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Toys 'R' Us Unveils Groundbreaking AI-Generated Film at Cannes Lions Festival
Toys 'R' Us debuted a short promotional film at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival, made nearly entirely with OpenAI's text-to-video tool, Sora. The video covers the founder of Toys 'R' Us and includes the brand's mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe. Reactions to the film have been divided, with some finding it interesting and others calling it "creepy."
What distinguishes this film is that it was nearly fully made with OpenAI's cutting-edge text-to-video tool, demonstrating astonishing developments in AI technology and hinting at potential future applications.
Toys 'R' Us collaborated with creative firm Native Foreign to become the first company to release a film using this innovative technology. The technology, known as Sora, is now unavailable to the general public, providing the retail behemoth with a unique opportunity to demonstrate its creative skills.
The 66-second commercial transports viewers through the mind of Charles Lazarus, the founder of Toys 'R' Us. In the film, Lazarus is visited by the brand's popular mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe, who appears in his dreams. The video has received varied comments on social media, with some viewers finding it interesting and providing a glimpse into the future of film, while others have labelled it as "creepy."
In addition to Sora, Toys 'R' Us used corrected visual effects and a custom music composition to improve the entire cinematic experience. OpenAI launched Sora early this year, following the success of their viral ChatGPT chatbot. The AI model can create realistic and inventive videos up to 60 seconds long, including many actors, particular motion patterns, and intricate backdrop features.
Experts believe that text-to-video AI models such as Sora have the potential to disrupt the digital entertainment industry. Kim Miller, CMO of Toys 'R' Us Creative Studios, explained that the film's premise stemmed from a desire to produce something "fun" and "different" for their next project, which would focus on the brand's founder's genesis story.
The partnership with Native Foreign, who had early access to Sora, was crucial in bringing the vision to life. Nik Kleverov, Chief Creative Officer, noted that the approach required iterations and fine-tuning to get the intended results. "The blocking, the way the character looks, what they're wearing, the emotion, the background - it has to be a perfect dance." Kleverov explained. "Sometimes you would create something that was almost right and other times not so right."
Despite the AI's involvement, Miller stressed the value of human input and instincts throughout the creative process. She feels that experiencing technology firsthand is essential for genuinely comprehending its potential, rather than depending merely on hearsay.
Toys 'R' Us is currently looking into advertising opportunities for the promotion, with Miller stating that their goal is to make sure everyone knows there is a Toys 'R' Us in every Macy's shop. She alluded to the possibilities of a holiday version of the film in the near future.
While OpenAI has not announced an official release date for Sora, rumours suggest that it will be available later this summer, further revolutionising the realm of AI-generated entertainment.
Toys 'R' Us premiered a short promo film at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival, created almost entirely using OpenAI's text-to-video tool, Sora.
The film follows the founder of Toys 'R' Us and features the brand's mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.
Reactions to the film have been mixed, with some finding it compelling and others describing it as "creepy."
Source: CNN