Fine Arts & Film: Human Creativity

In a world where the use of generative AI is growing, I can’t help but ask: What effect will AI have on the arts? Growing up as a young aspiring artist, movies were what drove me to dream big, exposing me to the influential artists of the past and the innovations of what art was becoming. Now, as an undergraduate, there’s uncertainty about whether creativity is something purely human. As a response to my own question, I’ve highlighted films that showcase how human ingenuity and creativity is irreplaceable.

1. Loving Vincent (2017) is truly one of a kind; it’s the first oil-painted feature film, depicting an investigation into the death of one of the most renowned artists in history, Vincent van Gogh. After a year of studying and re-imagining his paintings, story boarding, and writing a script, the team then acquired real actors to bring the story alive. The painted backgrounds were then edited in with green screen. Live action materials and rough-draft paintings, combined with computer animation, created the groundwork that was then referenced for the final paintings done by hand. There are over 65,000 frames divided up into 898 shots in the film, taking a total of 125 artists. The common goal of paying tribute to Van Gogh’s legacy unites all the workers behind the film, a collaborative process that may be lost with AI.

Loving Vincent – the world’s first fully painted feature film!

2. Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat (2017) is an American documentary film directed by Sara Driver. It tells the beginnings of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life in the New York City art scene of the late 1970s when the financial crisis was causing the city to crumble. An inspiring tale for contemporary artists, following how Basquiat found his iconic style. This documentary interviews iconic names in the NYC scene, such as Al Diaz, one of the first graffiti writers, who provides snapshots into what it was like to watch and be a part of art history while it was being made. I find it moving, especially in the current times of uncertainty, to hear about such a confident spirit with a strong artistic vision.

Available for request on Kanopy: Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat | Kanopy

3. Isle of Dogs (2018) is directed and written by Wes Anderson, this stop-motion film takes place in the dystopian future of Japan, where cat-loving Mayor Kenji Kobayashi has declared war on dogs. All dogs have been banished to a trash island, an uninhabitable dump where disease spreads. The young nephew of Kobayashi sets out on a mission in search of his lost dog all while an American exchange student, Tracy Walker, investigates the legitimacy of Dog Flu and the exile of their beloved canines by the mayor’s corrupt administration. The process to create such an involved film starts with an animatic, voice recordings, and live action videos that are then studied and referenced to pose the puppets and props into believable movements. While 3D animation continues to advance, this film showcases why hand-drawn and stop-motion works are dear to people’s hearts; the craftsmanship and hard work it took the team of 670 people is palpable.

ISLE OF DOGS | “Making of: Animators” Featurette (2018)

4. Spider-Man, into the Spider-Verse (2018). Although the third film has yet to be released, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) is a highly anticipated film due to the roaring success of the first two movies. Created by Sony Pictures, they are based on the famous Marvel Comics. it follows Miles Morales, a teenager who, after being bitten by a radioactive spider, becomes the next Spider-Man. Him and Spider-Men from other dimensions must band together to save the world. This saga has changed the animation world, combining classic hand-drawn comic book styles with computer 3-D modeling; a testament to how human touch is invaluable. The creators embraced the story’s comic origins, making references to source material and playing with a variety of pop art styles, all whilst still maintaining a grounded story.

How Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Changed Animation

These are only a few of the many movies that introduced me to what human creativity can accomplish. Although these films are very recent in the grand scheme of things, the art/film world is ever changing and brings in new ideas constantly. We are witnessing history as AI continues to grow. It’ll be interesting to see the impact it has on the creative industries in the future.

Camille Dekydtspotter is a freshman a Indiana University majoring in Studio Art and minoring in Psychology. She is excited to be working for the Media Services in the Herman B Wells library and to be writing her first blog post!