Actor-producer Matthew Modine and Adam Rackoff’s Cinco Dedos Peliculas production company have signed on as executive producers of the documentary “I Hope This Helps!” The film, written and directed by Daniel Freed, explores the promise and peril of artificial intelligence (AI). It features the work of cinematographer Brendan Hubbard, editor Joshua Bowen, and composer John E. Low, who previously collaborated on CNBC’s documentary series “American Greed.”
The documentary, described as a “humorous, genre-bending hybrid film,” delves into the evolving relationship between humanity and technology. To create the film, Freed enlisted the help of Google’s AI chatbot Bard, who crafted a furry blue creature with big eyes, aiming to alleviate any fears associated with AI.
Modine, a SAG-AFTRA board member, expressed his belief in the significance of AI, stating, “Artificial intelligence is the most important, life-altering technological advancement in modern human history.” He further emphasized the need to address the potential risks and benefits of AI, highlighting the power of gatekeepers in controlling human behavior.
“I Hope This Helps!” premiered at the DocLands Documentary Film Festival in San Rafael, California, in May. The film will continue its festival run before wider distribution plans are announced.
Freed, the writer and director, expressed his excitement about Modine and Rackoff joining the project, praising their experience in independent film and Modine’s deep understanding of AI from his roles as an actor and advocate for other actors. Freed previously worked on CNBC’s “American Greed” and co-authored a non-fiction book detailing a charity fraud case.
Cinco Dedos Peliculas (CDP), co-founded by Modine and Rackoff, is a film and new media production company known for producing award-winning films, environmental documentaries, and animated features. Their recent documentary, “Downwind,” explores the consequences of nuclear bomb testing on American soil.