It appears that Matt Damon is not the only actor embodying Odysseus on screen this summer.
The creators of the controversial entirely AI-generated film that premiered at the Tribeca Festival last month are back with a new project — an artificial intelligence reinterpretation of Homer’s classic poem The Odyssey.
Ash Koosha, the founder of AI film studio Fountain 0, has taken on the role of Odysseus himself, claiming he embodies the essence of a Bronze Age Greek, in Odysseus: The Fall, which is set to debut in late summer.
This release comes shortly after Damon portrays the clever king of Ithaca in the eagerly awaited Christopher Nolan film, The Odyssey, which will arrive in theaters on July 17.
A still from Odysseus: The Fall, Fountain 0’s second AI film following Dreams of Violets, which was showcased at Tribeca last month. (Fountain 0)
Both productions are adaptations of the same poem, chronicling the journey of the king as he makes his way home after the Trojan War. However, while Nolan’s film boasts a budget of $250 million US, Koosha’s project was produced for “mid-five figures” (he did not disclose the exact amount to CBC News).
“I could never secure funding to depict a sea monster or a cyclops in a cave,” he remarked, explaining that he created the film part-time over a span of three months, with most of the budget allocated to cloud token credits, a virtual currency used for software expenses.
“Without these tools and technologies, such aspirations would be unattainable. I believe it’s crucial to experiment and demonstrate that there is a pathway from vision to screen using AI.”
Public Reactions to AI-Generated Films
Opinions vary widely. Following the release of the film’s teaser on YouTube on Tuesday, it received a wave of harsh feedback. “I weep for humanity. This is truly horrendous,” commented one viewer. “If it lacks real actors, it cannot be a genuine film,” stated another.
“In the first few seconds, you can see bubbles emerging from the top lip rather than the mouth,” remarked another user. “What a fantastic way to showcase the capabilities of AI.”
Although Nolan’s film also faces its controversies, the executive producer of the AI film, Tom Rogers, acknowledged in a press release that audiences may consider Nolan’s work to be “superior.”
He expressed a desire to “inspire a wide-ranging discussion not only about the exceptional artistry Koosha has infused into this film but also the broader implications it holds for the future of filmmaking.”
ACTRA Calls for Government Action
The teaser release for Odysseus: The Fall, along with last week’s announcement that AI “actor” Tilly Norwood will feature in an upcoming comedy-drama, should serve as a “strong warning for anyone who values human storytelling — including the Canadian government,” stated Marie Kelly, national executive director of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA).
With the rise of synthetic competition, performers are “worried about their craft, their role in the entertainment industry, and their livelihoods,” Kelly conveyed to CBC News in an email.
“Our industry has no room for, and no use for, replacing artists with synthetic entities. ACTRA opposes any such efforts.”
Kelly emphasized that the government must enact regulations surrounding AI, suggesting that the impact on performers could serve as a “canary in the coal mine.”
“If robust regulations concerning AI — particularly moral rights — are not established soon, it may soon be too late for society as a whole.”
While Rogers recognized the genuine concern regarding AI’s potential to replace jobs, he expressed belief that critics will eventually change their minds.
“I believe consumers will start to appreciate the immense value in the quality of the art they receive, as opposed to the current perceptions shaped by subpar AI creations in short-form video,” he mentioned in an interview.
Who Determines What Constitutes AI Mediocrity?
Brenda Austin-Smith, a professor in the department of English, theatre, film and media at the University of Manitoba, found the film’s teaser unimpressive.
“If what I observed in that trailer is the pinnacle of AI capabilities, then there’s no need for fear,” she stated.
Ash Koosha depicted as AI Odysseus. (Fountain 0)
Nonetheless, Austin-Smith communicated to CBC that AI can serve as a legitimate tool in filmmaking — and she would consider showcasing an AI film to her students.
“If someone with creative vision, insight, skill, and imagination utilized these tools to tell a compelling story in a satisfying manner, then absolutely, it could find its way into a classroom,” she remarked.
“However, if individuals believe — or an aspiring filmmaker thinks — that merely inputting prompts will enable AI to produce a film for them, the outcome will be substandard.”
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Koosha remains unfazed by the criticism, stating that such feedback is “absolutely valid.”
“It’s a learning experience for us to understand what elements people dislike the most and least, and how we should proceed next,” he explained.
Odysseus: The Fall will be available for streaming late this summer at Fountain0.com. The film has a runtime of 135 minutes.
