My key takeaway from Camerimage concerns AI

At Camerimage this year, a recurring theme for the seminars was AI. For me, the key takeaway came from a passionate speech by former ASC president Michael Goi. It was a call-to-arms of sorts, not against AI, but to engage with AI. 

Michael argued that there is a window of opportunity, where cinematographers and filmmakers can engage in dialogue with the developers, and influence the technological advancement. It is of utmost importance that we do engage with the developers of these tools. If we don’t, they might develop in a trajectory that could damage visual storytelling. 

As cinematographers, we spend our careers shaping images with intention, in the service of story. Our experience and knowledge is relevant when it comes to developing new tools for filmmaking. As a community we have over a century’s worth of experience in crafting photographic images for visual storytelling. We have to ensure that this wealth of knowledge gets transferred to the tools and creators of the next generation. We cannot bury our heads in the sand, we must get involved. If we take part of this evolution we can influence the development so that these tools can work in the service of storytelling.

If we do not engage, it is far more likely that the tools will develop in a direction less favourable to storytelling. For me that means homogenisation, more generic imagery with a loss of intent. It could mean effect-seeking and overly cosmetic. All those nuances we manipulate could be generated at random, it would be a kind of artificial cinematography.

As cinematographers we have to be the vanguard of visual storytelling. That’s been the case through all previous transitions; from black and white to colour, from film to digital. It must continue so in the era of AI tools. But it will only continue to be so if we make sure to stay in the room where it happens.

The ASC has established a workgroup on AI, collaborating with leading AI creators and engaging with the studios, and presumably, with developers of AI tools. Within the FSF we have ongoing discussions about starting such a group, and I would urge us to heed to the words of Michael Goi and do so. 

Listening to Michael Goi and to my industry peers, it becomes clear that we are watching this transformation unfold from the sidelines. That window is beginning to close. The time to engage is now. 

Let’s remind ourselves that at the core, we serve the story, regardless of what tools we use. To quote Roger Deakins ASC on this debate: “As long as you have something to say. I don’t care what you use.”