Without bonuses on their salary, nor without telling them how these images will be used in the future.
The writers' and actors' strike that is currently taking place in Hollywood is not just about a general salary increase: it is also campaigning for a framework for the use of artificial intelligence.
Among other issues, the question of the digital image of the extras is being posed, and NPR details what happened to a dozen secondary actors on the series < em>WandaVision to point out one of the concerns encountered on major shoots at the moment.
Studios and Streamers Consider Turning to AI During Writers' Strike Marvel, they reveal that a dozen actors were completely scanned for about fifteen minutes, without knowing how their digital image would be used by Disney studios thereafter. And without receiving a bonus on their salary.
Brought into a trailer specially set up for this kind of scan, they had to take on different poses and expressions:“They were like to us: 'Raise your hands, lower them, look this way, then this there, show us your scared or surprised look.'” Once the scan was done, they assumed that these images would be used to create crowds in the background of the series, given that it was filmed during the confinement and the number of extras was then limited. But the actress assures that she never gave permission for this. Nor for his digital image to then be reused in other programs of the firm. “What will happen if I refuse to appear in MarioVision or SarahVision ?, she wonders.I'm afraid that artificial intelligences like this will end up killing the profession of background actors. need us at all.”
The question is relevant: could these CGI stunt doubles be reused forever? This is one of the issues that must be settled between the studios and the unions, which are asking that the use of AI be regulated. Because their massive use could increase the precariousness of the actors, many of whom are far from earning millions of dollars. Fran Drescher, the star comedian of the series A Nanny, and who is now the president of SAG-AFTRA, explained to the New York Timesby joining the strike that of the 160,000 members of the actors' union, 86% earned less than 26,000 dollars per year (about 24,000 euros).
The question of the use of the image digital also appeals to stars, subjected to this same type of scan. Samuel L. Jackson recently warned his young colleagues, he whose image was recorded by the same Disney studios in Mace Windu's costume for Star Warsand as Nick Fury for Marvel. Donald Glover, the new interpreter of Lando Calrissian, also expressed his fears at the idea of being able to “play” this character to infinity, even after his death, thanks to his digital double created during the filming of Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Marvel/Star Wars: Samuel L. Jackson fears the use of Artificial Intelligences in Hollywood
The phenomenon is not new, since Robin Williams, who died in 2014, had stipulated in his will that he did not want his image to be used in films, series and/or or advertisements up to 25 years after his disappearance. This process has been making noise lately, faced with its increasingly developed use in Hollywood, which raises questions of intellectual property, as well as moral questions. A “cameo” by The Flash caused a scandal, because it was created 100% digitally as a “tribute” to an actor who died several years ago. decades.
The Flash: The return of [spoiler] dissected
