Deep Fake Neighbour Wars preview revealed
ITVX has released a video giving a first look at Deep Fake Neighbour Wars, its new comedy series involving AI technology that makes impressionists look like the world's most famous celebrities.
The six part series, which is due to be published on the new streaming service in 2023, is billed as the world's first long form narrative show that uses deep fake technology.
ITV explains: "It uses the very latest in AI technology to turn the UK's best new impressionists into the world's most famous celebrities - only here they are ordinary people who happen to be embroiled in petty silly neighbour disputes.
"We meet loved up Nicki Minaj and Tom Holland who are not happy with Mark Zuckerberg next door, Idris Elba gets a shock when new neighbour Kim Kardashian starts making her presence known in their communal garden, Harry Kane's perfect patio is damaged by upstairs neighbour Stormzy and dental hygienist Billie Eilish clashes with neighbour Beyonce when she starts working from home."
Deep Fake Neighbour Wars was created by Spencer Jones, who has led a team of writers including Jordan Gray, Josh Pugh, Travis Jay, Erika Ehler, Laura Smyth, Jason Lewis, Leila Navabi, Nico Tatarowicz and Lucy Pearman.
The show features a host of emerging impressionists and comedy talent, including Katia Kvinge, Al Foran, Scheiffer Bates, Carmen Green, Aurie Styla, Luke Kempner, Tony Lapidus and Yiannis Vassilakis amongst others.
Nana Hughes, ITV's Head of Comedy, says: "Deep Fake Neighbour Wars is an impression show with a difference. The visuals will fascinate, the world will titillate and the impressions will fixate. It is hugely exciting to bring AI technology to quite literally change the face of comedy on ITVX."
David Simpson from producers Tiger Aspect comments: "The tech is wild, but first and foremost this is an impressions show and it has been a real joy working with such a talented group of emerging impressionists and writers. Spencer as always, has created something completely unique. But he has also found a positive way to use this amazing technology. We wanted this to be a fun and silly show, rather than anything satirical and that meant we picked celebrities who are our heroes and used the tech to create something playful and daft and hopefully very funny."
Spencer Jones comments: "Thanks to ITV for generously and bravely backing this project, of which I am but a cog. A huge talented team made this programme happen. I hope the famous people in the show have a laugh at our versions of them. We just wanted to make a silly show reimagining them as everyday people! But now I have seen the quality of the deep fake results, I am worried about the future of humanity. Sorry everybody!"
Barney Francis, founder of StudioNeural, concludes: "StudioNeural is the world's first provider of synthetic media for long-form TV and we've developed our AI technology and production processes to deep fake all 35 cast members on screen for this series. This is the first time deep fake technology has been used at such scale for broadcast globally. We hope Deep Fake Neighbour Wars will disrupt conventions in the comedy entertainment sector whilst igniting curiosity from the public - and industry - in the creative potential of synthetic media on screen."
Deep Fake Neighbour Wars launches on ITVX in January 2023.