Stop! That! Train! director now says Some! AI! Used!

Key Points:

• Bleecker Street, the distributor of the film, confirmed that AI tools were used by the VFX team for minor adjustments in three specific shots, while traditional CGI and hundreds of VFX artists were employed for the rest of the film’s visual effects.
• Director Shankman initially claimed that no shots were conceived by AI, but inconsistencies in the trailer's train windows and analysis by post-production professionals revealed AI involvement, contradicting his statement.
• Critics argue that AI was used primarily as a cost-cutting measure rather than an artistic choice, with Shankman admitting the film was made on a very low budget and describing the aesthetic as intentionally cheap and quirky.
• The use of AI in place of human artists, particularly queer artists, has been criticized as undermining the film’s goal of resonating with queer audiences and contributing to queer representation in the industry.
• Shankman’s expressed hopes for the film’s long-term success as a piece of queer comedy are viewed skeptically in light of his handling of the AI controversy and the production decisions involved.