Groundbreaking film initiative The Human Made Mark launches at the site of the world’s earliest human-made marks: France’s 29,000‑year‑old Pech Merle cave paintings
Against the tidal wave of generative AI, a groundbreaking new film and TV initiative – The Human Made Mark – officially launches today, giving studios and filmmakers a way to certify and celebrate the fact their production has human artists behind the camera and in front of it. Prior to launching, the initiative already gained early supporters in the Academy Award® winning production designer Tamara Deverell, three time Academy Award® nominated cinematographer Dan Laustsen, as well as the Academy Award® winning costume designers Ruth E. Carter and Deborah L. Scott.
The Human Made Mark appears as an ident before a verified film and as a certified Trust Mark in the end credits, complete with a unique number – making every Mark distinct, like a fingerprint. It also features as a watermark on commercials and branded content. Just as the FairTrade label nudges people in the right direction in supermarkets, The Human Made Mark gives audiences the opportunity to make an ethical decision in their viewing habits by choosing authenticity over artificial intelligence. By creating a premium for human made work, their mission is to help protect the livelihoods of millions of artists working in film and TV across the world.
Founder and filmmaker William Grave says the Human Made Mark’s design was inspired by the human touch itself and the earliest recorded form of creative expression – cave paintings:
“It has been a beautiful experience to come with my co-founder Eric to Pech Merle in France and officially celebrate the launch of our trust mark here. Going back to our ancient past, it reminds us how creativity and expression is so innately human.
More than ever, audiences are desperate for human connection. And as the gap between what is deep and real versus deepfake is narrowing, we are here to give audiences confidence that studios, streamers, indie filmmakers and brands are putting human artists first, instead of algorithms.
To gain certification, a producer or a director or production company representative must submit evidence such as call sheets, behind the scenes photos, credit lists, a private viewing link for the team to review, and sign a legal declaration. The Human Made Mark is the first initiative of its kind to introduce this level of verification. The current verification model supports both live‑action and stop‑motion animation productions, with the ambition to expand certification to additional animation techniques in the future.
Co-founder Eric Gruber, states: “We proudly set the bar high for certification. The Human Made Mark is the Michelin Star of human craft. By doing so, we can create a premium for human made work, while inspiring the next generation of artists coming through. The future isn’t written yet. What we do now as filmmakers, industry stakeholders and as an audience, can change everything”.
With the rise of AI performers such as Tilly Norwood and AI generated versions of late actors making headlines, the landscape is shifting fast. The race to protect the human village that comes together to make a film is on.
Aanchal Kapoor, the Lawyer who set up the contractual framework behind The Human Made Mark’s verification platform, says: “This is a pioneering use of law to protect the filmmaking industry in the face of the existential threat posed by AI. In a climate of rising AI encroachment in creative professions, the industry is asking itself: ‘how can the law protect artistic ecosystems?’. As a lawyer and filmmaker myself, I believe the legal architecture of this verification scheme is defining a boundary across creative industries against AI which says, whilst it can be a tool used by a human artist; it cannot be at the cost of replacing a human artist”.
The Human Made Mark gained the attention and support of Oscar nominees during the run up to the Academy Awards® with their ‘Every Artist Makes Their Mark’ campaign. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen, costume designers Ruth E. Carter and Deborah L. Scott, and Tamara Deverell, who most recently won her Oscar for Production Design for Frankenstein, all posted on behalf of the human made movement.
Tamara Deverell says: “The combination of Art and Storytelling that is at the heart of any cinematic journey, can only be fully realized by the artful emotional combination of the human hand and mind. That’s why, the Human Made Mark’s mission to help protect the human village on a film set is vital for the future of our industry.”
The Human Made Mark also recently collaborated with Kodak Film to create a visual love letter to filmmakers released on Valentine’s Day across social platforms. The film gained momentum surpassing 200,000 views and traction continues to build as it is reshared daily by filmmakers around the world.
Bridgerton actor Ruby Barker and voice of Metadata in Netflix’s Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight, who voiced the beautiful love letter, says: “When I was first approached by the Human Made Mark, I researched their work, their values and their vision and I was so thrilled to get involved with the project. I feel it is so vital to stand our ground as artists and champion Human Made art. Film making has been such an important part of my life and without the countless Human artists I’ve encountered on my acting journey, who became friends and cherished colleagues, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
The Human Made Mark fulfils a vital gap in the film, TV and commercials production industry – establishing itself as a third-party independent organisation for verification of human made work. While a couple of Studio films have more recently displayed a disclaimer stating ‘No generative AI was used in the making of this film’, this has technically not been verified by an independent body. Essentially, these productions are ‘marking their own homework’. By working with key industry stakeholders, the Human Made Mark creates transparency and safe-guards human made work. The mission? Protect the human village that comes together to create a film, perhaps for the next 20,000 years.
“There is no art without humanity. And the collaboration of so many artists working together to create something that moves us, and even changes us, is what makes film unique. Every single artist leaves their fingerprint on the work, because film is never a solo art form. It takes a village. It also takes human ingenuity, and what makes us special as human beings: our ability to collaborate and be greater than the sum of our parts. In a time filled with conflict and pessimism, the world needs artists more than ever” – William Grave.
Website: thehumanmademark.com
Apply for your Human Made Mark certification here
Follow on Instagram @makeithumanmade