Moonvalley Ethical AI Video Model for Filmmakers - Now Public

Moonvalley's Approach to AI Video Generation

The team at Moonvalley, an AI video-generation startup located in Los Angeles, believes that simply providing prompts isn't sufficient for creating a full-fledged movie. Consequently, the company made its “3D-aware” model publicly available on Tuesday.

This release promises a “hybrid” methodology, offering filmmakers a greater degree of control compared to conventional text-to-video models.

Marey Model and Subscription Details

Moonvalley initially launched its model, known as Marey, in a beta phase in March. It is now accessible through a monthly, credits-based subscription service.

Users can choose from several tiers: $14.99 for 100 credits, $34.99 for 250 credits, or $149.99 for 1,000 credits.

The model currently generates video clips with a maximum duration of five seconds, aligning with the capabilities of other publicly accessible video-generation models.

Training Data and Copyright Concerns

The startup, established by former DeepMind researchers with experience in Google’s video-generation model, asserts that Marey is among the few models trained exclusively on openly licensed data.

This aspect is particularly appealing to filmmakers who aim to mitigate the risk of legal challenges related to AI-generated content potentially infringing on copyrighted material.

Democratizing Filmmaking

Independent filmmaker Ángel Manuel Soto highlights Marey’s key advantage: it broadens access to advanced AI storytelling tools.

He emphasizes that this is especially beneficial for individuals historically excluded from traditional filmmaking avenues.

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Soto recalls the significant financial hurdles involved in simply renting the necessary equipment to produce a film.

“Previously, obtaining permission was a prerequisite for telling our stories,” Soto explained. “AI empowers creators to pursue their vision independently, removing financial barriers and the need for external approval.”

Cost Reduction and Creative Freedom

Soto reports that utilizing Marey has resulted in a 20% to 40% reduction in his production expenses.

Furthermore, he notes that the model facilitates a more fluid and unrestricted creative process.

Connection to Asteria and General Catalyst

Soto collaborated with Moonvalley’s studio, Asteria, on the HBO docuseries “Menudo: Forever Young.”

Asteria, also operating as XTR, was acquired by Moonvalley earlier this year, as stated by Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst.

General Catalyst (GC) was a substantial shareholder in Asteria and subsequently increased its investment in the combined entity.

Marey’s Innovative Filmmaking Approach

Naeem Talukdar, CEO and co-founder of Moonvalley, recently showcased Marey’s capabilities to TechCrunch. The demonstration highlighted its utility in both pre-production and post-production workflows. This includes scene testing prior to filming and adjustments to camera perspectives following initial shooting.

Talukdar explained to TechCrunch that Marey possesses a comprehension of the physical world. This understanding has the potential to facilitate more engaging and interactive narratives as the technology matures. Currently, this capability – shared with models such as Google’s Veo 3 and OpenAI’s Sora – enables Marey to replicate movement while adhering to the principles of physics.

As an illustration, a video depicting a bison running across a prairie can be transformed into a Cadillac navigating the same landscape. The surrounding environment, including vegetation and terrain, will realistically react to the vehicle’s motion. Furthermore, Marey can seamlessly overlay a likeness of George Washington onto an actor, accurately mirroring facial expressions and even subtle muscle movements in the forearms during gestures.

Unique Camera Control Features

A particularly distinctive feature of Marey is its support for unrestricted camera movement. Talukdar demonstrated the ability to modify camera paths using a simple mouse interface. He implemented a pan and slide zoom to footage of a woman traveling on a train in the Rocky Mountains by merely moving his cursor.

Marey is also capable of achieving almost complete 360-degree camera rotations. It can also follow instructions to simulate footage captured with a handheld camera or a dolly, providing filmmakers with versatile shooting options.

The platform allows for alterations to video backgrounds, empowering filmmakers to begin with existing footage and construct their desired scenes. Talukdar presented a video of a motorcyclist on a residential street, which was then modified to show the same rider, without a helmet, on a different motorcycle on a rural highway.

Future Development Plans

Over the coming months, Moonvalley intends to introduce additional controls. These will include features for manipulating lighting, defining complex object trajectories, and expanding the available character libraries, according to Talukdar.

The public launch of Marey positions it as a competitor within the rapidly expanding landscape of AI video generation tools. This field includes models like Runway Gen-3, Luma Dream Machine, Pika, and Haiper.

Reporting contributed by Marina Temkin.