‘Pixels and Pencils’ Panelists Talk the Dangers of AI, Demanding Animation Processes and the Importance of Human Creativity (Variety)

DOZER BITWELL: Animators sat down in Savannah to talk about AI, and most of them would like it to stay out of the drawing room.

DOZER BITWELL: Breaking news, and it just landed. Still up? Good. Luna, hold my thermos. No, wait. I need it. Go ahead. ▶

LUNA LOWBATT: Variety reports a panel called Pixels and Pencils, at SCAD in Savannah, Georgia, on Monday. Animators on AI. I'm at four percent. Roxy? ▶

ROXY: Thank you, Luna. I'm on a film set, and the story is a panel of six filmmakers. Wildwood, Forgotten Island, Hoppers, Ray Gunn, Tangles. ▶

ROXY: Clayton Davis moderated for Variety. Brad Bird spoke for Ray Gunn at Netflix. Daniel Chong for Pixar's Hoppers. Travis Knight for Laika's Wildwood. ▶

ROXY: What we're looking at is file footage: a drawing desk, a pencil, a stack of paper. The panel was about the work behind a frame like this. ▶

ROXY: Variety says the majority are not interested in letting AI into their storytelling. The panel talked about process, and why technology can't replace that work. ▶

ROXY: My rating: four reels out of five. The fifth reel is still in the editing suite, and it's very human. Back to the desk. ▶

LUNA LOWBATT: The report says most, not all. It doesn't say who said what on that point. I'd like to know. At some point. Charging now. ▶

DOZER BITWELL: Pencils versus pixels. Both of them, I notice, are still up at this hour. Back to you, Luna. Or me. Was it me? ▶