HAND simplifies the authentication process of talent and their digital replicas in order to prevent misuse, and automate compensation processes for studios and content owners.
HAND (Human & Digital) is showing its global Talent Identifier framework and registry at IBC 2024 in the IBC Accelerator Innovation Zone in Amsterdam from 13-16 September. HAND's Talent ID is an interoperable tool for the media supply-chain that works against current challenges to the automation of talent identity. It also addresses threats to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) rights from unlicensed AI-based deepfakes, through the use of persistent techniques for identifying legitimate, consent-based digital replicas. The aim is to protect talent rights and preventing misuse.
Designed for the identification of recognisable talent in entertainment, sports, fashion, music, news, gaming and other cultural industries, HAND's standards-based system is available as both a business intelligence-based, SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platform with an API subscription model, and as a free Web UI for searching a limited number of Talent IDs per day. It delivers unique Talent ID verification for real persons, their virtual counterparts and fictional characters.
Tracking Beacon for Talent
Similar to the idea of a tracking beacon for talent, HAND helps automate the identification, verification, origin and authenticity of talent-related assets in audio/visual works. This process eases the management of talent residuals, royalties and participations, and gives studios, payment processors and content rights owners a way to automatically track and more efficiently compensate talent and cast lists, protecting assets and brands and maintaining authenticity in media content.
On the understanding that digital replicas are now becoming part of the media supply chain, CEO and Founder of HAND Will Kreth said, "HAND Talent ID is a way to respond to the need to protect talent rights, preventing unauthorized use of their real, digital or fictional characters, and maintain the integrity of the content throughout its lifecycle.”
"We have also talked directly to major studios about the frustrations of working with current manual processes for talent attribution and compensation. By addressing the problems media companies have in internally reconciling their talent data, we serve as a catalyst for new revenue opportunities in talent utilisation."
Accelerator Media Innovation Projects
At IBC 2024, HAND is leading an Accelerator Media Innovation Programme project titled ‘Digital Replicas and Talent ID: Provenance, Verification and New Automated Workflows’ to act as a platform for the media community to collaborate on this industry challenge. Along with project supporters Paramount Global, SMPTE and Movie Labs, participants include EIDR, USC ETC (Entertainment Technology Centre), The Scan Truck, EZDRM and others.
HAND aims to show an example of how to create a digital replica of a notable Hollywood actor – with their consent – and how the usage of that replica can be securely identified and tracked across different platforms, ensuring that the rights and permissions of the talent are respected and enforced, preventing unauthorized or unethical uses of their digital likeness.
HAND is also participating in a second Accelerator project ‘Design Your Weapons in the Fight Against Disinformation’, supported by BBC and Paramount Global, with participants including EBU, TV2, ITN, Transmixr, Media City Bergen, YLE, Channel 4, Associated Press, USC ETC and CBC. This challenge will explore deepfake or anomaly detection tools and processes, the use of media provenance signals, and aims to establish closer industry collaboration and information sharing. More information on both accelerator projects can be found here for the digital repicas project, and here for the disinformation project. handidentity.com
