New technologies have always pushed art towards new paths; from the invention of photography to the generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) that reshapes -among others- the role of the production designer.
Nowadays technological achievements are shifting the film industry ways in two directions: changing the needs and timeline for the creation of the set, and the set itself being different than it used to.
The pre-production is aided by Gen AI services that push the boundaries between designing talent and ideas. Chat GPT for example, can quickly generate visual concepts based on prompts, and can also help create moodboards.
Contemporary set creations may include virtual sets and CGI creations. This means that multiple designs, set and locations are needed. The production designer envisions the set, but does not really create it, that which she/he/they create is a virtual set, turning shooting into an augmented reality experience. This transforms the set of skills required by the crew, but also by the actors, often challenged to act in technological sets that will later be completed.
While Gen AI can boost efficiency, it needs to remain a tool, not a replacement. This boundary is hard to maintain; as films are nowadays being created entirely by using AI generated footage, as producers can present universe ideas without the help of a production designer, and art director, or even an art consultant.
A need to return to fundamental questions is observed: what is art? Aesthetics? Creation?
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