The Spirit of Hollywood Star, Mary Pickford, is Driving the New Frontier in Film

Mary Pickford

Even the shiniest stars can dim with the passage of time, but someone of Mary Pickford’s significance should never have faded into the annals of history. We’ll be dusting off her story and focusing the spotlight back on this titan of early Hollywood, whose legacy has long-reaching consequences even today. 

For those who don’t know, Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born actress who stormed silent cinema in the 1920s. Dubbed ‘America’s Sweetheart’, this cutesy nickname belied the business dynamo she was. 

In 1916, Pickford was the first actress to sign a million-dollar contract in a ground-breaking deal that gave her unprecedented control over her career. She was also the first actress to negotiate a contract that gave her a percentage of her films’ profits (and this was no small number… she got 50%). 

In 1916, Pickford was the first actress to sign a million-dollar contract

In 1919, she co-founded United Artists along with Charlie Chaplin, her then-husband Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith. They had heard that production companies were merging in an attempt to tighten control on actor salaries and creative decisions. Their idea was to push back by incorporating their own company which pioneered independent cinema and protected artists against the studio system. This venture made Pickford the first female movie mogul. 

(L to R) Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith

Pickford was also one of the original thirty-six founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, helping to establish the organisation that would go on to present the Academy Awards. It would be no exaggeration to say that Pickford was a trailblazer who shaped the industry as we know it now – over a century later. 

It’s fitting that AI company Pickford draws its name from this pioneering actress.

It’s fitting that AI company Pickford draws its name from this pioneering actress. Cole Clifford, co-founder of Pickford, believes AI will ‘supercharge storytelling’ and be ‘as transformative for Hollywood as the invention of talking pictures more than a century ago.’

Pickford is differentiating itself by making a strong case for the use of responsibly run generative AI. Clifford explains how the film industry has navigated profound shifts in the past and weathered storms that once threatened to engulf the sector. In the 1920s, critics worried that synchronised sound would overshadow the nuanced performances and visual storytelling that defined silent films. Instead, the transition brought a new layer of depth to cinema. 

The introduction of colour to films in the 1930s and the adoption of CGI in the 1990s all shook the industry in turn, but ultimately led to exciting artistic experiments and enriched the medium through these evolutions. For Pickford, AI is simply the next frontier, one that has the potential to spark a new era of creativity that Clifford believes will be dynamic, collaborative, and with fewer barriers.

Mary Pickford

Amongst Pickford’s offering is an AI-powered animation studio that helps creators bring their stories to life using cutting-edge technology (much like a next generation of Pixar – but for a broader range of creators). Their tools enable design, animation, 3D environments, characters, and assets with a seamless workflow that allows users to use their current tools or take advantage of generative models. They’re also seeing AI enhance the ability to create photorealistic digital environments, characters, and props, opening up limitless possibilities for creators to realise their visions. This is in stark contrast to the magic ‘movie button’ of recent media frenzies.

Their ultimate goal is to make 3D content creation more accessible by using AI to co-author complex tasks. They’re also developing an interactive animated series that will be released later in November, enabling audiences to shape the plot, and redefine how we think about interactive entertainment. This is truly the cusp of revolutionary technology, and could birth an entirely new form of content. 

But the name of Mary Pickford is not just invoked because they see AI as the next watershed moment in film – it is also because the company is deeply focused on elevating female filmmakers. ‘Mary Pickford fought for the rights of creators, particularly women,’ shares Cole Clifford, co-founder. ‘Today, AI has the potential to build on her legacy by empowering artists with the tools to bring their ideas to life without the limitations of the traditional industry. At Pickford, we’re committed to ensuring AI becomes a resource to create, innovate, and lead the next wave of storytelling in ways that were once unimaginable.’ 

By automating time-consuming tasks, over time AI could democratise filmmaking. Meanwhile, as the technology develops and becomes more affordable, advanced tools can be made available to independent creators and small studios, allowing them to compete with larger, established production houses. This ethos reflects Mary Pickford’s spirit of both collaboration with other artists and independence from studios. 

‘At Pickford, we’re committed to ensuring AI becomes a resource to create, innovate, and lead the next wave of storytelling.’

Furthermore, Pickford has created the ‘Directors Style Sheet’, an open-source consortium. The goal of DSS is to create an industry standard to enable interoperability of generative AI technologies and support a rich ecosystem of businesses and artists. This project actively seeks director and filmmaker input (do contribute if you can!) to build a new standard for AI in film – one that actually reflects the desires of the people working in the industry, rather than being pushed onto them top down.

Further proof of Pickford’s authentic commitment to supporting women can be seen in a landmark partnership with the Female Film Club. As part of this, they’ll be sponsoring ten memberships for the January cohort, with the aim of encouraging women in film. In addition, they’ll be providing AI education and Pickford Studio workshops, so that members can learn how to best utilise the technology now at their disposal. 

Pickford is placing women and artists at the forefront of the new frontier in film, equipping them with the latest in cutting-edge technologies. We believe this is a mission Mary Pickford would have heartily approved of. 

*This is a sponsored article.