Not a day goes by without something new about artificial intelligence (AI) being reported. This past week, I attended a series of webinars sponsored by Mailchimp on the latest marketing trends and initiatives. Throughout the series, AI factored heavily into every discussion. In the world of entertainment, numerous issues confront this technology, some of which are welcomed and others are challenged. However, even storied studios like Lionsgate are discovering that actually making movies with AI isn’t as easy as the technology suggests it to be. One area of AI that is making significant strides is in image and video manipulation.

Those who have worked on my projects know that I am a big proponent of VFX when it makes sense. By that, I don’t mean creating something with special effects just for shock and awe, but to lend to the overall storyline. In Justice Is Mind, there were countless video conversations and data displays that moved the story. But in First Signal, VFX was primarily used to demonstrate the superior technology of an alien species that lives among us.

The bunker scenes in First Signal were designed to keep the focus on the conversation that centered around the discovery of an alien satellite and the ensuing military and political ramifications of that discovery. But what if AI could assist with visual elements that enhance the story without detracting from it? What if adding these elements gave the production values a grandeur that simply would not have been available within the film’s original budget?

One key aspect of AI is the importance of crafting the right prompt when instructing it to generate something. While AI will certainly make every effort to interpret, it’s always best to give it clear instructions. When I asked Gemini to enhance the following images from First Signal and Justice Is Mind, one can see the benefits of such a technology.

In First Signal‘s conference room scenes, one can see what might be possible from a technology perspective. One thing I wanted during production was a launch formula on the whiteboard when General Reager met with Senator Hadrian. Due to time constraints and the difficulty of finding talent to produce something true to science, the scene was created without a formula. But AI changed all that in about 10 seconds.

In Justice Is Mind, I always envisioned the trial scenes to be in a modern and expansive courtroom with television cameras. While I’ll always be pleased with what was produced in 2012, AI has provided the ability to envision the courtroom scenes as originally envisioned.

What’s good to know as an independent filmmaker is that AI technology is providing new tools that simply would have been out of reach several years ago, from both a practical and financial point of view. This reminds me of when digital filmmaking started to appear in the early 2000s, essentially replacing the exorbitant cost of actual film and making it possible for filmmakers like me to finance feature films. It even reminds me of when I was publishing magazines, and we transitioned from film to computer-to-plate, saving thousands of dollars per issue.

But with every new technological invention and innovation comes a side that is best left alone. Just today, a story crossed that a talent agency is thinking of signing an AI-generated actress. In my view, this is the same as giving representation to robots that make automobiles. I believe we are close to crossing a Rubicon when AI is afforded the same type of representation as living human beings. I’m not one to stand in the way of progress, but representing an artificial human isn’t progress; it’s replacement, and it’s wrong.

On a more uplifting note, I’m pleased to announce that In Mind We Trust continues to do well in the festival market. Last week, the screenplay was elevated to a Semi-Finalist position at LA Live Film Festival. Final selections to come!

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