In the dimly lit underground burrow, a giant Amazonian tarantula and a tiny dotted humming frog share a space, an unlikely duo captured in extraordinary detail. But they haven't been. Guardians of the Burrow, a short wildlife documentary by Australian digital content designer Jodie Heenan, is entirely AI-generated. At the Omni international AI film festival, it won a prize, adjudicated by a panel led by The Crow and Dark City director Alex Proyas. This raises a deeper question: is AI truly a tool for creatives, or is it a controversial one? The film doesn't hide its origins, stating its creation process on YouTube. But the use of AI in film is a contentious issue, with concerns over stolen content and copyright. Heenan, part of an international team, has weathered criticism for her use of AI. She's working on reconstructing Orson Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons, giving it the ending Welles originally wanted. The team's use of AI to generate digital likenesses and synthesised voices was criticised by the Welles estate, but Heenan argues that AI can be used creatively, not just derivatively. She believes AI can show us the impossible, as her documentary demonstrates. The film couldn't have been accurately conveyed by traditional methods due to the natural behaviour of the spider and frog inside the lair. Heenan researched how National Geographic, Animal Planet, and David Attenborough's teams put their documentaries together, steering clear of AI's capacity for cheap special effects. AI filmmakers from the US, UK, Brazil, Ukraine, China, and Australia were among the Omni category winners, with Canada's Robert Gaudette taking out the best picture award. Gaudette's film, A Face Only a Mother Could Love, is a poignant tale of a physically disfigured man who perfects the waltz alone in his kitchen each night. He believes AI can be used to craft emotionally resonant stories, and that it can bring new roles and opportunities to the industry. Heenan agrees, seeing AI as a democratic revolution in visual storytelling, allowing anyone to tell their stories without the need for Hollywood funding. However, both Heenan and Gaudette acknowledge the need for fair compensation for original creators as AI hoovers up copyright works. As AI replaces older special effects, some jobs will go, but new ones will emerge. The future of AI in film is uncertain, but it's clear that it will continue to shape the industry in unexpected ways.
