Mise En Scene Company has introduced “AI-free” certification across its EFM slate, publicly certifying that its films do not contain artificial intelligence.
The London-based organization launched the initiative with high profile at this year’s European Film Market in Berlin. A pair of billboards have been installed in Potsdamer Platz promoting MSC’s major titles “Forelock” starring David Krumholtz and “Billy Knight” starring Al Pacino and Charlie Heaton. The new certification will be prominently displayed on both.
MSC CEO Paul Yates framed the initiative not as a rejection of technological tools, but as a defense of human creativity as machine-generated materials proliferate in entertainment.
“We’re entering a seismic shift,” Yates said. “Human artistry is about to become more valuable and more fragile than ever before. If we don’t define it, label it, and protect it, it will simply disappear into the noise.”
The company drew inspiration from British filmmaker and digital rights advocate Bevan Kidron and Human Artistry’s “Stealing is Not Innovation” campaign. Both have challenged government policies regarding copyright and AI training. The initiative is an extension of A24’s label strategy for the horror film “Heretic.”
The MSC is urging industry, festivals and policy makers to establish a unified global verification framework for works created entirely by humans, similar to consumer labels such as organic or fair trade designations, to help viewers distinguish between content created without the use of generative AI tools.
“The dominant narrative of AI is that speed and cost – time and price – are cut in half,” Yates said. “That logic turns art into confusion. Cinema must be defined as its opposite, or it loses its soul and economic power.”
The CEO emphasized that the company’s position is not against artificial intelligence. “We support AI as a tool,” Yates said. “However, we believe that it is essential to clearly distinguish between AI-generated material and human expression. Without clear labels and standards, we risk being overwhelmed by a flood of synthetic culture. A24 was right to add it to the credits, but we believe we need to take this idea further.”
Alessandro Spano, legal expert in cyber law, AI and innovation at King’s College London and CityUHK, said: “The relationship between human intelligence and artificial intelligence in the creative industries reminds us of the story of Schrödinger’s cat. This is a paradox. Is the cat dead or alive? It’s a question of measurement. Is human intelligence dead or alive? This is another question of measurement. The “AI-free” initiative, Paul Yates’ Ms. en Seine Company, is a pioneer in this debate. ”
The MSC has begun dialogue with international partners about introducing certification beyond film into areas such as publishing, music and visual arts.
