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Late nights spent with the devilA new retro indie horror film starring idiosyncratic actor David Dastmalchian as a 1970s talk show host who attempts to mingle with the embodiment of evil on live television, which won last year's South by Southwest It was one of the most talked about projects (SXSW) and won an award at the film festival. Impressive 100% “Fresh” rating It was featured on the review aggregator service Rotten Tomatoes for a while.
However, the film and its co-directors, brothers Cameron and Colin Cairns, are currently claiming that the AI-generated images were used in the film for retro TV graphics, including one of the skeletons. I found myself at the center of controversy on X and other social platforms.
Another interstitial title card, apparently generated by AI, shows an owl.
As more people begin to see the film, it will officially begin wide screening in U.S. theaters starting tomorrow, Friday, March 22, 2024, although it was previously available at SXSW and in select locations earlier this month. – Many users of X redditmovie review site Letterboxd made a post expressing its disappointment with the AI-generated images.
Instead, they think the filmmakers should have used more traditional techniques, or should have signed an artist who calls the use of AI „depressing“ and claims it „broke his heart.“ .
That includes AI critic and visual artist Carla Ortiz, who is one of the lead plaintiffs in a separate lawsuit. Copyright infringement class action lawsuit against AI art generators such as Midjourney and Stability AI is underway It called on filmmakers and distributors to replace AI-generated images with more traditional human-created art, citing unauthorized training on her work and the work of other artists.
Late nights spent with the devilsaid Cairns, of the sibling duo who are co-directors of . variety An article published today said the AI was only used for „three short interstitials“ in the film. Their statement reads:
“In collaboration with our amazing graphics and production design team, they worked tirelessly to give this film the ’70s aesthetic we had always imagined. We experimented with AI on still images, which were further edited and ultimately presented as very short interstitials in the film. We had such a talented and passionate cast to bring this film to life. We feel incredibly fortunate that our staff and production team have gone above and beyond, and we can't wait for everyone to see it for themselves this weekend.“
Nevertheless, some social media users have used the platform to send a message to Hollywood and independent film creators that AI-generated graphics, even minimal ones, are not welcome in the art form. They are calling for a boycott of the movie.
Meanwhile, other filmmakers and film enthusiasts also spoke out. against He called for a boycott, noting that while major studios are in dire straits, independent filmmakers need all the support they can get from audiences. become more risk-averse and Be selective about greenlighting new projects And boycotts are unlikely to do anything other than increase attention to the film.
As AI continues to spread across mainstream Hollywood, music, entertainment, and the arts in general, this debate has become an interesting flashpoint, with all of the latest season's creators weighing in. HBO mystery series true detective The artist once known as Kanye West has embraced it..
The use of AI in film and television production has been one of the biggest. Impasse during last year's strike by actors and screenwriters against Hollywood studioswas eventually resolved with a new contractual agreement stating that the studio could not do it. delegation The use of AI, and the AI used in production, must be at the discretion of directors and creatives. But in this case, that's exactly what happened. Although the filmmakers chose to use AI, they still faced public backlash against it.
myself spoke in defense of About the use of AI Late nights spent with the devil At X, at the current pace of recruitment, AI visuals could be seen in most movies Manufactured in the USA within 2 years. VentureBeat regularly uses AI to generate images and some text for our publications.
At the end of the day, controversy over training data aside, AI art and video generation is a new tool that can reduce movie costs and time spent creating assets. And filmmakers as a whole have never been timid in embracing the latest and greatest in media. This technology has pushed the boundaries of art, progressing from black-and-white silent films to talkies, Technicolor, practical effects and make-up, and more recently computer-generated images, motion capture, and projection screens.
AI is yet another option for filmmakers and is already being used in acclaimed films that have won other awards, including the 2023 Academy Award for Best Picture. Everything, Anywhere, All at Once and The People's Joker.