Media Contact
Amanda Head
Manager, Marketing and Public Relations
College of Arts & Sciences
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ATLANTA — In 2023, Waymark, a digital production company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI)-generated media, released a short film titled “The Frost.” The 24-minute movie chronicles a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world as they scale a mountain in the sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica.
“The Frost” is one of the world’s first fully generative AI films. According to MIT Technology Review, the team at Waymark used a script written by one of their executive producers and fed it to OpenAI’s image-making model DALL-E 2 to create every shot. Another AI tool was used to animate still images to make eyes blink and lips move.
With the use of AI becoming more prevalent, filmmakers and studios have increasingly adopted AI technologies for various tasks including scriptwriting, special effects and editing. Artists embracing new and emerging AI tools for filmmaking are even being celebrated at events like the AI Film Festival (AIFF).
However, questions remain about AI’s role in film and how it can be harmoniously integrated into an industry where people spend years learning and honing their craft to create cinematic masterpieces.
Elizabeth Strickler is the director of media entrepreneurship and innovation programs at Georgia State’s Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII). She’s also a filmmaker whose short documentaries have screened at festivals like the Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival in Brazil and the Annual Aarhus Film Festival in Denmark.
Strickler said AI is just another tool people must learn to thoroughly grasp its capabilities.
“AI can enhance storytelling by personalizing content, reaching broader audiences, creating evergreen content and inventing new art forms,” Strickler said.
However, Strickler stresses that content creators using AI must also understand why they’re using it. Strickler points to the widely panned 2024 AI-generated holiday commercial from Coca-Cola as an example of what not to do.
“It seems like they might not have fully considered why they chose AI or its implications, possibly rushing the process,” Stricker said. “Like all art, using AI effectively requires intention, authenticity and alignment with the essence of the work.”
While AI’s potential in filmmaking is undeniable, it also raises significant concerns about the future of screenwriters, actors and other film crew members. The 2023 Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes underscore these fears, highlighting the potential for AI to displace human creativity and labor in the industry.
When it comes to finding a middle ground for using AI in film and TV without negatively impacting actors and writers, Strickler acknowledged the challenges but emphasized the importance of balance and collaboration.
“I think we will eventually find a balance, but it might take a while because things are evolving rapidly and causing confusion,” she said.
Strickler also highlights three key principles for navigating ethical AI: prioritizing human-centered storytelling, using AI to amplify — not diminish — human creativity and making sure to control AI, rather than letting it have control.
To explore these principles further, Strickler will lead a class this summer on creating an entirely AI-generated film. The course focuses on learning and experimentation, and Strickler underscores how AI can significantly boost the number of independent filmmakers.
“People can create impactful, impressive work with a computer at home,” Strickler said. “Ultimately, the final product and audience experience matter most. It comes back to authentic expression, like all art, and the willingness to try new things.”
To learn more about CMII’s media entrepreneurship and innovation programs, click here.
— By André Walker