Director of The Brutalist Explains Use of AI in Film Production

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The Brutalist, a cinematic masterpiece led by award-winning actor Adrien Brody, tells the gripping tale of architect László Toth, who escapes Europe during a time of persecution. Recently, Brady Corbet, the director, shed light on the film’s production processes, revealing how AI technology played a role in ensuring authenticity.

Although AI was utilized during post-production to refine Hungarian dialogue, Corbet emphasized that it was implemented solely to enhance existing performances. “Innovative Respeecher technology was used in Hungarian language dialogue editing only, specifically to refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy. No English language [dialogue] was changed. This was a manual process… done with the utmost respect for the craft,” he articulated.

Moreover, Corbet clarified that while generative AI was credited with architectural designs seen in the film, all crucial structures were hand-drawn by artists. “[Production designer] Judy Becker and her team did not use AI to create or render any of the buildings,” he confirmed.

The use of AI initiated a debate about its role in cinematic storytelling. It highlights the film industry’s move towards integrating new technologies while navigating ethical implications. Throughout the process, both Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones worked diligently with dialect coach Tanera Marshall to master their Hungarian accents.

Ultimately, the film aims to beautifully blend innovation with human artistry, capturing the essence of a story worth telling.