AI is Coming for Video Next.
Keeping up with the almost daily breakthroughs in AI is dizzying. Especially for marketing and advertising firms looking to stay on top of the latest and greatest. For this edition, we sat down with Jonathan Hayes, Executive Video Director, to take a closer look about how AI has impacted the video production industry and what we can expect for the future.
TLDR: Across the industry, video production teams have already begun to thread AI into their day-to-day work. But by leaning on such an ever-evolving tool, conversations are popping up around transparency and how creators should use AI in this shifting landscape.
Erica: For those who haven’t worked with you, could you describe the Video Production team at Ammunition?
Jonathan: The video production department is responsible for the development, creation and execution of custom videos for our clients. We cover many genres from commercial, short form documentary, 2d and 3d animation, social, promotional, and even unique sub-genres such as captive audience videos.
Erica: When did the Video Production team begin incorporating AI into work?
Jonathan: We started using AI in our workflows around March of 2023. Do we use it for everything? No way. It’s actually not possible to embrace fully generative AI and produce a product at the quality our clients expect from us. However, there are definitely ways to integrate into the team workflow that can elevate our creations.
Erica: Very cool. Could you share a few examples of how AI is being used in the video production industry?
Jonathan: Let’s first tackle the elephant in the room: using AI to the extreme, with unchecked usage, can quickly whip up sub-standard content. Having said that, if video production teams can use AI as another tool in the toolbox, you can make some dramatic leaps in process-oriented tasks. AI tools can quickly and accurately transcribe interview descriptions. We can use them to sample voices and write text for closed captioning. On the more advanced side, we use AI-based web search tools to source moodboard imagery, rotoscoping, and retouching creative elements.
Erica: That's really interesting. Would you say AI has sped up the production process?
Jonathan: It depends on how you define “sped up.” Yes, it saves us time on the tasks that previously were monotonous. So, in doing that, it’s given us more time, energy and resources into the higher priority creative aspects of the project, such as brainstorming, editing, and music exploration.
Erica: With the integration of AI into the production process, are there any ethical considerations that should be taken into account?
Jonathan: Yes, of course. As a team, we strongly believe that it’s the “human touch” that makes for authentic storytelling and that’s where, as a team, we’ve drawn our line in the sand. Consensus is key.
Erica: I heard about the decision by YouTube to require creators to disclose when realistic content is made with AI. Would you say this is a step in the right direction?
Jonathan: Definitely. Transparency is going to lead us to better clarity and help AI move away from being associated with deception. I think we’re going to see more leaders in tech and advertising work to find an ethical balance.
Erica: Now that we’ve covered the basics, what is a trend that we should be looking out for in 2024?
Jonathan: Last year it was all about using Gen-AI in the brainstorming process. Now, looking into 2024 with up and coming tools like Sora, we will see the decline of traditional stock assets as AI minimizes the need for hours of searching for “that perfect shot.”
Erica: What are some resources for those looking to learn more about AI?
Jonathan: I recommend starting at the core level due to the tools constantly evolving. Familiarizing yourself with the language models and core principles is the best way to set yourself up for success in the long-term. There are also some great research papers on OpenAI.com, such as this one on video generation models.
Erica: Before we let you go, is there any other AI advice you’d like to leave our readers with?
Jonathan: Keep an open mind when working with AI. We don’t know what the future holds, but by responsibly using these tools, we can gain new perspectives on how to solve problems and carve out more time for creativity.
Consider this, no one wants to be holding a screwdriver in a world of power tools. But at the end of the day, a power drill is still just a tool operated by a human being. As a video production team, we hope our industry can find a similar balance moving forward with artificial intelligence.
Striking Stats
️️⚡️The video production market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.37% by 2028. (Source: Global Newswire)
️️️⚡️More than one-third of Amazon sellers and brands worldwide use AI to write and optimize product listings. (Source: eMarketer)
️️️⚡️71% of US retail decision-makers have invested in data and AI-enabled content for personalization. (Source: eMarketer)
Women’s History Month Spotlight
During Women’s History Month, it’s easy for companies to pay lip service to the idea of female equality but not follow through with results. Since our start in 2017, we've prioritized supporting the women and moms who choose to work here. Half of our leadership team, as well half of the entire agency, are women. Additionally, many of the brands we serve are also led by women.
At a time when the gender pay gap remains an issue in the workplace, we prioritize equality in compensation for everyone, ensuring that every woman at Ammunition is paid fairly.
What we offer:
✅ Commitment to ensuring fair compensation
✅ Parental leave policies to support new and growing families
✅ Hybrid work model
And we make sure current moms and aspiring moms feel supported through our newly updated maternity leave, now offering ten weeks. We need happy and healthy dads too, of course, so we just upped our paternity leave to four weeks. The length of both of these leaves surpass the industry standard.
Lightning Round: Team Updates
️️⚡️️ Katie Mitchell (1 year), Wes Gibbs (2 years), Lauren Haswell (3 years), and Emily “EG” Griffin (4 years) celebrated their Ammoversaries.
️️️⚡️️ CEO, Jeremy Heilpern, spoke about his experience founding the agency on the builders podcast.
️️️⚡️️ Members of the Ammunition team had the opportunity to sponsor the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta + Grady Jarrett dinner in an effort to raise money for cancer research.