argument. She maintains that Norwood is not intended to replace performers but to demonstrate what is possible. “I’m in control of what Tilly does,” she says. “We will be using her in AI productions, but not to replace the real. I see it more as animation – it’s a new medium.” Van der Velden thinks one solution is actors protecting themselves by owning their digital twin, although having to resort to this isn’t exactly reassuring for performers. “Actors need to be prepared to do motion capture and license out their digital avatar to productions to be ready for what’s coming,” she says. “I can’t say it’s absolutely not going to change the industry, it’s up to the future to decide, but I think there will be AI feature films and TV series.” Creative clients There is, however, a misconception that Particle6 is just Tilly Norwood, and Van der Velden highlights that the company is still also very much involved in film, TV and ads. Furthermore, the company itself consists of numerous departments to balance the wide range of workloads.
“We are creating brand ambassadors for lots of clients,” she says. “Again, we’re using loads of humans to do the creative work behind it, so there are brains that can prompt and decide on characters and personality. We even have a head of character, among other new and exciting creative jobs. I see AI being like a creative calculator. It’s your creativity and the machine working together.” Van der Velden says a number of high-profile companies are working with Particle6, which retains a huge client list from across film, TV, brands, ad agencies and marketing. She also points to the wider benefits for brands, such as faster turnarounds, reduced carbon footprints and being able to expand creative possibilities. “If you want an animal in the snow, for example, you don’t have to fly to Lapland with the whole crew to do that,” she says. According to Van der Velden, there are lots of brands out there that have seen a positive response from AI. “It’s about being prepared, knowing your customer and knowing whether they care about how the story is told.” She stresses that staying ahead of the curve is vital if
SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME? Tilly Norwood has divided critics, but Van der Velden believes these dialogues are good for the industry
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