The SCENE Project held on 14- 15 May 2024 its 4th plenary meeting in the historical setting of Chateau La Napoule in Cannes, France. This two-day event, organized by CERTH, was a joint effort with our sister project, REBOOT, and focused on the progress and future directions of our initiatives.

Day One: Use Case Presentations and Demos

The first day deviated from the usual meeting structure to highlight the project’s three pilot use cases from Lecce, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Troodos Ophiolite Mines, Cyprus. These presentations aimed to outline the deployment of the pilots, the integration of generative AI into SCENE tools, and the end-users who will benefit from these innovations.

Key highlights included:

  • Cyprus: Deployment of acoustic modeling processes at UNESCO landmarks and outdoor settings.
  • Lecce: Completion of photogrammetric acquisition at the Church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria.
  • Athens: Focused discussions on filming public spaces like Kotzias Square and the National Garden.

Additionally, the Athens Film Office, CETMA, and Green Olive Films showcased demos of their progress in mapping and organizing the pilots.

Day Two: Technical and Stakeholder Presentations

The second day centered on partner presentations detailing the progress of various work packages. Significant advancements were reported, particularly on the technical front, where preliminary user interfaces and metadata management tools have been developed.

Technical Progress: Development of ontologies for multimedia files and 3D objects, the establishment of our database infrastructure, and simulations of search scenarios.

Societal Impact: The launch of the Delphi exercise to refine the SCENE Platform’s business model, and the circulation of a promotional video by White Research to highlight SCENE’s technology and tools.

Evening Networking: Cocktail Event

The first day concluded with a delightful cocktail event at Chateau La Napoule. This provided an excellent opportunity for networking with REBOOT Project members and discussing the transformative potential of AI in the filmmaking industry. Conversations highlighted the balance between simplifying production processes and maintaining creative integrity.

Clustering Workshop: Exploring Generative AI in Film

Following the plenary meeting, a collaborative workshop titled “Exploring the Creative Frontier: Generative AI in Film and the Ethical Landscape” was held. This event brought together SCENE, REBOOT, and CRESCINE projects to discuss their roles in revolutionizing the filmmaking industry. Guest speakers, including Jean-Francois Trubert and Caterina Sganga, explored the challenges and opportunities AI presents in creative processes and copyright issues.

Overall, the meeting was an utter success, showcasing the collaborative spirit and innovative progress of the SCENE Project and its partners. We look forward to the continued advancement of our initiatives and the positive impact they will have on the filmmaking industry.