AVP Summit in Calabria: AI, co-productions, and the future of Hollywood

The third edition of the Audio-Visual Producers Summit (AVP Summit) was held in Scilla, Calabria, from June 10 to 12, 2024, gathering CEOs and executives from Italian and international audiovisual and entertainment companies. Key topics included artificial intelligence, co-production opportunities, and the future of Hollywood. Wayne Garvie, President of International Production at Sony Pictures Television, opened the second day by quoting Il Gattopardo, urging the industry to embrace change in co-productions. He argued that the golden age of audiovisual is not over, but requires proactive adaptation. On AI, Stefano Salvati and Maurizio Colombi presented a theater show about the band 883 created with AI, featuring Mauro Repetto. Director Francesco Siro Brigiano called AI the future of audiovisual if regulated, while screenwriter John August expressed concerns about writer protections. The summit closed with a roundtable on Hollywood's future, featuring John August, DeVon Franklin (Franklin Entertainment), Neils Juul (Not Fat Ego), Lori McCreary (Revelations Entertainment), Veronica Sullivan (NBC Universal), and Gary Lucchesi. They discussed creating diverse content, investing in new screenwriters, and the enduring need for inspiring stories. McCreary noted that a film makes an actor a star, not vice versa.