Artificial Intelligence posing a threat to the creativity of all forms is one of the wide concerns that our technologically advanced world faces today. While it is applauded to be an incredible technological innovation, AI is no longer a luxury. It is now easily accessible to anyone and therefore poses a risk to the authenticity of creative content.
Experts across the world have expressed concerns about the possibility of AI taking over the best creative minds in the film industry. The SAG-AFTRA strikes that were joined in by several high-end celebrities and also delayed the release and production of several projects also demanded some restrictions on the usage of AI in films and songs. However, the upcoming film ‘Late Night with the Devil‘ has found itself at the center of controversy over its alleged use of AI-generated imagery.
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What Is The AI Related Controversy Around ‘Late Night With The Devil’?
Starring David Dastmalchian as a desperate late-night TV host struck in the chaos of a Halloween special, ‘Late Night With the Devil‘ garnered early critical acclaim after its screening at SXSW 2023. However, as every coin has two sides, the movie also fell prey to some heavy scrutiny after a one-star review on Letterbox raised concerns about the presence of AI-generated visuals.
The criticism it faced on user-based gizmo sparked discussions on social media platforms like X, with many users dissecting the film’s trailer for evidence of AI manipulation. The main images in question included a dancing skeleton amidst a pumpkin patch and the “We’ll be right back” messages.
In response to the growing controversy, Shudder, the film’s distributor issued a clarification through a statement provided exclusively to Mashable and later reported by Variety.
In the statement, ‘Late Night with the Devil‘ co-writers and co-directors, Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes, confirmed the film’s utilization of AI technology. They said their collaboration with their graphics and production design team was aimed at achieving the retro aesthetic, and for that, they incorporated AI-generated elements into brief interstitials within the film.
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‘Late Night With The Devil’ Gets Added To The List Of Films That Used AI
In the statement, the creators clarified, “In conjunction with our amazing graphics and production design team, all of whom worked tirelessly to give this film the 70s aesthetic we had always imagined, we experimented with AI for three still images which we edited further and ultimately appear as very brief interstitials in the film.“
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have had such a talented and passionate cast, crew and producing team go above and beyond to help bring this film to life. We can’t wait for everyone to see it for themselves this weekend,” the statement added.
With the controversy around ‘Late Night with the Devil‘, the film became yet another addition to the growing list of productions using AI-generated imagery in the entertainment industry. Marvel’s ‘Secret Invasion‘ and ‘True Detective: Night Country‘ have also faced similar allegations for the use of AI in visual storytelling.
Hollywood’s recent labor disputes, particularly the strikes led by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), were also in the limelight recently as they aimed to safeguard against potential job displacement by AI technology.
‘Late Night With the Devil‘ is set for its theatrical release on March 22 after its debut on Shudder on April 19.
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