AI-generated film becomes reality. A tech entrepreneur creates a remarkable sci-fi film called Salt entirely using generative AI art models, deepfake programs, and artificial voices created by AI.
German tech entrepreneur Fabian Stelzer created an experimental project that can “transcend the medium of film into something new.” He creates a sci-fi film inspired by the 70s, which is exceptional in that every single shot, character, and voice is built entirely with AI-generated art, while using publicly available programs such as Midjourney, Stable Diffusion and DALL-E 2.
Check out SALT trailer
Stelzer is releasing short clips of Salt called “story seeds” on Twitter and people can decide after each part how the story will continue. Images of this AI-generated film are mostly static. That’s because AI-generated art cannot yet render moving images. Stelzer, therefore, uses deepfake programs, which can make the characters’ faces move. All sounds and voices, with the exception of Stelzer’s, are created by an AI voice generator.
“We’re on the verge of a new era, really. To me this is as big as the invention of photography, and to be honest maybe as big as the invention of writing.”
The plot of Salt is about space travelers who stumble upon a strange planet full of salt that grows everywhere. How the plot will develop is in the hands of the viewers themselves. However, as Stelzer reports for the PCMag portal, this is just the beginning.
“I definitely want to have a ‘Director’s Cut’ at some point, or a ‘Community’s Cut,’ but the real goal is to transcend the medium of film into something new,” he revealed. “Like enable everyone in the community to eventually use a model that lets them write their own scenes.”
Despite the fact that the experimental film Salt has visible flaws, Stelzer sees great potential in AI-generated film. AI-based programs are improving rapidly. He says it’s only a matter of time before they can help him render realistic in-motion movie scenes. “We’re on the verge of a new era, really,” he stated, and added, “To me this is as big as the invention of photography, and to be honest maybe as big as the invention of writing.”
The growing advancements in AI-based programs show that filmmaking could one day be accessible to anyone. Stelzer, who never considered himself an artist, is proof of that.
