From our special correspondent in Annecy,
Artificial Intelligence was invited to the Annecy Animation Film Festival this year. Booed during the screening of the music video for the group Chien villain, Shooting stargenerative AI also showed its limits with the screening of the Japanese film Who Said Death is Beautiful by Ryo Nakajima, technologically flawed.
“AI is not yet ready,” confides Adam Elliot, Australian director of Mary and Max. But we must remain vigilant because it is a matter of years or even months before it becomes so. » This independent filmmaker came to present Memoir of a Snail, is not worried about him because he works in his corner. “But I think of all the work stolen by AI. It’s already difficult to make a living in animation. What will become of us if an algorithm can use our creations without spending a penny? »
The worries of “little hands”
This problem is not the only one giving creators sleepless nights. “The problem won’t really be for the big names in animation,” explains Jérémy, a 24-year-old student. It is small hands that will be replaced by faster and less expensive machines. » Enough to seriously worry a sector already seriously shaken by the pandemic which has put many projects on hold.
“I think AI will be like synthesizers in music,” says Chris Sanders. We were very afraid that they would replace the musical instruments and that never happened. New things are always scary before things finally settle down. » The director of Wild robotcreator of Stitch in Lilo & Stitch and Toothless in the saga Dragons, is optimistic and determined to use the best that technology can offer. “AI why not, if it helps with creation and makes our work easier,” he explains.
Our articles on Annecy are here
Same story from Kelsey Mann, co-director of Vice-Versa 2. “I don’t see AI replacing humans, especially at a studio like Pixar where our successes are based on tightly written stories and a collaborative creative process. » A film like Vice-Versa 2 employs more than four hundred people. “They all bring something to the creative process that a computer is incapable of doing. Pixar has always been at the forefront of technology, but our animators have nothing to worry about. »
AI what anxiety!
Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and Coraline is not of this opinion. “What anxiety is AI! he exclaims. Nothing was regulated and we played sorcerers’ apprentices. Artists will suffer in one way or another because it will be more and more difficult for them to get noticed if they have less opportunity to enter the studios to make their debut. Many big names like Tim Burton started with small jobs that will be carried out by AI. »
There seems to be a significant difference in points of view between creators from large studios and independents, who are much more concerned and perhaps more realistic. It seems difficult to go back now that things have started to change.