Screamify Aims To Be the First Horror Streaming App to Commit to Full AI Transparency

Transparency is the key.

Check out Screamify at Screamify.com.

Last week I posted a review of the new horror-movie streaming platform Screamify. One thing I pointed out as a nagging issue for me was their apparent stance on generative AI. Since I posted that review, I’ve received some updates about the direction Screamify wants to go with regards to AI on its platform. I’m happy to report that the updates are positive.

An AI Ratings System

In a blog post on Screamify’s web site, they’ve announced that they are committed to “full AI transparency” for their original productions. To facilitate this they’re developing a ratings system, the Synthetic Motion Picture Ratings System. You can read more about it on smprs.org, but the basic idea is that the lower the SMP rating, the less generative AI was used during a film’s production end-to-end, from script to screen. So, SMP-0 is a movie with 0% GenAI used during any part of the filmmaking process. As of now, SMP-5 is the highest level which means the final product is 85-100% AI, or effectively “Fully Synthetic.”

Screamify Originals

Screamify plans to produce “Screamify Original” films to add to their platform, and when they do, the idea is that every original movie they produce will be clearly labelled with its SMP rating. Transparency is a welcome addition that will further set Screamify apart from other movie streaming platforms (in addition to their commitment to help fund indie horror productions).

Additionally, it looks like Screamify will lean towards using as little GenAI as possible in their original productions, at least initially. Announcements from them are forthcoming, but I was contacted by the owner of Screamify after I posted my review, and he had some positive news about the content of their first two original films. I’ll let them speak for themselves through their future announcements though.

My Take on GenAI Honesty

Of course, this is all still in the development process, but I’m glad to see that others are looking towards AI with a skeptical eye. Or, at least that they recognize that generative AI can be a sore spot, and sometimes a deal-breaker, for certain breeds of horror fans.

I know that GenAI is here and isn’t going anywhere. I also know that it probably has its uses in certain areas, but it can also feel like an unnecessary shortcut with the goal of simply churning out “content” as opposed to trying to make movies that fulfill the creative desires of a filmmaker. At the very least, being open and honest about how AI was used during a movie’s production will go a long way to building trust between artists and audiences. Screamify seems to understand that.

Here are a few links for more information on everything I mentioned in this article:

Meet The Author

Chris has a degree in film studies at Temple University’s campus in Tokyo, Japan. He is a renowned expert on horror cinema.