Earlier this year, a 15-second AI-generated video featuring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise battling on a rooftop caused controversy in Hollywood. A screenwriter described the clip as “terrifying.” The Motion Picture Association demanded that ByteDance, the company behind the AI tool, cease its activities. Despite this, ByteDance has been quietly seeking partnerships with filmmakers, artists, and executives interested in their AI video generation model called Seedance.
Seedance was launched in the U.S. at an event in Santa Monica hosted by a group associated with the Chinese government. ByteDance has been hiring for 100 positions, signing filmmakers and artists, and holding private talks regarding funding AI films. They hosted a luxurious party at Cannes and promoted Seedance at an Amazon event in Culver City. According to Peter Csathy of Creative Media, Hollywood must adapt to the reality that AI-empowered creators see Seedance as a leading video generator.
Joel Kuwahara, an animation producer from “The Simpsons,” noted the industry’s quiet acceptance of Seedance. Studios unofficially allow its use despite no formal approval. ByteDance declined to comment on its U.S. expansion.
The competition to become dominant in AI video models has intensified between U.S. companies and Chinese competitors. Google’s Veo faces challenges from Seedance, Kling, and Alibaba’s HappyHorse, which offer cinematic realism at a lower cost. According to Artificial Analysis, Seedance provides high-quality video for $9 per minute, compared to $24 by Google Veo.
Independent filmmaker Rupert Wainwright plans to use Seedance for his film “Sebastian,” combining traditional and AI-generated scenes. Steven Schneider announced “Terrarium,” entirely generated using Seedance. Director Jason Zada utilizes AI to write, cast, and edit films simultaneously, allowing script changes based on daily AI outputs.
ByteDance engages filmmakers by providing free monthly credits and access to unreleased features. Kavan Cardoza uses Seedance for his fantasy series “The Chronicle of Bones,” achieving an audience of 500,000 on YouTube. Cardoza became reliant on Seedance for character consistency between scenes.
Cardoza aims to attract studio interest for his project but faces potential resistance from SAG-AFTRA regarding synthetic actors. Stephan Vladimir Bugaj praised Seedance’s ability to create filmic visuals, noting its demand by major Hollywood studios.
Amit Jain of Luma expressed skepticism about Seedance’s long-term adoption due to geopolitical and intellectual property risks. Despite these issues, AI spending by media companies is projected to increase significantly over the next few years.