Implications of generative artificial intelligence in cinematic narrative and aesthetics: A study of entries to OpenDocs and the +RAIN film festival
Abstract
The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in the cinematic field, particularly through synthetic audiovisual media based on deep learning, has paved new ways to explore novel narratives, aesthetics and representations of reality. This study investigates how filmmakers use AI to transform narrative and visual paradigms in the production of short films, focusing its analysis on submissions to two recent events: OpenDocs, organised by the companies Runway and Artefacto , which offers production support and AI-based creative tools to international documentarians; and the +RAIN festival, co-organised by the Pompeu Fabra University and SÓNAR+D, which screens AI-generated films and promotes discussion about the uses of this technology. Using a corpus consisting of 295 cinematic projects, the information submitted by the filmmakers, and the evaluations of the curatorial committees of both events, this study uses a qualitative methodology to analyse the integration of GenAI in developing new narrative and aesthetic works. The research is organised according to the application of AI in the selected projects: from the generation of original content to the modification of previous works. Results show most commonly used GenAI technologies, the motivations for their use, and the workflows and methods involved, which include automatic image generation, narrative production using text-to-speech technology, and process optimisation through image and video scaling and enhancement techniques. In addition, the study analyses recurrent themes in the projects, ranging from historical reconstruction to the exploration of ethical and social dilemmas. This research provides an initial understanding and international overview of the impact and applications of GenAI in contemporary film narrative and aesthetics, highlighting both new opportunities and emerging ethical and technical challenges.
Keywords
generative artificial intelligence, synthetic audiovisual media, cinematic narrative, deep learning technologiesReferences
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