Steven Soderbergh has revealed he used generative AI for his new documentary, John Lennon: The Last Interview, in collaboration with Meta.
The filmmaker, known for movies such as Black Bag, Erin Brockovich, and the Ocean’s Eleven trilogy, is working with the late Beatle’s estate to bring to life the last interview he gave, promoting the album ‘Double Fantasy’ with his wife and collaborator, Yoko Ono. The task for the documentary was to provide images for the audio-only interview.
Most of it that will be archival material. However, the Oscar-winner has revealed that 10 per cent of the film will feature AI-generated video footage, portraying surreal moments that he claims are not possible through creative methods.
“So now we’ve got it kind of laid out in chapters and we begin to fill in the areas in which John and Yoko are speaking about a specific experience that they had, or a specific piece of music, or a specific person, and layer in archival material over that text — sometimes stills, sometimes motion, video,” he told Deadline. “And we have a version of the movie in which the only holes that remain now are the sections where John and Yoko are talking in abstract philosophical terms.”
@nme Here’s John Lennon’s sister and the team behind @Live Odyssey on Camden’s newest music fanatic attraction featuring a recreation of The Beatles icon’s childhood bedroom, stacks of memorabilia and a hologram of TheLibertines. Hit the link in bio for more from Julia Baird on reclaiming John Lennon’s life and memory from all the movies and books – and her thoughts on the four new biopics #LiveOdyssey #TheBeatles #TheLibertines #JuliaBaird #JohnLennon #music #musicindustry #shorts #nme #nmemagazine #interview #musicinterview
♬ original sound – NME – NME
“This comprises about 10 per cent of the entire film, but it’s a real problem because we’ve got to come up with something — some imagery that enhances what they’re saying, but is metaphorical,” he continued. “So we’re starting to experiment with AI, trying to see if we can build some images that’ll fit alongside this text. I’m trying to articulate ideas that will result in something interesting, and we’re running out of money.”
“At this point, [producer] Michael Sugar says, ‘Look, I’ve been doing all this work with brands making content. I think we should have a conversation with Meta because they’re building some video generative tools.’ And I said, ‘Fine, let’s talk to them.’ They were open and wanted to see the film, so we showed them the film and they said, ‘Well, this is good timing because we really would like and need a filmmaker to stress test some of these tools that we’re working on. And if you agree to be a test case for us, we will provide the tech and finish the movie.” So I said, “Yeah, let’s do that.’”
The director conceded that AI “is a very emotional subject lately. Understandably so.” However, he claimed he is using it in a way that isn’t replacing human endeavour. “There are two ways of using it,” he argued. “There’s a way of using AI in which your intention is to fool somebody or manipulate them, to create an image that you want them to think is real. And then there’s a use, which is what we’re doing in the documentary, where it’s obvious that it is AI and that it is being used essentially in the way that you would use VFX or CGI or any sort of non-photographic technology.”
He also explained the Lennon estate’s support of the approach. “I asked Sean [Ono Lennon], ‘What do you think your dad’s take on this tech would’ve been?’ And he said, ‘Oh, he would’ve wanted to engage.’ He loved all new technology. All The Beatles did. He would want to play with it just to see what it could do. He goes, ‘That was the way he was. ‘ How he would’ve felt about it ultimately, we’ll never know, but he said he would’ve wanted to play with it.”
John Lennon: The Last Interview will premiere at this month’s Cannes Film Festival.
Despite public and industry-wide hostility toward generative AI, several notable productions have moved ahead using the technology. Just over a year after his death, Val Kilmer will be portrayed through AI in the forthcoming drama As Deep As The Grave, with the actor’s family giving their blessing.
Elsewhere, fellow director Darren Aronofsky was criticised for using generative AI for his new history series On This Day… 1776.
