Society & Culture
Ep 6: ’Why AI replacing Actors is a Threat to Diversity and Cultural Progress’. An eye-opening conversation with Filmmaker, Writer and Actor Joanna Ke
2023-10-31
In a world that is rapidly embracing AI, what happens when it begins to replace actors? As the SAG actors union strike crosses its 100th day, we dive deep into the pivotal role AI plays in the ongoing negotiations. Joanna Ke's compelling article - “ Why AI Replacing Actors is a Threat to Diversity and Cultural Progress '', poses a question we hadn't fully grasped: How does AI's involvement in the entertainment industry potentially undermine diversity and cultural progress? Why are actors so concerned, and is their battle truly just about pay? Are we looking at a mere industry debate, or a broader conversation about human rights in the AI age? SAG’s fight for actors took on a whole new meaning for us after this conversation, as we realised that this is about protecting our rights as human beings, which goes far beyond the entertainment industry.
Episode breakdown:
- Introduction: Meet Joanna Ke, a multifaceted voice in the industry
- A dive into Joanna's mixed Taiwanese, Irish and Polish heritage and how it shaped her identity
- How Joanna gets cast in Hollywood
- Her realisation of Hollywood's lack of complex female and mixed-race characters while working as a script consultant. Her drive to create her own work
- Inauthentic representation - How unregulated AI could amplify Hollywood's diversity and representation issues
- The essentiality of genuine representation and the pitfalls of 'approved', tailored looks, especially when it comes to mixed race people and people of color.
- References from futurist Sinead Bovell including the term: The 'Illusion of Diversity': Diverse avatars vs. actual diverse workforce – Is this morally right? As well as Cultural Ethics: The fine line between representation and cultural appropriation in AI.
- The SAG union's fight for AI regulation and what's at stake for actors.
- How actors faces and bodies are already getting scanned for AI use
- How unregulated AI and owning background actors likenesses and images could stifle emerging, diverse talent
- Why don’t companies hire actual diverse models and actors instead of creating AI avatars to “promote” diversity ?
- The importance of using AI as a tool to help cultural progress rather than hinder it
- Dwane Johnson “The Rock’s” avatar (whitewashing) controversy and its implications for lesser-known mixed actors.
- Keanu Reeves' AI clause and its significance.
- Erasing real bodies and falsifying emotions. The potential loss of human nuance in AI-driven performances. The impact this could this have on society especially if we can’t differentiate between what is real and what is AI
- Exploring the potential positive impacts of regulated AI.
- Update on the union's AI regulation efforts
- How we can help the progression of diversity and use AI as a tool to help us
Special Guest:
Joanna Ke
Filmmaker / Writer / Actor
Joanna is an award-winning filmmaker that thrives in the industry as an actor, writer, script consultant, and producer. She champions diverse stories led by women both behind and in front of the camera.
Under her production company, Saint Joan productions, Joanna wrote, produced, and starred in the fantasy action film Protectress, which won 11 awards, in the film festival circuit, including Best Fantasy, Best Action, and Best Performance.
Joanna runs the twitter account @femcharacters, highlighting the unfortunate way women are often portrayed on screen. She has been a regular contributing writer for two industry blogs, We ScreenPlay & Ms in the Biz.
Instagram: @joanna_ke
Website: joannake.com
Links:
Joanna Ke’s Article: https://mixedasianmedia.com/why-ai-replacing-actors-is-a-threat-to-diversity-and-cultural-progress
Sinead Bovell - I study the future. We should pay attention to avatars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtId9uJzHfg
Background Actors and what’s at stake in the actors strike
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sag-actors-strike-ai-background-actors_n_64b1b07de4b0ad7b75f2f616
Keanu Reeves on AI Technology
https://deadline.com/2023/02/keanu-reeves-calls-out-scary-deepfakes-ai-technology-1235260761/
Justine Bateman - SAG’s AI consultant and a resource for AI updates in the industry
@_justinebateman_
Additional info on the Podcast:
Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara
Music: Mathias Kunzli - www.mathiasjunzli.com
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