film review you need a unique perspective, an understanding of film aesthetics, and knowledge of film history. If a company were to create an AI option for generating good (well written, comparable to human reviews) indie film reviews, I would try it. And if the results are good, I would recommend it to other filmmakers.
Human reviewers are not interested in reviewing all indie films or even most indie films or even 90% of indie films that come out. Why that is so is a mystery to me. Indie filmmakers of all types spend years learning how to make movies, and then they spend months or years making their movies. There are some amazing moments and stories in indie film. It's one of the best storytelling mediums available on Earth.
Reviews (of any kind, not even positive reviews) have become a tightly controlled thing that is reserved for large capital/big budget movies, or smaller capital/film festivals/gate-keeping cultural projects. This is a completely nonsensical situation. After decades of trying it is now possible to make indie films without having to sell one's house or without getting into insane credit card debt. Lots of great films are made by many new auteurs, yet they remain unreviewed, not-written about, and not-celebrated.
A lot of people do film reviews and podcasts to get access to free Hollywood movies. There are a handful of reviewers who are employed by various media sites - and they sometimes review actual movies/real indie movies. Then there are several hobbyists who review some indie films when they have the time or when they feel like it. Only 1 major media outlet has a great process for indie film reviews - that would be Film Threat. Indie filmmakers can submit their movies to Film Threat for reviews, and they have the option of paying a small fee to get a review out by a certain date, and there are other promotional options offered by Film Threat. That is a very useful thing for indie filmmakers. And it would be great if there were many other similar options for indie film reviews and articles.
Since there are no other media sites or reviewers on the horizon for indie film reviews, if the AI tech is perfected so that it can create good/well written film reviews that are comparable to ones written by a human reviewer or critic, many indie films and distributors may be interested in such a service. I am certainly interested in trying out such an option.
I do not support using AI for making films however. There are plenty of human filmmakers and actors and effects people available to do that work. There are not enough human reviewers available for finished indie films.
