Secret Invasion Opening Titles Created by AI

Television

The Skrulls aren’t the only worrying thing about Secret Invasion. Anyone who’s watched the series premiere, which landed on Disney+ yesterday, probably thought the opening titles were a bit strange. When I saw them, I wondered why Nick Fury looked like a Langolier.If you haven’t seen them, check them out below:

Ali Selim, an executive producer on the miniseries and the director of every episode, revealed to Polygon that the title sequence was actually generated by AI. This was done through Method Studios, which also worked on other Marvel shows, as well as movies like Top Gun: Maverick, although it’s unclear whether they used AI for anything else. (I’d guess not in Maverick’s case.) Selim confessed to Polygon that he doesn’t “really understand” AI but offered a quick explanation nonetheless:

“We would talk to them about ideas and themes and words, and then the computer would go off and do something. And then we could change it a little bit by using words, and it would change.”

This sounds worrying; indeed, many weren’t happy when they heard about Secret Invasion’s AI intro. The obvious conclusion was that Disney was cost-cutting, using AI so it wouldn’t have to pay effects artists to create the sequence. This also brings to mind the writers’ strike, as one of their demands – one which many, including myself, suspect is the main one, even above getting more money – is about protecting themselves from being replaced by AI. But according to Method Studios, the real story is much more innocent than that. They sent a letter to The Hollywood Reporter explaining how they used AI:

“Working on Secret Invasion, a captivating show exploring the infiltration of aliens into human society, provided an exceptional opportunity to delve into the intriguing realm of AI, specifically for creating unique character attributes and movements. Utilizing a custom AI tool for this particular element perfectly aligned with the project’s overall theme and the desired aesthetic.

The production process was highly collaborative and iterative, with a dedicated focus on this specific application of an AI toolset. It involved a tremendous effort by talented art directors, animators (proficient in both 2D and 3D), artists, and developers, who employed conventional techniques to craft all the other aspects of the project. However, it is crucial to emphasize that while the AI component provided optimal results, AI is just one tool among the array of toolsets our artists used. No artists’ jobs were replaced by incorporating these new tools; instead, they complemented and assisted our creative teams.

Method Studios’ team of designers skillfully leveraged the power of both existing and custom AI technologies to apply the otherworldly and alien look. The entire process, guided by expert art direction, encompassed the initial storyboard phase, illustration, AI generation, 2D/3D animation and culminated in the final compositing stage.”

If this is true, that isn’t so bad, though it’s not hard to see this as a stepping stone toward replacing artists who demand a salary with a program that doesn’t. AI was just one of many tools Method used, and there were actual people guiding things the whole time, so no one lost a job over it. Since Marvel has used Method before, it’s reasonable to assume they’re telling the truth, and if they are, I’m glad. But I also think the end result proves that AI is not ready for prime time yet. Those opening titles are ugly, and I don’t buy the “They’re supposed to look that way because themes and stuff” excuse. I agree that what’s happening in the title sequence – characters like Nick Fury slowly turning into Skrulls while shots of the White House and other important buildings appear in the background – is thematically relevant. But the images look awful, like melting wax thrown on an oil painting, and I don’t think that was intentional for a second. It’s just more bad effects work for a Marvel production, probably because they treated Method the way they treat all the effects artists who work for them.

Luckily, the show itself is much, much better than the opening titles.