Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary, who co-wrote the cult classic Pulp Fiction, has declared that attaching "AI" to his film projects was the key to unlocking investor interest after years of frustration. The 60-year-old writer, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1994, stated that it had become "almost impossible" to secure funding for traditional movies until he founded his AI technology company.
From Oscar Winner to AI Pioneer
During a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Avary detailed his remarkable career pivot. "I go out there and try to get stuff made, and it's almost impossible," he confessed. "Then I built a technology company over the last year, basically making AI movies, and all of a sudden, boom, money gets thrown at it."
The screenwriter emphasized the dramatic shift in investor behavior, noting that simply including the term "AI" and presenting his work through a technology-focused company transformed his prospects. "All of a sudden, just by attaching the word 'AI' and [the fact] that it's a technology-based company, investors came in, and we're in production on three films now," Avary explained.
Three AI-Driven Projects in Active Production
Through his company, General Cinema Dynamics, in partnership with Massive AI Studios, Avary currently has three feature films actively in development. The projects span diverse genres, reflecting AI's versatility in filmmaking:
- A family Christmas movie scheduled for theatrical release during the upcoming holiday season
- A faith-based film planned for release next Easter
- A large-scale romantic war epic
"It was so easy for me to get that going and so difficult for me to get a traditional movie going through the traditional route," Avary observed. "Just put AI in front of it and all of a sudden you're in production on three features."
Hollywood's AI Controversy and Cost Benefits
Avary's comments arrive amid significant industry anxiety about artificial intelligence potentially displacing human jobs and fundamentally altering Hollywood's creative landscape. Last year, controversy erupted when an entirely AI-generated actor named "Tilly Norwood" attracted attention from talent agencies, prompting criticism from performers including Melissa Barrera and Mara Wilson.
Addressing these concerns, Avary offered a different perspective, framing AI as an advanced form of visual effects rather than a replacement for human creativity. "So many people are against AI," he acknowledged. "But all it is, is visual effects. And I have experience."
The screenwriter highlighted the dramatic cost reductions AI enables, stating that what previously cost "a million dollars a minute is now $5,000 a minute, to do it really, really well." He added, "It looks kind of amazing, actually. I think, for independent cinema, and for the future of film and television production, these are super exciting times."
Industry-Wide AI Adoption
Avary is not operating in isolation. Earlier this month, Amazon publicly announced plans to utilize AI technology to accelerate movie and television production processes. Albert Cheng, the veteran entertainment executive leading Amazon MGM Studios' AI development team, explained the economic rationale behind this shift.
"The cost of creating is so high that it really is hard to make more and it really is hard to take great risk," Cheng stated. "We fundamentally believe that AI can accelerate, but it won't replace, the innovation and the unique aspects that humans bring to create the work."
This growing industry embrace of artificial intelligence suggests that Avary's experience may represent a broader trend rather than an isolated case. As traditional funding avenues become increasingly challenging for filmmakers, AI appears to be emerging as both a creative tool and a crucial marketing element that attracts contemporary investors.
