Uses Artificial Intelligence to Restore Classic Films: The Argentine Startup Working with Netflix and HBO
Original article: 25-Enero-2025: iProUP
Go to the original article in Spanish
Sergio Rentero, CEO and founder of GOTIKA, asserts that AI will transform the film industry and offer more interactive content for its audience.
Artificial intelligence and new technologies are reshaping various markets, including cultural products. Cinema, music, photography, and visual arts are some of the fields that can now be transformed through innovation.
In this context, GOTIKA is a creative studio founded by Sergio Rentero in 1996, dedicated to merging artists from various disciplines with cutting-edge technology. Since its inception, it has achieved global milestones such as:
Being a pioneer in HD post-production.
Opening the market for digitization services.
Applying artificial intelligence to content regeneration.
"GOTIKA is always looking to reinvent itself, to be a leader in innovation in intellectual property and the publishing industry, constantly redefining the boundaries of creativity and technology," Rentero explained exclusively to iProUP.
In 2019, the company integrated AI into its production processes. Thanks to this technology, they were able to regenerate images and sounds previously considered irretrievable, democratizing access to audiovisual preservation by reducing costs and technological barriers.
One of their greatest successes was the recreation of La Mary, the renowned 1974 film starring Susana Giménez and directed by Daniel Tinayre.
GOTIKA was also a pioneer in other projects that became milestones in Argentine cinema history, such as Plan Recuperar, which revived 101 contemporary classic films.
A Project for Argentine Cinema
Plan Recuperar was a cultural initiative that lasted five years, carried out by GOTIKA in collaboration with the DAC (Directores Argentinos Cinematográficos) association.
The project focused on restoring significant films from Argentine cinema history, combining advanced techniques, the localization of original materials, and copyright management.
"The project restored an average of 20 films per year, with over 100 titles restored and 300 cataloged, surpassing the international yearly average achieved by companies and film archives worldwide," Rentero stated.
Innovation and new technologies were reflected in all proprietary techniques and tools, optimizing time, reducing costs, and enabling the handling of large volumes of content.
"The plan also included an audiovisual archaeology process, recovering negatives and rights to save films at risk," added the company's CEO.
This initiative ensured that the restored films met international standards, allowing them to be distributed on platforms such as:
Netflix
Amazon Prime
HBO
Starplus
The startup invested a total of over $3 million, with DAC contributing 40% of the funding, while GOTIKA Media and Fundación GOTIKA covered the remaining 60%, all with the goal of preserving Argentina's cinematic heritage.
Although Plan Recuperar was never intended as a commercial project, it generated multiple benefits for the parties involved. For GOTIKA Media, the initiative solidified its reputation as an international leader in audiovisual restoration, opening the door to new global opportunities.
The Future of GOTIKA Media
According to Rentero, the company is now looking to expand into new markets by launching publishing ventures for English-language novels, specifically targeting the United States, Canada, and England.
"Our goal is to create intellectual property, a raw material that we see is currently lacking," stated the Argentine entrepreneur and filmmaker.
In the coming years, GOTIKA plans to generate $20 million, marking the highest revenue in the company’s history. However, they acknowledge that this will depend on the success of their new projects and initiatives.
The Role of AI in the Future of Cinema
Regarding new technologies, Rentero believes that artificial intelligence will be the key to the future success of the film industry. According to him, entertainment will become a live experience, featuring exclusive AI, with avatars entirely generated from scratch.
He also noted that traditional cinema, as we know it today, will be reserved for specific types of productions. The audiovisual market is set to undergo a radical transformation, far beyond just wearing a pair of virtual reality glasses.
"People will seek new kinds of experiences. Future generations will demand more interactive content and will want to be part of the entertainment itself," Rentero concluded.
