Manila Wire
Like many movie buffs, I dedicate a good chunk of my free time during the month of October to watching as many horror movies as I can. While I try to branch out every year to explore films I haven’t seen, I also save a few select favorites to return to every Halloween season. One of them is 2023’s “Late Night With the Devil,” directed by the Cairnes brothers.
For those who are unaware, the movie is a unique take on the found-footage subgenre, centering around the recovered master tape of the last episode of Jack Delroy’s late-night show, “Night Owls.” Said episode shows how he summoned the devil during its 1977 Halloween special. “Late Night With the Devil” is great for so many reasons. The movie features compelling performances, stunning visual effects, and a distinctive look– all thanks to its art direction.
The film also included instances of generative artificial intelligence. Reading that, I hope you got a bad taste in your mouth. I did too when I saw it; don’t worry.
There are a couple of instances throughout the movie’s runtime where we see in-world bumpers for the “Night Owls” show with accompanying graphics. Said graphics were made with generative AI. It’s upsetting, really.
After the film’s theatrical release in early 2024, it has received more than its fair share of backlash from audiences over the presence of artificial intelligence. It goes to show just how stained a project’s reputation can become once AI gets involved in the creative process. Its inclusion didn’t just reflect poorly on the studios involved, or on the directors who approved these decisions, but discussion around it completely overshadows the good elements of the film.
The movie included less than thirty seconds of AI usage, yet those thirty seconds dwarf any mention of creative input from the dozens of crew members who acted as writers, editors, costume designers, audio managers, camera operators, production designers, and set dressers, among other roles. I’m of the opinion that the hard work of so many people shouldn’t be so easily written off, but I found that it’s practically impossible to discuss this movie without mentioning the use of AI, even over two years later. Every time I show this movie to others who haven’t seen it, I have to add a warning about the appearance of AI and that I don’t support its use, and I hate that I’m put in the position to do so.
This all could have been avoided if any of the studios behind “Late Night With the Devil” paid an actual artist to make those graphics. I think this situation acted as a dark foreshadowing of just how involved artificial intelligence is in creative works today. It’s honestly a little scary to see just how advanced generative AI has gotten over the past few years.
Generated images and artwork have gotten to be more convincing–more human-like. I like to think most members of Gen Z, including myself, have gotten pretty good at being able to identify what is and isn’t made by artificial intelligence, but we have our moments. There have been a few instances where I’ve stumbled across a piece of artwork or photo I liked on Instagram or Twitter and saved it, only to come to realize later on that it was made with artificial intelligence.
It leaves a sour taste in my mouth and ruins my day. It’s hard to put my sheer disdain for generative AI into words. With how accessible AI tools are today, many of us are put in a position to have to constantly double-check and second-guess what we see online.
We have to make sure photos, videos, music and other forms of creative work are authentically human-made before sharing with others. What’s baffling to me is the continued insistence on AI’s use in the film industry. It feels like corporate meddling at its core.
Most general audience members hold similar beliefs to me, and it’s reflected in online discussions and reviews. Recently, the live-action “Street Fighter” film faced harsh criticism for scenes featuring prominent AI usage. The film also credits an AI Supervisor, suggesting that studio executives have yet to learn from the growing backlash against AI’s role in creative industries.
I genuinely don’t know what the coming years will hold for the filmmaking industry. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its increasingly prominent role in creative processes leave me uneasy, to say the least. Humanity has been making films for nearly one hundred and forty years, and I see no reason why we should begin surrendering creative control now.
Filmmaking is an art form, and I firmly believe that its creative decisions should remain in human hands.
Source: Ferris State Torch
