A World War I movie from Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius has drawn sharp criticism following revelations regarding its production methods. His upcoming feature, The Third Hand, is facing online backlash after producers disclosed that generative artificial intelligence was utilized during filming.
The controversy erupted after Vincent Maraval, CEO of production at Goodfellas, revealed during an industry panel that AI technology allowed the crew to reduce an eight-day portion of a major sequence. The statement prompted immediate pushback from film fans and industry workers on social media.
A fan, @firstshowing called out the emphasis on cost-cutting over labor. The X post read, “Ugggghhhhhhh it’s all about saving money… That’s it…” Echoing similar sentiments, @CarlitoDNole wrote, “‘Eight days of production’ mostly means people not getting paid for those 8 days.”
The movie’s plot revolves around a young French soldier who gets wounded on the battlefield, fighting for his country. However, when the soldier regains consciousness, he finds himself inside the laboratory of a mad scientist. The soldier discovers that a German hand has been grafted onto his abdomen.
The backlash centered on more than just new technology
Defending the workflow, Maraval argued that AI offers filmmakers the ability to develop ambitious set pieces that would otherwise prove cost-prohibitive. Speaking on the panel, per Variety, he noted, “Without AI, it’s ten days of shooting. With it, it’s two days.”
Fans were certainly unhappy with this explanation. They not only questioned the pay but other aspects too. As another X user, @PaulSRai posted, “Can we take back his Best Directing Oscar for THE ARTIST and give it to Terrence Malik for THE TREE OF LIFE?”
Michel Hazanavicius directed the 2011 film The Artist, which won him the Academy Award. Another furious fan, @ezmoran91, questioned the director’s filmmaking skills and commented, “This just tells me that you suck at what you do and I can do this better than you ever could.”
When panel moderator Mark Sutherland questioned whether shortening production schedules risks eliminating crew jobs, Maraval replied that “it’s the director’s choice.” Citing Gints Zilbalodis’ animated feature Flow, Maraval argued that digital tools can expand artistic reach. “Without the software, that would have been impossible for him to tell that story,” Maraval said, adding, “If we use AI to open our creativity and imagination, it will help.”
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
