Dogme 25: A Manifesto for AI Filmmaking

While regulations are on the horizon, emergent movements adhere to a code of ethics and transparency.

I've always been drawn to experimental film, particularly those that employ stringent technical constraints. This attraction ranges from Hitchcock's iconic 'oner' shot showcased in Rope, to Richard Linklater’s Waking Life, a film uniquely shot on camcorders and enhanced by rotoscope animation, and complete with philosophical subtitles. I can't forget Steven Soderbergh's Unsane, a motion picture shot entirely on an iPhone 7.

But it was Dogme 95 that truly captivated me during my film studies. I distinctly remember watching Lars Von Trier’s The Idiots, spellbound by the raw and unfiltered nature of the movie. It was as if I were witnessing a punk rock rendition of cinema verité.

So, you can imagine my astonishment when I hopped into the janky time machine to watch a movie from a not-too-distant future, and stumbled upon Dogme 25, a manifesto for AI filmmaking. While definitive regulations concerning AI in filmmaking appear to be on the horizon, there are emergent movements already adhering to a code of ethics and transparency.

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Dogme 25 Manifesto: Vows of Transparency.

1. Shooting must involve AI co-creation. Filmmaking must be a product of human and artificial intuition working hand-in-hand. The AI is not merely a tool but a collaborator.

2. The AI's involvement must be transparent. Every instance of AI assistance, from screenplay development to post-production, must be openly acknowledged and not obscured.

3. Humans must oversee AI's decisions. The AI may suggest, but the human decides. Each critical stage of filmmaking must include human review and final approval.

4. AI must not infringe creative freedom. AI must respect the artistic individuality of humans involved in the film's creation, not override it.

5. AI must broaden aesthetics, not restrict them. The use of AI should result in a greater diversity of aesthetic outcomes, not impose a mechanical uniformity.

6. Filmmakers must adhere to data ethics. All data used to train the AI must respect privacy and ethical considerations. Exploitative or invasive data sources are forbidden.

7. AI implementation must strive for innovation. Each film must attempt to use at least one AI tool or technique not used in previous works.

8. AI must be credited. If a human would be credited for the work, so too should the AI.

9. AI should provoke narrative experimentation. Use AI to push narrative boundaries. AI should inspire stories that could not exist without it.

10. AI themes must permeate the work. Films should engage with and educate audiences about AI, both through their narratives and the process of their creation.

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