June 9, 1:00PM – 2:15PM (PDT)
With: AX Mina, Eloïse King, Sandra Luckow, Steph Jenkins and Rachel Antell
For documentary filmmakers, generative AI is a double-edged sword, offering a revolutionary new toolkit for visual storytelling while upending traditional notions of cinematic truth and archival integrity. Organizations like the Archival Producers Alliance (APA) are at the forefront of navigating this uncharted new terrain.
In this session, APA special advisor AX Mina will speak with filmmakers Eloïse King (The Shadow Scholars) and Sandra Luckow (Vanishing: A Love Story) about the use of synthetic media technologies in their recent documentaries. Stephanie Jenkins and Rachel Antellof the APA will provide additional context during this 75-minute conversation, which will dive deep into the ethics and logistics of incorporating generative AI into documentary films.
The Shadow Scholars and Vanishing: A Love Story are both featured in the APA’s GenAI Tool Kit Case Studies, a free resource for the documentary community. The Tool Kit offers resources for filmmakers deciding if, when, or how to include generative AI content into their nonfiction work. It serves as a companion to the APA’s guide Best Practices for the Use of Generative AI in Documentaries, a widely endorsed roadmap by the nonfiction community.
This event will expand upon the APA’s resources to provide tangible examples of how established documentary filmmakers have chosen to engage with this new technology. The session will conclude with a live audience Q&A. Join Sundance Collab and the APA for this exclusive conversation on the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI technology for documentary filmmakers.
