Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky has been embracing AI, and is now using the technology to bring the Revolutionary War to life in a new series.
Aronofsky is best-known for gritty dramas that examine both the human psyche and experience, with his most acclaimed movies including Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan, and The Whale.
His last feature was entertaining crime caper Caught Stealing, which starred Austin Butler, and hit screens in August.
But that was on directing duties. As producer, he’s been cooking up something much more controversial, overseeing a YouTube series that uses AI to breathe life into historical events.
What is Darren Aronofsky’s ‘On This Day… 1776’?
On This Day… 1776 is a short-form series which focuses on key events in that historic year for America.
Episode 1 revolves around George Washington raising the Continental Union Flag in Massachusetts to boost morale. Episode 2 sees Thomas Franklin convincing Thomas Paine to produce a pamphlet that helped change opinion in the colonies.
According to the team behind On This Day, the goal is “reframing the Revolution not as a foregone conclusion but as a fragile experiment shaped by those who fought for it.”
How is AI being implemented in the series?
One This Day… 1776 uses human voices to bring life to historical figures, but the visuals are created using AI.
Aronofsky is producing through his AI-focused venture Primordial Soup, and using Google DeepMind technology, with which the company has a deal.
Episodes are dropping on Time’s YouTube channel, and president of Time Studios Ben Bitonti said in a statement: “This project is a glimpse at what thoughtful, creative, artist-led use of AI can look like – not replacing craft, but expanding what’s possible and allowing storytellers to go places they simply couldn’t before.”
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