Netflix’s acquisition of InterPositive, the AI firm Ben Affleck founded, has everyone in Hollywood talking. People are wondering how artificial intelligence might actually shake up film and television production.
A 2024 patent application, reviewed by Deadline, adds fuel to the fire. It hints at possible cost savings across below-the-line departments, but also stirs up questions about jobs, unions, and what AI really means for Hollywood’s business model.
What the InterPositive deal could mean for production costs
The patent application lays out some pretty bold numbers: 10% to 20% cuts in below-the-line production costs. Some departments might see even bigger savings.
These figures don’t just promise faster postproduction—they suggest AI could seriously lower daily production expenses. The document dives into department-level impacts that could upend how studios budget for a shoot.
InterPositive’s model predicts efficiency gains in several key areas. Here’s what the patent highlights:
Projected cost savings by department
- Visual effects (VFX): 50%
- Background actors and stand-ins: 70%
- Additional production units outside the main location: 40%
- Art department: 30%
- Set dressing: 40%
The patent points to a January 2023 production with $32.1 million in below-the-line costs. InterPositive says it could shave off about $7 million from that, which isn’t pocket change, even for a mid-sized shoot.
These are supposed to be conservative estimates, but they still show just how much studios might save if they lean into AI soon.
Industry workforce implications and tensions
It’s not just about the money. The patent and all the chatter around it have struck a nerve in conversations about jobs, unions, and security for people working behind the scenes.
The document doesn’t say how many jobs might disappear, which leaves a lot of folks guessing. Unions are already bracing for tough negotiations as AI tools creep into everyday production.
Without clear numbers on headcount, people are left to wonder what “cost savings” really means for crews, subcontractors, and newcomers hoping to break into the business.
Netflix and InterPositive keep insisting the tech is meant to empower storytellers and boost creativity, not just slash budgets. Executives like Bela Bajaria and Elizabeth Stone talk up AI’s potential to make creative work even better.
Meanwhile, Ben Affleck argues that AI might cut out the tedious parts of filmmaking, especially in VFX, but also make it easier for new voices to get in. It’s a complicated picture—creativity versus displacement—that keeps fueling debates as unions fight for workers and studios eye bigger AI rollouts.
Job impact and union considerations
The big question: What happens to jobs? If studios chase cost reductions through licensing models or performance targets, unions will want to know exactly how that affects pay, hours, and chances for retraining.
The patent talks a lot about productivity gains, but that doesn’t always mean job losses. Still, AI looks like a force that could change what work looks like in CG studios, on set, and in all the support services around production.
Licensing models and the broader commercial potential
One interesting aspect of the patent is how it explores a licensing model where InterPositive could let partners use its tools. That opens up the idea that AI vendors might charge just a portion of realized savings, which could create fresh revenue streams and push AI-assisted workflows further across the industry.
Netflix has kept these tools for internal use after the acquisition, but the patent’s hypothetical licensing scenario hints at how big AI’s commercial impact could get—way beyond a single studio.
Public reporting says Netflix paid as much as $600 million for InterPositive. There’s also talk of extra payouts tied to performance milestones.
This mix of a huge upfront investment and performance-based incentives feels like a gutsy bet on AI’s future in Hollywood’s economy. The exact details and long-term results? Still a bit of a mystery.
Netflix and Affleck’s reps didn’t comment to Deadline. Still, the conversation about AI’s value—both the financial upside and what it means for the workforce—is shifting as deals like this pop up more often in the industry.
Here is the source article for this story: Before Netflix Deal, Ben Affleck’s AI Firm Set Aggressive Production Cost-Cutting Targets