Using AI to replace Thuy Tien in 'Closing the order!', will the producer be sued?

Director duo Nam Cito - Bao Nhan and actor Quyen Linh at the premiere of the movie Chot Do! - Photo: LE GIANG

Afternoon of August 4, movie Close the deal! had a media premiere in Ho Chi Minh City. Two directors Nam Cito - Bao Nhan and a cast including artists Quyen Linh, Hong Van, Hong Dao, Le Loc... attended.

Initially, Miss Thuy Tien was the main actress of Close the deal! . She participated in promoting the movie in 2024. After Thuy Tien was arrested and prosecuted, the movie was forced to replace her image.

Did Thuy Tien breach the contract?

Director Nam Cito said he used AI to replace faces. Thuy Tien is the idea of Ms. Dinh Thanh Huong, the film's production director. Close the deal!

At first, the directors were hesitant because they feared that the AI-generated images would be "fake and lifeless". But after seeing the first images from the unit implementing this technology, the directors realized that the idea could be feasible.

Producer faces legal questions when using AI to replace Thuy Tien in the film - Photo: FBNV

Regarding using AI to replace Thuy Tien's face, the producer said the cost was not cheap but could not reveal it.

However, the company that implemented this technology also determined that this was a special case that had never happened before in Vietnam, so it offered a special price and also invested in the film.

At the screening, a journalist asked whether using AI to replace Thuy Tien's image would cause legal problems for the producer.

The film's legal representative replied: "When the producer decided to transfer Thuy Tien's image to AI technology, we have considered all legal factors, especially factors related to the contract that the manufacturer signed with Ms. Thuy Tien.

In contracts governed by the Civil Law and the Cinema Law, the producer has full authority to use part or all of the image, or not to use Ms. Thuy Tien's image in any case.

Official poster of the movie Chot Do! with images of Quyen Linh and Hong Dao with child actress Moc Tra - Photo: Producer

Second, the contracts signed with Thuy Tien include obligations regarding image maintenance and professional ethics.

"In this case, Ms. Thuy Tien is violating the manufacturer, not the manufacturer has any violations. I am sure that Ms. Thuy Tien does not have the legal authority to complain to the manufacturer, but only the opposite direction" - the representative said.

Regarding the question "Did the film only use AI to replace the face or the entire body of the character Hoang Linh?", the legal representative said that the film replaced the face and body features that made the audience recognize that it was Thuy Tien, it can be said that it replaced the "full set".

Quyen Linh talks about mistakes in advertising functional foods

Close the deal! tells the story of Hoang Linh, an ambitious young female director in the livestream sales industry. Her biggest success is a livestream that achieved hundreds of billions in revenue, with the support of Mr. An (Quyen Linh), a technology driver and the oldest employee of the company.

Although the role is not related to real life, it can remind the audience of Quyen Linh's controversy and having to apologize for advertising functional foods that caused confusion about their uses.

The actor said that happened a few years ago, but it just "heated up and boiled over" this time.

"Yes, I have made mistakes in this life. We all make mistakes in this life. What is important is that we dare to face the truth and dare to continue on the remaining path, learn from experience and do better in the next stage" - he said.

The film project was very difficult.

Director Bao Nhan confided: "This is a very difficult film project for Bao Nhan and Nam Cito." He said the initial plans for a grand film premiere for Close the deal! was unable to do so, he apologized to the actors and crew members. He promised them that he would repay them in future projects.

Ms. Dinh Thanh Huong said the project was almost abandoned because of the great difficulties. She felt sorry for the film crew, flying back and forth to take care of the legal issues for the film. She admitted that the marketing for the film was also done hastily, the film was forced to "pioneer AI" while no one in the crew wanted it.

"It really was a lot of sweat, blood, and tears," she said.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/dung-ai-thay-thuy-tien-trong-chot-don-nha-san-xuat-co-bi-kien-3370010.html