For the cast and crew of “Bad Religion,” their lookbook was the culmination of hours spent researching and putting together inspiration for their short film. The lookbook included photos of the actor, locations scouted and various reference images.
In a Capstone II: Production class session on Oct. 7, students were left shocked when the professor showcased a clip that resembled details the crew had assembled in the lookbook and featured a scene that aligned with their prepared storyboards.
The approximately 10-second clip featured the face of the lead actor for “Bad Religion” and a church the crew intends to film at. The video left the class with mixed opinions as they realized it was entirely generated by artificial intelligence.
Alex Ma, a professor at the Sidney Poitier New American Film School, said he made the presentation to show students how AI can be used as a reference and brainstorming tool.
Ma said he was surprised at his students’ negative reactions, and the experience has prompted him to rethink whether he would make a similar presentation in the future.
Killian McCullin, a senior studying film and media production, is the cinematographer of “Bad Religion.” He said consent to use their material was miscommunicated, and the crew would not have agreed to the use of generative AI.
He said this incident is part of a larger trend within the film school and the rest of ASU, where classes are increasingly focusing on generative AI use and its impact.
“A lot of the professors believe that generative AI is going to almost completely dominate in the film field,” McCullin said. “Almost every other class, I have to hear something about how AI is going to learn more and more, and how we have to fight to keep up with it.”
The shift has drawn backlash from students involved in the film, who said the use of AI betrayed and undermined their project.
“The most important thing to keep remembering, especially in the arts, is that no one can tell our stories like we can,” McCullin said.
AI’s moral dilemma
Ma said the use of AI remains prohibited in the final product of capstone films, and no student is forced to use AI if they feel uncomfortable with it.
“We take the well-being of our students as paramount, and there are different layers, like job readiness, artistic potential … as well as how they feel,” Ma said. “How we can help them navigate both their feelings as well as their career pathway. Those are difficult questions, but we are trying.”
With the technology as new as it is, he said the film school allows faculty to come to their own conclusions about how to apply it in class.
According to the University Office of the Provost, ASU will not consider a ban on AI tools. The University is focused on the positive potential of generative AI while evaluating concerns, according to an FAQ.
“It seems like to this generation of students, at least many of them, that you should treat this topic as something very sensitive,” Ma said. “At least to many of them, that’s morally challenging and could be disturbing, so we should take that into consideration.”
Ma added that it is common for storyboards to be animated prior to filming to visualize shots. He said AI can be a cheaper alternative for students, so he decided to show his class the tools available.
Student reactions
Elijah Brown, the writer of “Bad Religion” and a senior studying film and media production, said the entire crew worked on the project, only to see AI “reduced” their work.
Brown said he was afraid his peers would believe he supported AI after the demonstration, so he quickly made a statement, posting on social media to condemn the use of AI.
“This movie has a very deep subject. It’s about faith and death and things that are really important to all of us on the cast and crew,” McCullin said. “It’s been super important for us to get it out there that we don’t support generative AI, especially for this story. It doesn’t have a place on our project.”
Brown said a lot of people reached out to him the day it happened to show support. The reactions from his peers made it clear it wasn’t a small issue and many felt the same way, he added.
Ma made an apology to the entire class after a discussion, Brown said.
“He was very apologetic. I appreciate that very much. I think that goes a long way,” Brown said. “But if there was anything I wanted to come out of this, it is some either ban or regulations on AI usage in the film school.”
Jax Hine, a sound mixer for “Bad Religion” and a senior studying film and media production, said much of the class seemed to agree that the use of generative AI was inappropriate in the context of their capstone projects.
Hine said in the same class period, a student in another group spoke out against the use of AI during their lookbook presentation.
“My biggest problem is similar to what a lot of other artists feel, is that it is not fair to the sheer time and dedication you put in into filmmaking,” Hine said. “Modern generative AI websites that can create films and videos can do it in minutes, and it has no life to it because there’s no appreciation for the craft of filmmaking.”
Hine said the use of generative AI is “degrading” the art form he has devoted his life to studying and creating. He said it does not seem appropriate to use AI in any capacity in a well-respected educational institution.
Hine also said many students in the broader Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts hate AI, and that those students want professors to clamp down on use of the technology.
“We are the next generation of artists,” Hine said. “You need to teach us in a way that respects art itself.”
Ella Long contributed to this story.
Reach the reporter at ajanusee@asu.edu and follow @lexijanuseeon X.
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Lexi Janusee is a senior reporter at The State Press. She is a sophomore studying Journalism with a minor in Theatre. This is her third semester with The State Press, working previously as a full-time Echo reporter.
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