Tom Walsh's 'Merry the Christmas Witch' Made for $1.5M Using AI
Director Tom Walsh says he brought the film in for $1.5 million with AI, against an estimated $80 million for a traditional production.
Director Tom Walsh has revealed that his adaptation of 'Merry the Christmas Witch' was produced for $1.5 million using AI, well below the $80 million he estimated a traditional production would have cost. Variety reported the figures.
The two-hour film was made over a 10-month cycle with roughly 50 people, with Walsh directing and co-writing.
Human actors recorded the script to guide character movement and sound, but Walsh opted for AI-generated voices because of syncing issues. The AI studio Phatty Acid worked on the film, and tools including ElevenLabs' voice generator and the video generators Seedance and Nanobanana were used.
No distributor yet
The film currently has no distributor, though a spokesperson said optimistic conversations were underway with a few companies.
Walsh is already working on another AI-generated picture, separate from the adaptation of 'Gods Don't Give Gifts'.
The project is based on a 2012 children's book by Bobbi Hess, a 70-year-old New Orleans-based technical writer. In 2014, Walsh came across Hess's book during a Los Angeles meeting with her late husband, who gave Walsh a copy.
Quick answers
How much did 'Merry the Christmas Witch' cost to make?
Tom Walsh says the film was made for $1.5 million using AI, compared with his estimate of $80 million for a traditional production.
Which AI tools were used on 'Merry the Christmas Witch'?
The AI studio Phatty Acid worked on the film, and tools including ElevenLabs' voice generator and the video generators Seedance and Nanobanana were used.
Does 'Merry the Christmas Witch' have a distributor?
No. A spokesperson said optimistic conversations were underway with a few companies.