Peeking into the Void: My Rendezvous with the AI Film of the Future
“I Saw the Future of AI Film and It Was Empty”
“I came expecting mediocrity. What I got instead was a blend of awful and inspiring, layered thought pieces that left me both utterly frustrated and surprisingly moved,” is the impression expressed in Wired’s recent piece on an AI film festival. It was like a cocktail of emotions, the taste of which leaves you dumbstruck and curious about the yet-to-be-harnessed power of artificial intelligence (AI) in movie-making.
As the craft of filmmaking enters into unprecedented territory, the amalgamation of tech-savvy nerds and creative cinephiles offers an engrossing experience, albeit disappointingly lacking in any real sense of coherence or clarity. This blend of the yin and yang of technology and creativity leaves audiences questioning, wondering, and pondering the potential of AI-driven filmmaking.
No longer is film merely a director’s vision communicated through the subtle artistry of cinematographers or the poignant dialogue of scriptwriters. This may paint a picture of a dystopian future where AI replaces those cute, coffee-fueled Hollywood writers hustling away on their next screenplay, but fret not. This AI attempt at a film was as intriguing as it was baffling, showing that AI has a long way to go before it can give dramatic structure or narrative coherence.
While some pieces at the dawning of this AI-generation event resembled an avant-garde video art project more than a conventional narrative, they did have the undeniable imprint of something designedly ‘other’, which is indeed the charm of AI. Moreover, these pieces instigate curiosity, indicating AI’s potential to start an outright revolution in the movie industry, albeit once the technology comes of age.
A short film about a ‘love confession to a photocopier’ emerged from the ‘creative’ deluge of AI film entries, demonstrating just how far we are from needing to worry about Oscar acceptance speeches featuring thanks to the AI software used. While AI may exhibit potential for originality, it’s clear it still lacks the emotional complexity and understanding vital to truly compelling storytelling.
The potential and limitations of AI in filmmaking seem more evident than ever after the festival. For now, it’s safe to say that AI won’t be joining us for our cinema dates anytime soon. Until AI learns to cultivate narrative arcs, create compelling characters, and weave in nuanced emotions with the deftness of a human mind, it remains very much at the starting block of its film production career.
So, hold those existential crises for now. Rather, let’s remain fascinated, intrigued, and ever-curious about the implications of this technology’s further maturation. The bottom line, though? Hollywood can breathe easy for now. AI has a lot of learning to do before it’s ready for its own star on the Walk of Fame.