🎞 How Flawless Helps Hollywood Cut Post-Production Costs
Flawless AI, a British startup co-founded by filmmaker Scott Mann, is transforming Hollywood post-production with AI-powered tools enabling seamless dialogue editing without costly reshoots.
The company gained widespread attention in 2022 when Mann used its technology in his thriller Fall. Lionsgate—best known for the John Wick, Saw, and The Hunger Games franchises—planned to release the film in the U.S. However, the original cut contained 36 instances of profanity, pushing it toward an R rating, which would significantly limit its potential audience.
"They said it had too many f*cks," Mann tells TNW.
Flawless's AI editing tools allowed the filmmakers to replace most of the explicit language with softer alternatives—without noticeable changes for the audience or any loss in quality (see video ⤴️). This adjustment helped Fall secure a PG-13 rating, leading to a box office success of $21 million against a $3 million budget.
Flawless's technology was also applied in Venom: The Last Dance. The startup's official website lists CNN and Netflix among its clients. In recent months, viewers have increasingly noticed that Netflix uses AI for lip-syncing in dubbed content, making translated dialogue appear more natural.
Additionally, Flawless developed a platform that allows actors to control AI-generated modifications to their performances. The Artistic Rights Treasury (A.R.T.) was introduced in response to the 2023 Hollywood strikes, ensuring that AI-driven film changes comply with industry regulations.
Not everyone in Hollywood welcomes AI with open arms. Last week, we covered the controversy surrounding The Brutalist. This major Oscar contender faced backlash after AI was used to make actor Adrien Brody's Hungarian accent sound more "natural" in post-production.
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