The Art Directors Guild Scolds Martin Scorsese For Promoting AI In Film
The Art Directors Guild released a scathing statement Tuesday on X accusing director Martin Scorsese of betraying the “nature of cinema” by promoting the use of artificial intelligence.
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Black Forest Labs annnounced that the legendary director became an advisor, and he has embraced the use of AI in filmmaking, something the entertainment union took a hard stand against.
“Mr. Scorsese, The Business is not in flux,” their statement began.
They dragged him by writing, “Oscar winning director Martin Scorsese is turning his back on the human artists who throughout his career have helped him create his most memorable works.”
Scorsese, one of the most celebrated directors behind “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Cape Fear,” “Goodfellas,” “Taxi Driver,” and “Gangs of New York,” has openly promoted the use of AI, touting the platform for aiding his projects.
“I’m interested in the intersection of technology and storytelling, and seeing how that can push the bounds of creativity to create deeper and richer experiences for audiences,” Scorsese said in a statement on the Black Forest Labs website.
“Remember, cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old, so we have to be open to how it can evolve,” he said. The New York Times reported that Scorsese embraced the use of AI for storyboarding and preproduction in his statement and a video posted by Black Forest Labs, but the Art Director’s Guild took issue.
US film director Martin Scorsese gestures during a press conference before the “Stella Della Mole” Award ceremony at the Temple Hall of the Mole Antonelliana in Turin, Italy, on October 7, 2024. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
“In the recently released Black Forest Labs video promoting their generative AI product FLUX, Mr. Scorsese asks the question, ‘how do you communicate what you see in your head to your cast and crew?’ He claims the solution is the use of this generative AI program to do the jobs that are rightfully the jurisdiction of Art Directors Guild Local 800 artists and designers – human artists and designers who have been successfully collaborating with directors to visualize their films for decades,” their statement read.
“Mr. Scorsese’s promotion of a generative AI product circumvents the input of Art Directors Guild Local 800 art directors, graphic artists, illustrators, production designers, scenic artists, set designers, and other talented Union professionals,” they said.
TURIN, ITALY – OCTOBER 7: Martin Scorsese receives the Premio Della Mole Award at Museo Del Cinema on October 7, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
Scorsese had a very different perspective of the use of AI, as compared to collaboration with artists.
“There’s always been this problem of how do you communicate what you see in your head to your cast and crew,” he said in the statement.
“There are some things you have to see and feel,” He continued. “Now with this tool, I can share what I’m visualizing more clearly and efficiently to my creative team — the production designer, art designer, and cinematographer.”
Seemingly zoned in on using AI to assist in collaboration with artists, rather than in place of using artists altogether, Scorsese continued, “I recently tested this out on a scene, and the ability to visualize and immediately share the storyboard was creatively freeing. During the preproduction process, time costs money, and this allowed us to move faster without sacrificing quality or craft.” (RELATED: Legendary Actor Val Kilmer To Star In Movie After His Death)
HOLLYWOOD – FEBRUARY 25: ***NO ONLINE, NO INTERNET, EMBARGOED FROM INTERNET AND TELEVISION USAGE UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF THE LIVE OSCARS TELECAST*** Director Martin Scorsese accepts the award for Best Direction during the 79th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre on February 25, 2007 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
The Guild doubled down.
“The skills of Art Directors Guild Local 800 artists and designers bring the highest level of value to any film or television production,” they said.
“To think their professional contributions can be mimicked or outshone by generative AI, which is built on work likely stolen from them and many other artists from around the world, is a betrayal of the collaborative nature of cinema.”
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Scorsese has not directly addressed the organization’s criticism.
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