Human Provenance in Film
The industry needs a standard.
We are building one.
HPF is an open initiative for a globally recognised framework that certifies the degree to which AI was used in a film , so buyers can buy with confidence, streamers can reward quality, and audiences can choose.
Where this started
In early 2026, MSC labelled our current slate “No AI Used” at the European Film Market. We were not the first company to talk about AI in film. We were, as far as we know, the first sales company to put it on our marketing materials , not as a boast, but as information.
The response was immediate. Buyers wanted to know more. Press wanted to write about it. Filmmakers wanted to know how to get the label on their own work. Our phone started ringing with people asking the same question from different angles: how do we make this a standard?
That is what HPF is for. MSC cannot create an industry standard alone , that would just be a marketing campaign. A real standard needs to be industry-wide, independently governed, and accessible to everyone from a first-time director to a major studio.
The scale of the problem
According to a McKinsey study released in January 2026, the film market faces a $60 billion revenue redistribution risk due to mass uncertainty around a flood of generative AI content. The question of provenance is not going away. We would rather build the framework now, while there is still time to get it right.
Certifying the provenance of authorship in film marks a shift toward a new asset class, where the long-term value of a film can be preserved much like fine art. This is what we wish to achieve with our label and certification.
No AI Used
At no point during the creation of the film was AI used , production, post-production, marketing, or chain of title documents. The highest standard of human authorship.
Assistive AI Used
AI has been used to enhance human work during the creation of a film , spell checking, colour grading assistance, subtitle generation. Human creativity remains primary; AI is a tool, not an author.
Generative AI Used
AI has been used to replace human work within a film , AI-generated imagery, voice synthesis, script generation, or visual effects replacement. Transparency required. Buyers, streamers, and audiences deserve to know.
For Buyers & Distributors
Protecting film investment
When distributors buy films today, they need to trust chain of title. We want a standard that proves the degree to which AI has been used, so you can buy and sell with confidence, knowing the asset is high quality and legally sound. The No AI Used certification functions like a provenance document , verifiable, portable, and attached to the chain of title.
For Streamers
Rewarding premium content
We believe transparency should be a search feature. We are calling for a “No AI Used” toggle on streaming platforms. Just as you filter for “Action” or “Comedy,” you should be able to filter for content based on AI usage , potentially allowing streamers to charge a premium for films made without AI.
For Audiences
The right to choose
The people watching at home deserve to know what they are consuming and where it comes from. We believe that they should have the choice to filter content based on what they would like to see. Human stories, told by human hands. That should be something you can search for.
Become a founding signatory.
HPF is an open initiative. A standard only works when the industry adopts it. We are inviting organisations to join as founding signatories at Cannes 2026 and help shape how this works.
Express InterestUse the label. Join the initiative.
If you would like to use the No AI Used label, or have a certificate for your chain of title documents, contact us. If you are an industry organisation interested in co-developing the standard, we want to hear from you.
