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Letters | Why Hollywood strikes are about the future of movies and women
- Readers discuss the threat to working women posed by AI, independently-run restaurants in Hong Kong, and air filter technologies
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On a recent weekend, I had a “Barbenheimer” day, watching both Oppenheimer and Barbie on the same day. It has been a while since two such highly touted films were simultaneously available in cinemas. Although the films differ obviously in genre, two related thoughts came to mind as I watched these marvellous productions unfold on the screen.
First, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the current strikes in Hollywood. Writers and actors are standing together, demanding better pay and action to address artificial intelligence’s threat to the entertainment sector.
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The fact that Oppenheimer was made with no computer-generated imagery, according to director Christopher Nolan, is worth noting. Nowadays, superhero movies tend to be stuffed with visual effects, overwhelming film-goers and leaving them with little inclination to digest the story, much less reflect.
The use of technology has augmented the audience experience, but its overuse raises questions of whether we are watching films for intriguing storylines, amazing acting or plot-free sequences of fake images.
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The emergence of films with sound and colour a century ago was worth celebrating because it made people’s experience at the cinema more relatable and in line with their daily lives. Imagine a decade from now, when films are made entirely by computers with AI actors. Do people really want such soulless films? Should technology be the icing on the cake of film production or the entire cake itself?
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