- The independent horror movie Late Night With The Devil, which was talked about a lot at the last South-by-Southwest Film Festival, was criticized on social media for its use of artificial intelligence, and some names called for a boycott of the movie.
- The co-director of the film, which was released in US theaters yesterday, said that still images created with artificial intelligence were tested in only 3 scenes.
- Some people also pointed out that independent films were not currently supported by cinemas and major studios and said that a boycott should be avoided.
Late Night With the Devil, the new retro indie horror film starring character actor David Dastmalchian as a talk show host who tries to communicate with the devil incarnate live on air, is one of the most talked about projects to come out of last year’s South-by-Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. was one of them. The film was re-released in US cinemas as of yesterday.
The film and its co-directors, brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes, are criticized on social platforms for the use of images produced by artificial intelligence in the film.
Some viewers on X, Reddit, and movie review site Letterboxd expressed dissatisfaction with the AI-generated visuals in the film. Viewers believe that instead of AI, filmmakers should use more traditional technologies or hire an artist, calling the use of AI “depressing” and saying it breaks their hearts.
Artificial intelligence critic and visual artist Karla Ortiz In opposition to AI art generators like Midjourney and Stability AI, some have suggested that filmmakers and distributors consider replacing AI-generated images with more traditional, human-made art.
Cairnes, co-director of Late Night With the Devil, told Variety that the AI was only used for “three short interludes” in the film, adding: “The amazing graphics and production worked tirelessly to give this movie the 70s aesthetic we always dreamed of.” Together with our design team, we tested the AI for three still images that we then edited, which ultimately appeared as very short interstitials in the film. We feel incredibly lucky to have such a talented and passionate cast, crew and crew who went above and beyond to bring this film to life. “We can’t wait for everyone to see it for themselves this weekend.”
However, some social media users called for Hollywood and independent film creators to boycott the movie, which was released again yesterday, to send the message that AI-generated graphics, even minimal, are not welcome in the art form.
Some filmmakers and moviegoers opposed the boycott, saying that independent filmmakers needed all the support they could get from audiences at a time when major movie studios were more risk-averse and selective about greenlighting new projects than they had been in decades, and that a boycott would only increase interest in the film. .
Artificial intelligence; This debate presents an interesting flashpoint as mainstream Hollywood continues to expand in the worlds of music, entertainment, and the arts more generally. The use of AI in film and TV production was one of the biggest sticking points during the actors’ and writers’ strike against Hollywood studios last year, which was ultimately resolved with new contract agreements stating that studios cannot mandate the use of AI and that any AI used in productions must be at the discretion of directors and creators . However, the use of artificial intelligence in this new incident caused public reaction.
Compiled by: Esin Özcan