A new film festival will explore how AI is reshaping the way filmmakers imagine, produce and edit film. In its inaugural year, the Atlanta International AI Film Festival — launched by University of Georgia alumna, indie filmmaker and actor Natalia Gonzalez — will gather creators and the curious public to attend screenings, workshops, speakers and a networking mixer. MODEx Studio in Buckhead will host the event on Saturday, March 22.
The lineup of speakers includes Verena Puhm, a filmmaker and producer for CNN, BBC and Netflix who was recently recognized as a notable AI artist by Forbes after a music video she co-directed was a finalist in Project Odyssey, a cinematic AI competition. Five AI artists collaborated on the music video, which utilized a broad range of AI tools to create imaginative imagery: flamingos wear pink-winged tuxedos, floating feathers morph into vortexes and a pair of heart-shaped glasses orbit in outer space.
“We aimed to redefine the boundaries of hyperrealism in music videos,” said Puhm in her interview with Forbes.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Atlanta International AI Film Festival
Credit: Photo courtesy of Atlanta International AI Film Festival
Yves Bergquist, director at the University of Southern California’s Entertainment Technology Center in Los Angeles, will speak virtually. Bergquist has been the brain behind multiple AI research projects, including one that has explored the use of AI and neuroscience to create media entertainment. Bergquist works with Hollywood film studios to innovate their technology.
Other presenters include: Karina Anglada, strategic development manager at Adobe who specializes in AI-powered postproduction workflows; Stacey Kelly, finalist for the Disney directing fellowship; Bobby Majoch, an AI researcher and graduate student at Georgia State University’s Creative Media Industries Institute; and Alissa Huelsman-Bell, founder of Bell Boys Media, a production company noted for its tech-savvy approaches.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Atlanta International AI Film Festival
Credit: Photo courtesy of Atlanta International AI Film Festival
The Atlanta International AI Film Festival will screen 10 films that utilized AI in some fashion in their creation. For example, “Memory Maker” by Nik Kleverov takes place in a world where androids rule; “One Who Watches” by Komeil Soheili is a cat-and-mouse game about a desperate man who turns to an AI chatbot to seek help; and “Of Youth” by Fran Gas tracks a young woman who is abducted by aliens attempting to take away her youth. Five films will be recognized with awards, including one winner selected by audience vote.
The festival will close with a networking mixer.
“AI can’t replace human emotion, intuition or lived experience,” said Gonzalez in a news release. “But when used thoughtfully, it can remove barriers, speed up workflows and help indie filmmakers tell even more ambitious stories — on their own terms.”
IF YOU GO
Atlanta International AI Film Festival
4-9 p.m. Saturday, March 22, at MODEx Studio. Tickets, $25. 3005 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta. aiaiff.com.
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