Director James Cameron shared his thoughts on the impact AI could have on the film industry and discussed the story within Avatar.
On the 12th, an online video press conference with Avatar: The Seed of Fire director James Cameron was held.
The film Avatar: The Seed of Fire tells the story of an even greater crisis unfolding on a Pandora covered in fire and ash after the death of Jake and Neytiri's first son Neteiyam; it is the third installment of the Avatar series, which drew 13.62 million domestic viewers and became a global hit, and will premiere worldwide first on Dec. 17 (Wed).
When asked about his thoughts on the impact AI may have on the overall film market, Cameron began, AI is frankly penetrating every field, and I know there are many concerns in the film industry in particular. I think the worry is probably whether it will replace writers and actors.
He continued, But what I firmly believe is that actors should not be replaced. In storytelling, actors are a core element. What audiences ultimately see in a film is the human. You can use AI to make images, but it lacks originality and consistency. When an actor performs, the actor interprets and designs the character. AI might temporarily replace actors. Would that be great quality? I absolutely don't think so. I don't think it can fully replace them.
Cameron also said, AI is created by learning human data, isn't it? In the end, AI could be everything and also 'nothing.' The stand-in of a created actor will be completely unoriginal, and making a single character is also a collaboration of artists. If you want about middle-level quality, you could use AI, but that's not what we're aiming for. Uniqueness matters.
Cameron stressed, The important thing is that AI was not used for a single second in Avatar. What makes a film feel real and alive when you watch it is based on the actors' actual performances. What appears on screen is concrete, detailed, and created by the actors' real performances. I believe AI can never replace that.
However, he added, AI clearly has positive effects. For example, if used well it can reduce expense. One of the considerable damages to the film industry is that VFX costs have increased too much. But movie revenues have dropped by more than 30 percent. If that continues, I'm worried that the fantasy elements I like to make could become extinct. So the important thing is to use AI as a tool to reduce expense. I want to visually express imagination. I do not want to replace artists or actors.
[Photo] Provided by The Walt Disney Company Korea
[OSEN]