tl;dr
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) showcased a new two-minute “Star Wars” short film called “Star Wars: Field Guide,” created using generative AI to produce alien hybrids from Earth animal imagery. ILM’s Chief Creative Officer Rob Bredow described the project as an exploratory test to understand AI’s fu...
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) recently unveiled a two-minute “Star Wars” short film titled “Star Wars: Field Guide,” created using generative AI to design alien hybrids inspired by Earth's animal imagery. This project serves as an exploratory test to gauge the future integration of AI in visual effects.
ILM’s Chief Creative Officer, Rob Bredow, highlighted the studio’s hybrid approach combining generative AI and traditional CGI techniques. A prime example is the de-aging effect for Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” where AI and CGI were blended to capture both realistic details and precise control. Bredow noted that while generative AI excels at extracting intricate details, it requires artist refinement for best results.
Addressing concerns within the VFX community, Bredow compared current apprehensions about AI to past fears experienced during the introduction of computer graphics in the 1993 film “Jurassic Park.” He stressed the importance of developing better artist-focused AI tools and ensuring ethical use by obtaining full permission from talent involved in productions.
The use of generative AI in filmmaking remains controversial. Many artists worry about copyright infringement and unauthorized use of their work, leading to lawsuits against AI companies and the inclusion of disclaimers in some films affirming non-use of AI technology. Productions like the A24 film “Heretic” have gone so far as to explicitly state their avoidance of generative AI to address these concerns.
Bredow described the “Star Wars: Field Guide” project as a “moving mood board,” emphasizing that text-based AI prompts alone are insufficient for complex film creation. As generative AI tools evolve, thoughtful, artist-inclusive application will be critical for the technology’s successful integration into the film and visual effects industries.