The Tribeca Festival is set to showcase a collection of short films created using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The films, which were made using OpenAI’s video creation tool called Sora, will be featured at the festival for the first time, making it the world’s first festival to showcase AI-made short films. Sora has the capability to generate one-minute-long video clips based on text prompts.
What’s unique about these AI-generated short films is that they were created by directors who are part of the Tribeca Alumni, adding to their significance. The films, directed by Reza Sixo Safai, Bonnie Disceplo, Michaela Ternasky-Holland, Ellie Foumbu, and Nikyatu Jusu, will be screened on June 15th during the festival. Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises, expressed her anticipation and curiosity about the stories that the creators will come up with, highlighting the diverse forms that stories can take, whether it be through feature films or artistic pieces. She also mentioned that there will be a conversation with the filmmakers after the screening.
OpenAI, the creator of Sora, is eager to receive feedback from the filmmakers and improve the tool for creative purposes. Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, expressed the company’s desire to make Sora better for creatives. As part of their partnership with the Tribeca Festival, OpenAI developed a program to educate selected filmmakers about Sora, which is currently in its testing phases and has not been publicly launched.
The filmmakers were required to work within the guidelines set by agreements negotiated with different rights organizations such as the DGA, SAG-AFTRA, and WGA. The Tribeca Festival emphasized that creators must adhere to these terms, regardless of whether their films fall under the scope of these unions or not.
Critics have expressed various opinions regarding the debut of AI films at the Tribeca Festival. Lawrence Bonk, in an article for Engadget, questioned Rosenthal’s enthusiasm, asking if showcasing AI films aligns with the festival’s support for artistic ingenuity. Some users on Reddit suggested that SAG-AFTRA should discourage its members from attending the festival featuring AI films, while others expressed concerns that the attention given to AI films may overshadow human-made films at the festival.
These AI-generated films come after OpenAI secured deals with media companies and record labels, signaling the increasing integration of AI technology in various industries. However, the length of the films to be featured and the extent to which the technology can replicate characters from previous prompts remain unknown, as AI technology is constantly evolving.
Overall, the Tribeca Festival’s inclusion of AI-made short films marks a significant moment in the film industry, raising questions and sparking discussions about the role of AI in creative processes.
