MacGuff’s Philippe Sonrier on How Artificial Intelligence Tools Will Revolutionize the VFX Industry

French VFX powerhouse MacGuff – with headquarters in Paris and offices in L.A. – is using proprietary artificial intelligence tools, in particular Face Engine and Body Engine, in a broad range of VFX projects.Current projects in the pipeline include Season 2 of “Lupin” for Netflix, “Hôtel du temps” for France Télévisions, and Christian Carion’s “Une belle course,” starring Dany Boon. The studio also used AI tools in Éric Rochant’s political thriller series “The Bureau.”“Hôtel du temps” is a perfect example of the power of Face Engine since it brings historic figures back to life, such as late actor Jean Gabin and Princess Diana, to be interviewed by hard-hitting French journalist Thierry Ardisson.MacGuff has an in-house R&d department that has been developing proprietary AI tools by mixing open-source software with proprietary code. The AI developments are being overseen by co-founder and joint director Rodolphe Chabrier and MacGuff...