EXCLUSIVE: As the entertainment industry grapples with the impact of AI on business, production company End Cue has launched an internal AI-powered workflow platform to help producers, streamers and studios streamline their script reporting, scheduling and optimize budgeting processes.
The suite of tools, called RivetAI, analyzes potential projects and helps reduce producers’ time spent planning and producing content and optimize script coverage for projects. It’s a platform the company is now offering to the wider global production community, having used it internally on a number of its projects, most recently the romance title by Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor The history of soundwhich is currently being filmed in Italy.
“We were interested in how AI was being used over the last few years and felt it could be more directly helping us optimize processes,” said Andrew Kortschak, co-founder of End Cue. “One of the best parts of my job is collaborating with writers and directors and their own human creativity. So we liked using tools to refine and improve these things. There is obviously a narrative in the industry that AI will replace humans, but our philosophy with this platform is to empower everyone and give them the tools to work faster and make more informed decisions without just push the button and see something new emerge.”
End Cue co-founder Walter Kortschak, a Caltech board member, recruited two Caltech AI scientists – Debajyoti Ray and Sadaf Amouzegar – to form RivetAI and develop and commercialize these internal tools for the global market.
Amouzegar, co-founder and CEO of RivetAI, leads the creation and development of the company’s AI platform and has extensive expertise in applying natural language processing, predictive analytics, anomaly detection and deep learning to develop data-driven solutions across multiple domains. Before RivetAI, she made a name for herself as co-founder and lead data scientist at an AI development agency known for its work with large companies such as Siemens, and worked as a software engineer and lead data scientist at institutions such as Qualcomm, Smartrac and SpaceX.
RivetAI’s platform aims to give producers “unprecedented control” over film production budgets, with a key feature being the ability to optimize crucial variables that impact production costs. The technology allows manufacturers to run detailed “what-if” cost scenarios and gain insights to make informed decisions about production costs. The platform is also based on a Large Language Model, enhanced by dedicated training on End Cue’s unique script data, which includes sophisticated natural language processing techniques to understand and analyze scripts.
RivetAI also leverages advanced deep learning and optimization algorithms, ensuring efficient resource allocation and cost-effective production planning.
“We understand the challenges of independent filmmaking from the ground up and were excited by the opportunity to leverage new technologies to give creators the ability to navigate some of the areas where projects most often get stuck,” said Andrew Kortschak. “The intent is to give independent producers, production producers and production companies access to a purpose-built program that competes with the proprietary in-house technology on which the streamers and studios base their Greenlight processes.” Optimizing variables that affect production costs Impact is the most important factor in whether feature films get the green light, as production costs have risen significantly amid the Covid-19 pandemic, union wage increases and inflation. With RivetAI, users can enter the production phase more informed than ever before.”
Amouzegar added: “With a background in data science and a passion for the arts, I am so proud to be able to offer a solution to some of the biggest obstacles in producing film and television content.” AI can provide meaningful support to producers and creatives – and we’ve brought together a huge collection of research, innovation and drive to bring this tool to the point where we can launch it publicly. At its best, such technology can democratize access to real support for projects as they overcome the various hurdles of cost projects, planning and scheduling.”