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ARTICLE - AI In Film Music - Should Composers Embrace It or Fear It?


An ever-changing, fluid and human world, music epitomises the very nature of human expression. Now faced with a time where technology is ever more involved in the creation of music, can artificial intelligence push us over the edge to the point where human input is no longer necessary in the production of original and emotive music?


In this article we hope to delve into the uses of AI and attempt to assess its impact on the world of film music in the future.



Cutting Costs


Much like other artificial intelligences, AI music comes with a plethora of benefits to the film and TV industries and, as is the case with most things these days, lowered costs are quite often seen as the most major implication AI can offer the film and TV industry.


For independent filmmakers with small budgets, AI allows the production to access professional sounding music for a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Possessing the ability to follow scenes and blend genres, AI has the capability to produce scores using references in inputs provided by the director and producers, much like a traditional composer, but at a fraction of the time and cost. Companies such as Netflix are already beginning to experiment with AI music for documentaries, and Indie filmmakers are seeing the benefits in films such as Zone Out.


This all sounds fantastic, so why are people remaining sceptical of these advancements?


Human Expression


To all those who appreciate and love music, there is one factor that cannot be overlooked. When was the last time music made you feel something? When did the music connect you to the characters and the story? This is what many believe will be the greatest challenge for AI to overcome, with many questioning if it will ever be possible for AI to come anywhere close to the level of expression human composers can evoke through their music.


To be able to communicate emotions through music, you first must feel the emotions yourself - this is why many composers and singer-songwriters often admit their best work originates from periods of great emotion, be this positive or negative. Similarly, AI can only disassemble and reconstruct music that has been written before, whereas humans possess the creativity to create new and exciting ideas from scratch. There is a distinct difference between blending two pre-existing genres or creating an entirely new genre from pure compositional knowledge, human expression, organic development and a healthy dose of creativity.


Additionally, the composer possesses a comprehensive knowledge of musical sounds, allowing them to experiment with unusual combinations in unlikely scenes, often producing some of the most iconic scores of all, such as the minimalist design of the soundtrack to Jaws when it was originally intended to be a John Williams epic score.

The human experience, in all its messy and chaotic glory is the driving force behind all art.
The human experience, in all its messy and chaotic glory is the driving force behind all art.

Imitation VS Innovation


The majority of AI music is produced using sound libraries, and although these are an industry standard these days, without a composer it is difficult to take a score to a live recording. The composer’s guidance and input is essential during the recording process, informing the conductor, sound technicians and subsequently the performers themselves, how each phrase should sound, down to the miniscule details of how to play each note, accidental and dynamic. Although originating in the composition, the expression of a piece is enhanced by these small details found in the direction of a live orchestra by those who wrote the music. 


Some other considerations include the legalities of who the music actually belongs to. As AI remains a relatively new phenomenon, laws and regulations are slow to keep up, leaving gray areas surrounding ownership of the music produced by AI.

The rise of AI raises profound philosophical and ethical questions around the nature of ownership and authorship when it comes to music creation.
The rise of AI raises profound philosophical and ethical questions around the nature of ownership and authorship when it comes to music creation.

Currently there is no solid information surrounding if the prompt creator, the programmer or the AI itself are the legal owner of the music. This can be problematic, particularly when attempting to sell the music after production, and in years to come when the ownership may be passed solely to one of the three individuals included in the creation process it will create complex and expensive legal consequences to those who do not hold the ownership or royalties to profit from the music.


The recent uptake of AI music will likely impact those at the beginning of their career over those more well established in the industry. Due to the particular usage of AI music in the Indie world, young composers are going to find it increasingly difficult to find beginning projects to build a portfolio from. Because of this, we need to get creative - if you are a student, get involved in student productions or seek them out, these are a fantastic way to work collaboratively on a film project to produce quality music.


Outside of student circles, the importance of a healthy network will become increasingly more important. It will be through the discussions and relationships you build with filmmakers that will encourage them to work with you instead of working with AI. Use some of the pointers in this article to convince them that your work surpasses anything AI could produce, and trust in your own ability to craft sounds that evoke memories and feelings in the listeners. 

In an increasingly technological world, human connection is more valuable than ever.
In an increasingly technological world, human connection is more valuable than ever.

Conclusion


At the end of the day, music and entertainment predates most things we consider normal today - including sliced bread! Music is an integral part of human expression and communication that will always persist, even if there is no audience. From the perspective of a composer, the uptake of AI can feel like you are being sidelined by the technology you once used to produce your first digital scores.


AI will prove a challenge to the music industry, with many years of regulations, testing and experimenting to go before we understand the true extent of the AI influence. However, we can ensure that we continue to champion quality music that in every way remains human, expressive and communicative with the audience. Working in collaboration with live ensembles, filmmakers and large corporations we can find a harmonious balance where composer and AI can exist in collaboration. We are confident that soon, there will be a movement to champion the wonderful abilities of traditional composition, and push back against the emerging AI world.

 

During the writing of this article we had a play with some AI music to see for ourselves what we could produce with these tools. Here are some of the prompts and examples that we managed to produce;


Prompt - compose an orchestral piece, make it epic.


Prompt - Orchestral, Cinematic, Epic, Dramatic, Energetic


Prompt - Orchestral, Cinematic, Epic, Dramatic, Nostalgic






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