How can a light bulb save our jobs from artificial intelligence (AI)?

The film and animation industry has been one of the most impacted by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Many artists are speculating about the possibility of AI replacing animators, VFX artists, and even storytellers in the coming years. While the answer to this question remains uncertain, there is a glimmer of hope to be found in the pages of human history, emitting from a light bulb to save us all from this uncertainty.

There are numerous videos and articles that explain the potential of AI and its ability to produce content cheaply, quickly, and with less manpower. However, let’s not delve into that and instead jump straight into the question:

How can a light bulb save our jobs from AI?

To answer this, let’s consider the light bulb hanging on the rooftop of Livermore Fire Station, which has been continuously running since 1901. Yes, this little thing is proof of what humans can accomplish with technology. But here’s a hard truth: we will never get a bulb like that again. Yes, not just bulbs, in fact, we will never get anything that could last forever, whether it’s a car, a television set, or a cell phone. Why? Well, it’s due to a tactic known as ‘planned obsolescence.’

Planned obsolescence is the practice of designing products with a limited lifespan, in order to encourage consumers to purchase new products more frequently. This can be achieved through various means, such as using low-quality materials that are prone to breaking or degrading, designing products with features that become outdated or obsolete over time, or simply making products that are difficult or costly to repair or maintain. In short, companies intentionally produce low-quality products for continued sales.

While you may view this as a cunning strategy employed by greedy corporations, there is a counterargument that suggests this practice is actually necessary. If everyone were to start receiving high-quality products that last forever, it would lead to a decrease in sales for companies and, eventually, job loss due to reduced production.

The Man in the White Suit

This concept was nicely shown in an Oscar-nominated film ‘The Man in the White Suit’ released in 1951. It’s a movie about a scientist who invents a highly durable fiber to make an unbreakable thread. Initially, everyone is thrilled by his scientific breakthrough, but by the end of the film, we see the workers and owners of the thread factory coming together to destroy the scientist and his invention. And believe it or not, this movie was inspired by real-life events.

Sure, at the core, ‘planned obsolescence’ comes across as an unethical practice, and people are raising their voices against it. However, it makes us aware of the fact that people in authority are aware of the implication of technological advancement on our lives.

The point being made is that just like the production of long-lasting bulbs and other such things was halted for profits and employment, authorities will not allow artificial intelligence (AI) to develop beyond a certain point or at least will not make certain advanced technologies publicly available. This is because the prosperity and economic stability of the people are crucial for the smooth functioning of any country. So, in a way, obtaining low-quality products or technologies can be seen as a blessing in disguise for humanity.

And even if AI advances beyond its current state, which is likely to happen, humans will likely find ways to adapt and work alongside it, similar to how computers have generated more jobs than were initially expected.

In Avatar: The Way of Water

In Avatar: The Way of Water, for example, human animators and VFX artists worked with cutting-edge technology to bring to life the magical world of Pandora. The film shows that while technology is advancing at a rapid pace, human creativity, and imagination will always be essential to the art of storytelling and filmmaking.

So to sum it up, while it is true that AI technology has the potential to revolutionize the film and animation industry, it is also important to consider the fact that the advancement of this technology will be limited by factors such as planned obsolescence and the need for economic stability.

Furthermore, the advancement of AI technology can actually lead to more job opportunities rather than fewer. For example, as AI technology becomes more prevalent in the film and animation industry, there will be a growing need for professionals with the skills and knowledge to work with this technology. This could include roles such as AI programmers, data analysts, and machine learning engineers. Additionally, the use of AI in the industry could lead to the creation of entirely new job roles that do not currently exist.

Moreover, while AI technology can create content quickly and cheaply, it cannot replace the creativity and unique perspectives that human artists bring to the table. The human touch and creative input is an essential parts of the filmmaking and animation process that cannot be replicated by machines. AI can assist and complement the work of human artists, but it cannot replace them entirely.

It is also worth noting that the film and animation industry has a long history of adapting to technological advancements. For example, when computer-generated imagery (CGI) was first introduced in the 1970s, there were concerns that it would replace traditional animation techniques. However, this did not happen, and instead, the two techniques coexist and are often used together in modern films.

In conclusion, while there are concerns about the impact of AI on the film and animation industry, there is no need to fear for our jobs. AI technology can complement and assist the work of human artists, but it cannot replace them entirely. Additionally, the advancement of AI technology can actually lead to more job opportunities in the industry. Therefore, it is important to embrace this technology and the opportunities it presents while also acknowledging the importance of the human touch and creativity in filmmaking and animation.

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December 8, 2021December 8, 2021

CHP12: The Indian Animation Shows And The CopyCats!

CHAPTER 12

THE COPY OF A COPY

AND WHY WE STRUGGLE?

“Good artists copy, Great artists steal.”

― PABLO PICASSO

Let’s get honest here; it’s no more a mystery to us that when art is created, it is usually inspired by something that has already been done. Even the lights of Michelangelo, Van Gough and Walt Disney were influenced by their predecessors and spent their early years recreating the same old work.

No one is spared by the temptation of plagiarism, as many of us don’t want to spend the time, effort, and money required in reinventing the wheel.

And the same goes when it comes to the art of storytelling. Yes, although the style, genre, message in every story we witness seems different at face value. But at the core, they all follow the same basic structure that has been laid down brilliantly by a widely respected philosopher and theologist “Joseph Cambell“ in his book “A hero with thousand faces.”

In this masterwork, Campell illustrates the hero’s journey, how the hero or the protagonist goes from the ordinary world into a region of supernatural powers and out of his comfort zone.

Where he or she encounters fabulous forces, and after a life-altering battle, gains the victory. The hero then comes back from this spiritual adventure as a changed person with the power to bestow boons on the society at large.

This hero’s journey is a pattern you will see even in all the mythologies of the world, and nothing has been changed since the dawn of storytelling due to its soul-satisfying structure that we all crave emotionally and spiritually.

And when it comes to the story structure of Indian Animation shows, it isn’t surprising to see this same rhythm and balance been utilized frequently. But, the main issue with Indian Animation and especially TV shows, isn’t the use of the hero’s journey. Instead, it is following the same style, genre, and message.

Yes, every show looks the same with just a little tweak in the personality of the main characters.

All the popular indian animation shows have this ten-year-old, super-powerful male protagonist assisted by a smart female friend, a fanboy side-kick, and a goofy animal.

And most of the time, these characters are the epitome of perfection and moral values and are usually mature way beyond their current age.

In a typical episode, they will battle the outside forces using their quirks and wits and, more importantly, without making any mistakes or doing something that an average ten-year-old kid will do.

And that’s completely fine at a level because these shows are carrying the responsibilities of grooming the future generation and surely wants to play safe to avoid any complaints from parents.

But the basic formula of all these superheroic shows are so similar that from a viewer’s perspective, it gets dull and monotonous, and it feels like we are watching the same show just with different looking kids.

Yes, If I take the hero of one show and put it in another, nothing will change. And that’s poor storytelling and world-building, and such shows will never be able to impress the mature audiences.

Because the problems and obstacles should be uniquely limited to the characters of the particular world to make the viewer’s switch on your channel and get submerged into your realm.

For example, If I’ll put Batman against Green Goblin, he will fight the antagonist way different than Spiderman will do, or even Superman will do.

the indian animation shows — Pic Courtesy: Google

And that’s precisely the reason we would be excited to witness such a cross over as each of these characters uses their abilities in their own style, rhythm, and pace to tackle the evil in front of them.

Best Indian cartoons — Pic courtesy: Reliance Animation

But if I take Little Singham and put him against any of the villains of Chhota Bheem, I don’t expect any different approach from the protagonist. And even the antagonist need not worry about altering their plans because both the heroes are almost identical in their strength and, of course, no weaknesses. Same goes for Kisna, Arjun the Prince Warrior, and even Motu Patlu followed the same pattern after a point.

But I know what everyone must be wondering; despite being a copy of a copy, our kids are hooked on the Tv screen and adore these characters more than anything.

Well, the reason behind it is because they are not exposed to other things yet and are forced to consume these products with no or limited choices.

One of the main factors most of us who grew up in the 90’s aren’t a big fan of our domestic shows is because we have seen productions that are highly creative and technically strong. Thus we can immediately identify the difference and express our opinions for it.

And this factor isn’t limited to our cartoon shows and kids, in recent times this phenomenon can be seen in movies as well, due to the availability of the better quality product provided by international media through streaming services and theater releases.

We have have been witnessing that a significant number of people have been raising their voices against Bollywood films and asking the creators to raise their standards as well.

Similarly, once our kids explore the different creative shows, they tend to move on like everyone else.

But to be honest, we don’t want the kids to move on. We want them to cherish our local heroes forever in their memories and hearts and look at them as inspiration to deal with the issues and problems life throws at them that are unique according to a person’s circumstances and experiences.

And to do that, we need to give our heroes their unique style, strength, world, and, most importantly, the weaknesses. And to do so, we need to steal from history and learn how the shows that left such an impact on the minds of a generation manages to embrace their identity in the world full of a copy of a copy.

(Imp Note: This is one of the reasons behind the struggles of Indian Animation. In my blog series, “The Faults In Our Art! We will explore multiple factors that are keeping Indian animation behind. So I request you to please support my initiative by subscribing to my website by filling the form below)

November 28, 2021November 28, 2021

CHP 09: The Storytelling And Why We Struggle?

CHAPTER 09

THE STORYTELLING

AND WHY DO WE STRUGGLE?

“The stories we tell literally make the world. If you want to change the world, you need to change your story. This truth applies both to individuals and institutions.”

― MICHAEL MARGOLIS

Despite the optimistic and vivid portrait painted by fancy media reports, Indian Animation is still striving at its core. On the surface, it’s the happiest place to be in, but the truth is far stranger than the fiction it depicts on the screen.

And the most critical part is, hardly anyone is willing to make an effort to enhance its condition to reach a point that will help the industry and animation shows rise above their current state.

Sure, animation as a business has shown steady growth in the past few years due to the availability of a wide range of platforms to reach the intended target audiences. But we need to look beyond the technical and commerce to emerge as original creators at the global stage.

In the previous chapter, I wrote about how the lack of attention by our viewers in this medium has affected the growth and condition of better homegrown shows. But this is just one of the factors that need to be addressed out of many.

So let’s go deeper into this illusionary world of life and explore another but most vital component that must be discussed for the betterment of Indian Animation as a whole, and that component is STORY.

So much has been written about the ingredients of good storytelling, but few organizations can match the standards of soulful storytelling, especially in animated films like Pixar and Ghibli Studio.

On the one hand, Pixar has nearly twenty-two principles or rules for impactful visual storytelling that we see in all of their work. Whereas when it comes to striking a balance between fantasy and reality, Ghibli has been successfully able to cast its spell over audiences for more than four decades.

So what is it about Pixar and Ghibli’s storytelling techniques that stand them apart?

Well, it might sound overly complicated process, but it’s actually something simple, and that is their stories are relatable and focus on socio-emotional development.

They are the masters in creating captivating characters resonating with human emotions and sociological elements. Even in a superficial world, the central idea always revolves around basic human sentiments such as humility, compassion, and honor with a definitive motive.

And the character’s internal journey is given equal importance as its outer goals. And this vital element makes all the difference in the storytelling process.

Whereas most of the characters we see in Indian animated series lack defining internal motivation. They are good or bad just for the sake of it, with no strong driving force behind their undertakings.

And it’s a bit surprising to see our storytellers failing to depict such essential elements in the land where epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata have already set standards years ago.

A typical episode in most Indian shows involves the hero along with his sidekicks saving the day for everyone. Sure there is nothing wrong with that, as that’s where the soul of the superhero genre lies.

But Indian channels are flooded with these action-packed dramas between the hero and the villain with almost no emotional conflict between them.

And because of the protagonist’s invincible characteristics, there is nothing much at stake for them because we know in the end he will rise victorious with just one punch on the face.

We need to understand that conflicts are much more complicated than an asteroid approaching the earth or two people battling for a magic potion. The more unique and muti layered these conflicts are, the more they will be able to capture the viewers.

Let’s consider Batman’s conflict with the Joker in the Dark Knight. Batman represents the most ideal version of us, with utmost morals, values, and respect for order. In comparison, Joker stands for anarchy and disorder and has no moral values whatsoever. In simple terms, they have different goals that conflict with each other.

These internal differences lead to an external battle between them as both the characters try to get across their point of view, ultimately provoking an emotional reaction from the audience.

I understand kids’ content doesn’t have to be this complicated. Still, some level of psychological motivation for the characters will surely help our kids to grow mentally and emotionally, along with their beloved characters.

But that’s just one aspect of storytelling as another major flaw with our industry is that, at times, Indian animation tends to underestimate the intelligence of our children.

It ends up oversimplifying the message by neglecting the importance of friendship, honor, bonding, empathy, patience, and other such values our kids should be learning while growing up. This doesn’t in any way mean poor storytelling, they are still entertaining, but these characters have so much more potential.

All we need to do is focus on all aspects of the character’s journey and give our kids a chance to sneak into human emotions. All we need to do is show our kids that animation is more than just action; we need to show the space where we see these characters reflect their circumstances without any explanation or dialogue.

We need to show them that it isn’t always about happily ever after. Things do not always go the way we want them to. And that’s okay!

Sure comparing Indian animation with Pixar’s, Nolan’s, and Ghibli’s standard of work will be harsh on us considering the lack of budget, audiences, technology, etc.

But creating better stories does not require any of the given factors but merely an intention to do so.

The time has come for the Indian Animation industry to push its limitation in innovation and every aspect of the art that will help it build a stronger foundation to inspire a new generation of artists.

And fortunately, in recent times, I have seen the change in this pattern of our shows, and the stories revolve around the day-to-day issues of life, which is far better than what we have been served so far.

Golmaaal Jr. — Pic courtesy: Reliance Animation Pvt Ltd.

Shows like Bhoot Bandhus, Sub Jholmaal hai, and Golmaal Jr., in which I had the unofficial opportunity to write the pilot episode to set its tone and structure for upcoming episodes brought a refreshing take on the usual pattern of our animated shows by focusing more on the internal conflicts and desires of these characters.

I am not really sure that if we are too late to acknowledge such content. But by looking at the mild success of these franchises, I am a little optimistic about the future of Animation in India and appreciate the creators, storytellers, and broadcasters for taking a chance with it.

After all, Animation is a costly business with millions of rupees at stake. So it’s courageous of our people to start accepting the change we want to see, and I am sure we are on the right track for now.

(Imp Note: This is one of the reasons behind the struggles of Indian Animation. In my blog series, “The Faults In Our Art! We will explore ten major factors that are keeping Indian animation behind. So I request you to please support my initiative by subscribing to my website by filling the form below)