March 25, 2024 will forever go down in history as the first release of an artificial intelligence (AI) generated film. On this day, the first ever short film completely made through AI was released to the world. In the one minute short film, “Air Head,”  the viewers are shown a variety of generated images, all following what seems to be a man with a yellow balloon for a head. Each image is artificially generated, with all sorts of random pictures flying across the screen. The film was created by the OpenAI tool Sora. Sora is an AI tool that “allows” artists to create videos using this program. In the past few years, people have only been able to create 20-second videos, but recent technological advancements have allowed the masses to produce professional-quality AI content.

“We’re teaching AI to understand and simulate the physical world in motion, with the goal of training models that help people solve problems that require real-world interaction,” according to the Sora website.However this comes with plenty of drawbacks. While this could be seen as a way for companies to help showcase major solutions, this completely undoes the entire point of the idea of film. These aspects of raw filmmaking stand as creative showcases, where tons of love and effort is put into these projects. Even since the film’s first inception in 1888 the whole idea of a moving picture was completely unheard of. And yet with this one simple concept people have been able to expand upon this artform in so many different ways. Filmmaking is an extremely hard business to work in. And so many people try their hardest in this regard. Planning scenes, writing, acting, sound! All of these features are done to provide a unique viewing experience. This problem has only been getting worse. With people now using this tool to re- create classic films. With the first ever being a short film adaptation of the French film “The Red Balloon.” 

But what does this mean for the future of filmmaking? “This is groundbreaking technology,” Michael Caldwell, senior lecturer of the film program at CWU, said. “I think this is going to absolutely revolutionize the way we physically make movies. In terms of set design, set construction, going on locations, visual effects, all of that is at risk because of this new technology.” This technology is ever-expanding, and many production companies are starting to look at AI as a cheaper alternative to raw, human filmmaking. 

Jason Tucholke, a senior lecturer for the film and theater arts, also weighed in on the subject. Tucholke is a specialist in audio production, and when asked about AI’s usage in audio technology he described the importance of legislation. Tucholke said that through legislation, people need to find a way to protect artists from AI. Tucholke discussed the state of Tennessee’s new Elvis Law, this law t has been established as a way for artists to be protected from the misuse of AI.       

But what can people really do about AI? Is there a place for AI in art? Or how can artists protect themselves from AI? Artists are no longer only competing with each other but now machines as well. All might seem lost, but there are some solutions. For example both Caldwell and Tucholke share the opinion that AI does have a place in art. However, both heavily advise that AI must be used very sparingly. 

Tucholke recommended that AI could be used as a research aid for screenwriters. So if a screenwriter was working on a Biopic about a very famous person then maybe they could use AI to help make sure that what their writing is historically accurate. AI could even be used to help expand some special effects but only in very, very small amounts. At the end of the day what truly separates real artists from the machines is something that no machine today has been able to replicate yet. “Humans have the ability to tell human stories, stories about the human condition, stories that actually have something to say and aren’t just a series of random images on a screen,” Caldwell said. Filmmaking is a major art form, and it’s up to people how this art form will be preserved.