In 1874, the First Impressionist Exhibition was met with harsh criticism. Renowned artists like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas faced ridicule from critics who claimed their work was “base” and “unfinished,” labeling it as the worst thing to happen to art. The commercial failure of the exhibition attracted around 3,500 visitors, mostly passing by to express shock at the simplistic frames and distinct brushstrokes.
Around ten years later, Georges Seurat embarked on his masterpiece, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” This towering painting, seven feet tall and ten feet wide, would become a seminal example of an Impressionist technique known as pointillism. The central idea behind “Sunday” was straightforward – a detailed portrayal of a lively afternoon in a Parisian park along the Seine. By closely inspecting the painting, viewers could discern individual spots of color and light that coalesced into scenes of parasols, musical instruments, hats, people, and even a monkey on a leash. Each image within the painting could be unraveled and deconstructed into tiny dots – the analog-age equivalent of pixels.
The connection between Seurat, the Impressionists, and the digital world is exemplified in “Total Pixel Space,” the victorious film at the recent Runway AI Film Festival (AIFF). The film delves into the concept that pixels serve as the fundamental units of digital images, akin to tiles forming a mosaic. The film’s narrator articulates, “Each pixel is defined by numbers representing color and position, thus any digital image can be distilled into a sequence of numbers.” The filmmaker, Jacob Adler, a classically-trained musician turned multidisciplinary artist, spent over a year crafting “Total Pixel Space,” drawing inspiration from Jorge Luis Borges’s “The Library of Babel” and the notion of finding order in a chaotic world.
Runway, a prominent $3 billion AI video startup, has been hosting the AIFF since 2023 to showcase short films produced with AI. The festival experienced substantial growth, evolving from 300 submissions in small NYC theaters to a sold-out show at Lincoln Center with 6,000 entries, attracting an international audience. The winning film, Total Pixel Space, selected by a panel of judges including directors Harmony Korine and Gaspar Noe, embodies Runway’s vision of utilizing AI to create immersive experiences that transcend traditional storytelling mediums.
Runway’s CTO and cofounder, Anastasis Germanidis, envisions a future where AI-generated content extends beyond films and games, transforming into interactive experiences akin to immersive theater productions. Germanidis anticipates a future where individuals can engage with media from multiple perspectives, offering a dynamic and engaging narrative experience.
When it comes to creating lifelike representations of reality, the ability to simulate various aspects of our world is crucial for problem-solving. Germanidis views world simulation as a fundamental concept that can be applied not only to storytelling, but also to fields like biology, robotics, and physics. The goal is to replicate not just human behavior, but also the fundamental principles of physics and biology.
Cristóbal Valenzuela, CEO and co-founder of Runway, emphasizes the importance of simulating every detail of the physical world. While AI labs have focused on replicating the human mind, Valenzuela believes that understanding how the world operates is more valuable in the long run. Runway’s upcoming interactive gaming experience marks a move into the gaming market, with a current focus on text and image generation that is expected to evolve into a more visual platform over time.
The ultimate aim of Runway’s work is to develop applications for world-building, although the exact path to achieving this goal remains uncertain—an intentional aspect of the creative process. Valenzuela stresses the importance of embracing creative exploration and remaining open to unexpected possibilities. Despite facing competition in the AI video generation sphere, Runway has secured significant investment and aims to set itself apart in the industry.
Valenzuela draws parallels between historical technological advancements and the current AI landscape, highlighting the disruptive nature of innovation. Just as the printing press revolutionized communication and employment patterns, modern AI technologies are reshaping industries and job roles. Embracing the potential of AI as a tool for creativity and problem-solving is crucial in navigating this evolving landscape.
Since the invention of alarm clocks, it has become commonplace for people to rely on them. As artificial intelligence makes its presence known in Hollywood, a trend that Valenzuela plays a key role in, the industry’s reaction has been mixed, even as many quietly embrace its use. Michael Burns, Lionsgate’s vice chair, revealed at AIFF that the adoption of AI tools has been somewhat of an open secret in the industry. Runway’s Germanidis explained the three phases of technological art evolution: mastering the technology, replicating existing art forms, and then creating new and unique forms. While some artists, like Adler, have embraced AI as a valuable tool that expands their practice, they are cautious about labeling it as a new genre. AI’s capabilities are recognized as complementary to traditional methods, with each having their own strengths and limitations. The rise of video AI technologies, such as Runway, has sparked both excitement and apprehension across the realms of art, media, and entertainment. Runway’s creators envision their AI vision transcending beyond the confines of screens to create immersive and revolutionary experiences. This article was originally published on Fortune.com.
