ROUND TABLE
Def: Are there any concerns or challenges associated with the increasing use of AI within the filmmaking process? ET: An understandable concern is skill redundancy and job displacement. Certain disciplines within the industry, like concept artists, will be forced to reskill and focus their creative energy elsewhere. However, there will still be a lot of room for these human creatives to imagine original uses for AI-generated assets. Generating quality outputs will be an art in itself, as AI tools can’t see our visions. Others are concerned about the craft of filmmaking being lost, but while some human input will be less critical, I believe there will still be demand for human-made content – just as there is still demand for handmade goods following the Industrial Revolution. It will just attract a specific audience that is more appreciative of the artistry behind the process rather than something that is AI-generated. PS: There are lots of very valid concerns being expressed and addressed (or in the process of being worked through). Some include the rights and ownership associated with training data, the need to use AI ethically, and the rights to use the likenesses and performances of actors. As with any new technology, we need to decide how to use it responsibly and for good. CN: The discourse on who owns the rights to AI-generated content – and how the ambiguous use of AI affects one’s income without firm legislation and standardisation – is an important one. Concerns are being addressed one by one, but the more it develops, the more challenges will arise and measures put in place to address them. One excellent use case is by Will Kreth, CEO of start- up HAND (Human & Digital), a talent ID registry that brings simplicity and scale to talent identity in an interconnected human and digital world. It works much like a barcode, as an ISO-level standard under the DOI Foundation, which assigns persistent, unique and resolvable IDs to real and virtual talent across performing arts and sports. It distinguishes the authenticity of talent’s name, image and likeness (NIL) among generative
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bring more of their creativity to life. I think it will take time for creatives to find the best ways to capitalise and combine these technologies, but we can fully expect to see developments in the idea of ‘fully immersive’ films in 2024. PS: Filmmaking is all about creating emotional connections and deep immersion. Immersive technologies can place viewers directly inside the story and allow them to connect with characters and events on a deeper level – it will be interesting to see what happens as filmmakers start to explore possibilities in these worlds as well. SP: VR and 360° filming enable storytellers to present narratives in a completely immersive, panoramic environment. Viewers can choose where to look, creating a more personalised and dynamic storytelling experience. You can experience this mind-blowing technology at the Sphere in Las Vegas, a cutting-edge technology venue that gives you an experience like never before, opening a world of possibilities with scale and perspective to your films. CN: Immersive technologies are in the early adopter phases of influencing
AI and deepfake technology, therefore safeguarding talent by delivering trusted provenance automation to verify authentic instances/versions of human talent, their virtual counterparts and fictional entities. It’s quite pioneering, using the latest volumetric capture technologies and automation of distribution metadata workflows for TV networks and studios, to advanced media performance analytics and the development of interoperable standards. Def: In what ways do you see immersive technologies influencing storytelling in films? ET: I think the combination of the advancements in 3D rendering technology, like Gaussian Splatting, with new VR and XR offerings will not only shift how content is created, but also create a far more immersive consumption experience. The tantalising possibility is that these technologies will enable storytellers and filmmakers to create environments and experiences where every individual can be the main character. That would be a huge shift in how we even understand the concept of ‘visual storytelling’. It really could be a step change in how filmmakers can produce more imaginative content and
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