Cinema AI

I think it’s important to have conversations about fears. If we’re listening, ask clarifying questions, and seek facts, we can come to meaningful insights. These insights can be used to address our concerns with guidelines and laws that address issues like usage of generated personal likeness, what public domain might mean now and in the future, what is copyrightable, etc.

With these informed conversations we can also address the fundamental nature of the tools being used and created. I believe the importance here is to move away from fear-based assumptions and bring to light what is concrete, both negatives and positive potential.

Two of my favorite examples of positives are workflows that quickly push the mundane tasks to engage the creative process sooner, and potential access to complex tools for people who would not normally have the tools to create complex work.

I realize there is potential for abuses. There has always been such potential with new tools. Guarding against these abuses starts with informed conversation.

Blog Prompt: What are your thoughts on the risks and opportunities of AI Cinema? What do these tools mean for the future of Hollywood entertainment and for independent artists working in the industry? 

The article from The Conversation caused some concern for the future here, for sure. It raised questions of AI replacement for human workers and systems, as well as the similarly hot-button issue of using the likeness of dead celebrities.

That’s pretty scary. As a whole, the article spells a potential dystopian future for the movie industry. This is a focused approach to the concept of AI like we’ve seen in the past. And it works. Nobody wants a future where humans are out of work in an entire industry in favor of computers.

We should approach AI like any other tool. It isn’t the end result, but it can be a springboard or collaborator.

Pulling from The Guardian, Keanu Reeves was smart to get ahead of the curve and ask for untouched performances in his contracts. People who have died did not get that liberty, like Bourdain, Warhol, and Regina.

The hypothetical uncanny Casablanca sequel is also a cause for pause. We’re already seeing a lesser version of this in the current film landscape. The nostalgia-fueled sequel land we’re living in is the perfect source for AI, because movies already feel like uninspired bait for reliving the good old days. Especially ‘live-action remakes’.

These three artworks are so interesting, I wish I could create a series of whimsical illustrations like the Codex Seraphinianus. I admire Luigi Serafini’s perseverance in making this book and the extraordinary ideas he shows without the help of artificial intelligence. I’m also impressed by The Visual Dome. Dome seems to master the capabilities and logical language of AI, combining artistic aesthetics, his design thinking, and AI technology proficiency in visual creation. Additionally, I am in awe of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s boundless imagination in his films.

I plan to draw inspiration from utopias and real life to build a fictional world where culture and technology merge seamlessly. An unconventional perspective, as described by Jodorowsky’s Dune. I will articulate my vision to the AI and have it generate visual renderings that align with my ideas and aesthetics. For text, I intend to write short storylines and use AI to expand these scenes’ descriptions, akin to how Serafini created narratives in unknown languages. I aim for my stories to be both visually and textually compelling, encouraging readers to explore this world. I may also use AI to create a map to further develop the story.

My first step is to research and gather inspiration. In addition to learning from the three works mentioned above, I will explore more materials to broaden my horizons. Next, I’ll define my vision for the virtual world, specifying the content and themes I aim to create. I’ll then use AI to generate both text and visual imagery. This step, I will test repeatedly in AI until I achieve the visual effect I want. The theme I want to study may be a future utopian world in which nature, technology, and alien species are intertwined, a symbiotic relationship and a conflict-free society. I also like the mysterious world where strange creatures and humans coexist.

I think (just like the invention of any new technology) that AI will be used as a tool to produce cinema at higher quality and faster speeds, but humans will ultimately still be needed to do that work. Before digital animation was created, live-action and stop-motion films were the main tools used to make cinema. Animation has definitely made it so actors don’t need to film shots, but they are still needed for voice acting and people are still needed to create the animation. Instead of this technology taking over productions, it simply made a different genre of film and made more jobs for those with these specific skills. Photographs, digital editing, and recordings have allowed the immortality of actors and celebrities as their pictures and voice can still be used in any media. We are currently in a period where we aren’t sure of all the capabilities that AI can do, which is why those who are in cinema and film creation are worried. However, with the effort that people are going through with striking, and the overall conversation around the morality of AI, regulations will be created so that there are still jobs for people and actors will be compensated for any impersonations.

Holly Willis argued a fear toward the AI technology “… the ability for anyone – amateurs and professionals alike – to create a screenplay and conjure the likeness of an existing actor means that the skills once specific to writers and the likeness that an actor once could uniquely call his or her own are now readily available – with questionable quality, to be sure – to anyone with access to these free online tools.” Just like with any other technology that allows for creation, these AI technologies will be monetized. So, while they are technically available for use by anyone, not everyone will have enough funding to afford the technology to create at home cinema. This class itself pays $12 a month just to use Runway and creation is limited! No one is going to make ground-breaking cinema with these restrictions. And I personally like that the playing field is now “leveled” with AI technology. I like that someone can be creative at home without needing to go through the route of high-cost college, or networking through Hollywood in order to have access to such creative technology.

I think the AI Cinema does bring some opportunities for the film industry. AI provides efficient workflows, increases special effects, and provides new tools for creativity. Both articles mention script writing that AI can analyze existing scripts and create new ones in a short amount of time. At this point, AI does bring great convenience to the work of professionals. AI helps reduce production costs. For example, David Smith mentioned that AI saves production money by providing special effects in the film frame. Not only that, AI optimizes distribution strategies for audience preferences. For the film industry, this not only helps filmmakers grasp the creative direction and save time but also brings more optimized business opportunities for the film market.

AI also introduces several unavoidable risks. Regarding employment, I echo Justine Bateman’s concerns from “How AI Took Center Stage In The Hollywood Writers’ Strike” about the potential for unskilled individuals to masquerade as talented professionals, complicating talent identification for businesses. Additionally, there’s the risk of AI replacing numerous jobs in the film industry, leading to significant job loss. Regulatory challenges also arise as AI may indiscriminately amalgamate data sources without the ability to trace or safeguard the original materials. For example, the use of individuals’ images and voices by AI to create misleading political documentaries could have severe societal and global consequences. This situation could also demotivate writers, who fear their hard work might be appropriated and exploited by AI unconditionally, and even ultimately replaced.

With the rapid development of AI technology, its influence on the film industry and employment within it is set to increase. The potential misuse of one’s image is a concern for filmmakers. Recognizing this early, clarifying the regulatory regime and protecting the integrity of the creative industries may be the homework that the film industry has to do. The efficiency and accessibility of AI is an excellent means for independent artists who don’t have enough money. Therefore, AI for Hollywood entertainment and independent artists will provide their innovative efficiency, but also a challenge. Keeping an eye on resource management and adherence to ethics is essential.

Blog #5

AI Cinema represents a paradigm shift in the landscape of filmmaking, echoing the transformative impacts of historical milestones like the agricultural, industrial, and internet revolutions (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/mar/23/ai-change-hollywood-film-industry-concern). At its core, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way stories are told, visualized, and shared, offering both unprecedented opportunities and significant risks to the industry.

Opportunities for Hollywood and Independent Artists

For Hollywood, AI cinema could unlock new realms of creativity and efficiency. By automating certain aspects of production, such as visual effects creation, scene composition, and even script writing assistance, AI can significantly reduce the time and financial investments required to bring stories to life. This democratization of filmmaking tools could level the playing field, allowing independent artists to compete with major studios by creating high-quality content with lower budgets. Furthermore, AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data could lead to more targeted and engaging content, potentially increasing the success rate of productions by predicting audience preferences more accurately.

For independent artists, AI offers a toolset that was previously inaccessible due to cost or technical skill barriers. AI can serve as a collaborative partner, offering suggestions for narrative development, visual aesthetics, or even music composition, thus enhancing the creative process. This could lead to a surge in innovative content, as artists are empowered to experiment and express their visions in ways that were previously unimaginable.

Risks and Considerations

However, the integration of AI into cinema is not without its challenges and risks. One of the primary concerns is the potential for job displacement. As AI takes on more roles traditionally filled by humans, from scriptwriting to post-production, there’s an understandable fear that it could reduce the number of opportunities available to professionals in the field. Moreover, the reliance on AI in creative processes might lead to questions about the authenticity and originality of art. When a machine contributes significantly to a piece of content, it raises philosophical debates about the nature of creativity and authorship.

Another significant risk involves ethical considerations and biases inherent in AI systems. AI learns from existing data, and if that data reflects historical biases or stereotypes, AI-generated content could perpetuate these issues rather than contribute to a more diverse and inclusive media landscape.

The Future of AI Cinema

Looking forward, the integration of AI into Hollywood and independent cinema is likely to follow a path of cautious optimism. Regulation and ethical guidelines will play crucial roles in mitigating risks, ensuring that AI is used responsibly and beneficially. Moreover, education and re-skilling initiatives will be essential to help industry professionals adapt to the changing landscape, ensuring they can leverage AI tools to enhance their craft rather than be replaced by them.

In conclusion, AI cinema stands at the cusp of revolutionizing the entertainment industry, offering tools that can amplify human creativity and redefine the economics of filmmaking. By embracing these tools while thoughtfully addressing their risks, the future of Hollywood and independent cinema could be one of unparalleled innovation and inclusivity.

The most amicable solution that will come out of Hollywood’s integration with AI is that there will be policy between the unions and studios that a human will have to be responsible for the creative aspects of the filmmaking process, with them being allowed to use AI as they see fit. I don’t see a problem with saying, “OK, you have to have a least one human writer. That writer can use AI how they please.” With restrictions on the size of the project/how many writers they need. There is a big difference between someone writing, acting, producing, and directing an independent film themselves and a big corporate studio cutting writers out entirely in favor of AI. The only way to make it make sense would be to enforce that a project with big enough resources and budget to traditionally hire out at least one writer must hire at least one writer. This ensure AI isn’t “taking over,” but it still gives the artists lease to use all the tools available to them.

In addition, audiences are already tired of formulaic movies that are made to sell. People are starting to see through the factory-produced entertainment that many studios/streaming services are putting out. That sentiment is seeming to become more popular as AI-integrated media becomes more widespread.

On a sort of side note, I can’t help but get the growing suspicion that people are so against AI in general because of the way in which AI has historically interacted in media. It’s very commonly the “mad experiment gone too far into dystopia” story, and I really think those ideas impact how people approach AI. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing, it’s good to be careful and cautious, but it also dramatizes and blows out of proportion, instead of allowing people to consider the bigger picture.

From a bigger perspective, the emergence of AI begs the question: Will human creation stop if it’s automated? I say no. You see people spend extraordinary time on projects and things just for the fun of it. Just to see if they can. I hold to the (possibly naive) position that humans will always be curious and creative, and they will put their energy into being curious and creative even if the process becomes automated. AI generated works are increasing accessibility to art, which is never a bad thing in my mind.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EjG64Qoqzuezp2IIjv6B5yka2wodypgq4UaW0ZsOVdk/edit?usp=sharing

The integration of AI Cinema tools into the filmmaking process presents a nuanced landscape of risks and opportunities, shaping the future of Hollywood entertainment and the prospects for independent artists in profound ways.

The risks associated with AI-driven content creation primarily revolve around the potential loss of emotional depth and authenticity in storytelling. AI-generated scenes may lack the nuanced emotions required for sad or dramatic sequences, diminishing the viewer’s emotional engagement. Additionally, there’s the danger of AI producing narratives that don’t fully make sense or are too derivative, recycling concepts that have already been explored, which could stifle originality in storytelling. Another concern is the potential for digital edits made by AI to appear awkward or uncanny, breaking the immersion that is critical for the cinematic experience.

On the flip side, the opportunities offered by AI in cinema are compelling, particularly in script editing, offering suggestions to overcome creative blocks, executing complex digital edits, and enhancing project management. AI tools can assist writers in refining their scripts, suggesting improvements or alternative plot developments. For artists facing creative blocks, AI can provide a source of inspiration, presenting ideas or visual concepts that might not have been initially considered. Moreover, AI’s capacity to handle intricate digital edits that are challenging to create manually can revolutionize visual effects, making them more accessible to filmmakers with varying budgets. In project management, AI can streamline workflows, optimize schedules, and manage resources efficiently, enabling smoother production processes.

For the future of Hollywood entertainment and independent artists, AI Cinema tools symbolize a potential paradigm shift. When used appropriately and authentically, these tools can act as powerful allies, augmenting the creative process rather than supplanting human creativity. By leveraging AI to handle repetitive, labor-intensive tasks, creators can focus more on the artistry and storytelling aspects, potentially leading to richer, more diverse cinematic experiences. The challenge lies in integrating AI in a way that respects the artistic integrity of filmmaking while embracing the technological advancements that can support and enhance the creative vision of filmmakers.

Cruston’s Odyssey: A Crab’s Tale in Techno-Tide

In the year 2500, the oceanic world of Aquarius is a marvel of harmony between nature and advanced artificial intelligence. Here, beneath the waves, the landscape is as diverse and vibrant as the surface above, with coral cities pulsing with bioluminescent light and kelp forests swaying to the rhythm of the currents, all overseen by the gentle guidance of AI.

Era and Setting
Aquarius is set in an era where technology has seamlessly integrated into the very fabric of marine life. The ocean floor is dotted with smart-reefs, engineered to support diverse aquatic life, and underwater cities built from coral and biodegradable materials, designed by AI to coexist with the natural environment.

Environment
The climate under the sea is regulated by AI systems, ensuring ideal conditions for coral growth and marine biodiversity. Geological features are enhanced with bio-architecture, creating habitats that support life and serve as research hubs for marine scientists and AI alike.

Food and Culture
In this underwater utopia, cuisine is a reflection of the rich biodiversity, with AI chefs crafting dishes that are both nutritious and sustainable, utilizing algae-based ingredients and cultured seafood. Cultural practices among the sea creatures, influenced by AI, involve synchronized swimming performances, bioluminescent art, and holographic storytelling, celebrating the history and symbiosis of life below and above the water.

Economy
Aquarius thrives on a blue economy, powered by renewable ocean energy and the cultivation of marine resources. AI-driven aquaculture farms produce food and materials with minimal environmental impact, and the trading of coral and pearls is regulated by AI to ensure sustainability and fairness.

Religion and Education
Spiritual beliefs in Aquarius revolve around the reverence for the ocean and its life-giving forces, with AI serving as guardians and keepers of ancient wisdom. Education is immersive and interactive, with young sea creatures and AI exploring the depths together, learning about ecology, navigation, and the importance of preserving their world.

Technology
Technological advancements are centered on enhancing the coexistence of marine life and AI. Bio-compatible nanobots perform coral reef restoration, and AI dolphins serve as guides and protectors, ensuring safety and harmony. The most remarkable innovation is the Aqua-Net, an underwater communication network that connects all inhabitants of Aquarius, facilitating knowledge sharing and communal decision-making.

Uniqueness
What sets Aquarius apart is its embodiment of co-evolution between marine life and AI. Here, a crab named Cruston embarks on a journey to find his place in this vast, interconnected world. Navigating through smart-reefs and evading the remnants of human traps now repurposed by AIs as artificial habitats, Cruston’s story is one of discovery, friendship, and the realization that in a world where every creature, organic or synthetic, plays a vital role, his purpose is to be a caretaker, a connector, and a friend.

Cruston’s Odyssey
Cruston’s tale is a microcosm of Aquarius, reflecting the broader narrative of symbiosis and mutual growth. As he interacts with AI-guided sea turtles and schools of fish moving in mesmerizing patterns orchestrated by underwater drones, he learns valuable lessons about life, technology, and the delicate balance that sustains their underwater paradise. His journey, filled with challenges, learning, and the forging of unlikely friendships, symbolizes the potential for harmony between nature and the most advanced technology, highlighting the promise of a future where all forms of intelligence work together for the greater good of their world.

The advent of AI in cinema introduces significant opportunities and challenges for both Hollywood and independent artists. AI has the potential to democratize filmmaking, making advanced editing, special effects, and scriptwriting tools accessible to independent creators. This could lead to a broader diversity of stories being told. For Hollywood, AI offers ways to streamline production, enhance visual effects, and tailor content to audiences more effectively, potentially enriching the cinematic experience.

However, the integration of AI also poses risks, including the displacement of traditional jobs and the possibility of AI perpetuating biases found in its training data. There’s a concern about balancing technological efficiencies with preserving artistic integrity and employment. Additionally, the ease of creating content with AI might lead to market saturation, making it harder for unique voices to stand out.

The future of AI in cinema will hinge on navigating these challenges responsibly, ensuring AI tools augment rather than replace human creativity. This will involve ethical AI development, regulation, and dialogue among all stakeholders in the film industry to foster a diverse and dynamic cinematic landscape.

In my process of creating my own story in the world I have created last week, it was a complicated process. It was difficult making sure all the details added up for what I was going for. My plan for this story was that I wanted a man to attempt to return his AI automaton. Since this was made in the world of a utopia, I had to find a way to cause conflict between two characters. It also had to relate to AI. So I created a story of an old man named Lucas being stuck in his ways and not realizing that AI is not meant to replace him but to help him live his life.

Here are some of the challenges I had maintaining consistency. One of my issues was that I had to keep on regenerating images for the storyboards until I got the image that matched up with what I had imagined in my head as best as I could. My other challenge was that I had to retrieve certain bits of information used in previous storyboards so that the next one lines up and looks consistent like making sure this image still takes place on a street and will the cane appear or not. I tried using the IMAX film format on my storyboard but the AI told me that DALL-E cannot replicate this style so I just chose to make my images 1920×1080. The GPT still had issues being accurate with that resolution. My last challenge was that I now had to write the GPT to never include a cane for Lucas because he keeps being generated with one.

Now I will explain how I used the AI tools to generate and refine my world and its visual representation. When I am not using close up’s, medium or long shots, I also used over-the-shoulder and Bird’s Eye view. These are definitely difficult for Chat GPT to understand since it didn’t do exactly what I asked it to.

Here is where you can find the presentation.

When it comes to AI and cinema I’m a bit on the fence, because I see both perspectives. I see why screenwriters and other people have a distaste with AI in this field but at the same time I think there are opportunities with this. 

It’s obvious that screenwriters and other people in cinema have a fear of being replaced by AI because of the advancement it has had recently. Not only that but its ability to be very precise and even being able to imitate styles of film (such as directors and such and be able to write screenplays at a passable level is quite impressive. But In addition to this many companies are reducing their staff due to the economy and utilizing AI more, which puts cinema jobs in a tough spot and causes fear. I understand that this is a fear that’s come over many creative fields recently. 

However, I don’t necessarily think that people should be too fearful because, while AI is being frequently used and advanced I don’t think it will take over the industry but the use of AI might become more prominent in this field. In the “‘Of course it’s disturbing’: will AI change Hollywood forever” article they mention how it’s alright but needs some enhancing. I think that AI may be used for brainstorming or for simulating purposes (scenes) in film and perhaps cleaning scripts up or for structuring purposes. But I don’t think that AI itself will be creating the scripts and replacing screenwriters. On top of this I think that when AI writes stories they mostly seem to be very bland like said in the article. While AI might be used at some part of the creative process for making films it won’t be taking people’s jobs but likely enhancing their skills and/or being used as a tool.

Blog Prompt: After looking at the Codex Seraphinianus, The Visual Dome and reading the essay about an imagined film, how would you go about creating a visual and text presentation of a fictional world using AI tools? What steps would you take? What are some themes and ideas you want explore in your world?

When using AI tools and creating a fictional world, it’s important to ask GPT for specific details and to prompt it in a way that aligns with the story you want to create. Consistency is crucial; ChatGPT may sometimes shift topics in ways that don’t fit your narrative. To avoid this, ensure your prompts are descriptive, clear, and concise to guide the outcome effectively. I really enjoyed creating a poem with GPT about a crab in the sea, so I plan to expand on that by designing an underwater world. However, I aim to avoid a ‘Finding Nemo’ vibe. It will be interesting to see how this develops over time.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ELN1qj74XPJH5YHqKmSHdPXw-tIkYGNC2O3iUMg6p1o/edit#slide=id.p

For the visual art series, we were assigned to create a slideshow for a series of images that showcased our artistic exploration. The recommended themes to explore were abstraction, surrealist imagery, new species, poetic prompts, sketch to image, and photorealism. Inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the Edo era in Japan and the futuristic allure of cyberpunk, I tried to encapsulate their beauty within my imagery. Each piece is precisely crafted to evoke the essence of both worlds, blending traditional Edo with the sleek, neon-lit aesthetic of cyberpunk dystopia.

One striking feature of my images is the consistent color scheme included throughout. I used the same colors in all my images to show the big difference between the calm beauty of Edo and the exciting energy of cyberpunk. Also, I made sure all my pictures were set at night. This makes the bright neon colors really stand out against the dark background, giving a cool feeling like the Edo era

For this project, I wanted to experiment with horror because I know AI can have trouble with violence and graphic content. Surprisingly the AI was able to generate all the prompts without any issues, although I didn’t dive too deep into any seriously graphic stuff.

I gave the AI a few different prompts that experimented with perspective, lighting, and body shape. It took a while to get all the components of the images right, but after lots of trial and error, I managed to slowly get everything right.

Something I noticed during the process was that the AI did much better at generating more accurate scenes when I wrote prompts in simple but excruciating detail. I gave the AI one prompt that was similar to how a book author would describe a scene and it seemed to give me the best results from a single prompt.

Here is the link to my presentation…