Hello, I’m Director Ryo Nakajima. I attended AI conferences at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France (June) and the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in Korea (July). I observed interesting differences in perspectives on generative AI between East and West.
France and Korea: Contrasting Attitudes Toward AI
In France, there is deep respect for traditional craftsmanship. Many voiced concerns that image-generating AI not only takes jobs from artisans and artists but also plagiarizes the cultural heritage accumulated worldwide. Conversations at the festival parties often reflected skepticism toward AI.
In contrast, Korea had a different outlook. The festival featured a AI competition section, AI workshops, and an AI conference over several days, where professional filmmakers explored the use and potential of AI. According to a festival programmer, the Korean government views AI as a tool to significantly enhance creativity for small productions and individual creators, and they plan to support and promote its adoption. Even senior festival officials in their 70s and 80s asked detailed questions about the use of AI in our film, “Who Said Death is Beautiful.”
This contrasting response highlights the significant differences in technology acceptance influenced by cultural and social backgrounds.
Reactions at Annecy and Bucheon Film Festivals
At Annecy, I heard that a short film created with generative AI was booed by the audience. Fortunately, our film received applause after the screening, and audience members expressed their enjoyment. This acceptance was likely because our work is primarily created with motion capture and 3D animation, using generative AI only in the final stages. The human performance and creativity at the core of the film were evident to the audience, allowing them to appreciate it purely as a work of art. In Korea, the film was similarly well-received, with praise for its philosophical and artistic expression within the zombie genre.
Ideal Use of Generative AI by Hong Kong Creators
I saw an ideal use of generative AI by Hong Kong creators at the Annecy film market. They blended 2D animation with AI-processed live-action footage to achieve a hybrid expression. Their story, set in a Hong Kong street stall, depicted the emotional connections between the cook, delicious food, and people from various walks of life. The characters were vibrantly animated, while AI was used for complex expressions difficult to achieve through traditional animation, such as capturing food being picked up with chopsticks or spooned, and converting these realistic scenes into an animated style.
I’ve been experimenting with this style transformation for cooking scenes, and it was helpful to learn AI tips from them.
AI as a Mirror of Yourself
In my daily interactions with AI, I feel like it is a partner with a personality, similar to a Pokémon. The process of discovering and realizing the essence of the visuals I want to create through trial and error with AI is very stimulating.
At the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival ceremony, I encountered the concept that “AI is a your mirror ” which deeply resonated with me. Indeed, AI holds both the potential to enrich culture and the risk of endangering it. Therefore, it is essential to use it wisely and thoughtfully.
In the future, I aim to share my efforts in utilizing generative AI more broadly, viewing it not as a threat to human creativity but as an assistive tool. I look forward to the new possibilities that the fusion of technology and culture will bring.
