Plottwist+ : The future of Streaming Through AI

This project explores the divergence between generative AI and cultural representation through film media. Through the use of generative AI, various “customized” versions of existing well-known films were generated and curated onto a speculative streaming platform, modeled after existing streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, MAX, etc. The trailers were created using Chat GPT prompting, Midjourney, and Runwayml. This project aims to explore what cultural and other forms of representation will look like moving forward as AI technology becomes increasingly advanced, questions of misrepresentation and underrepresentation have the possibility of becoming less prevalent as each individual can cater what they are watching to their personal preference.

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Abstract

Plottwist+ aims to explore the divergence between generative AI and issues of cultural and other forms of representation in film media. Through the usse of generative AI, various “customized” versions of existing well-known films were generated and curated onto the speculative streaming service named “Plottwist+”. The issue of misrepresentation or lack of representation of minority groups in media was one I felt was important to explore and learn how the emerging technology of generative AI could work to lessen these issues through the ability to personally customize what you are viewing. The aim of the project is for the users to get a glimpse into what direction these new emerging technologies are going in regards to use within media and speculate some of the possible ways in which they could be used to mitigate long standing issues, like misrepresentation or lack of representation as a whole. The project Plottwist+ is a speculative design for a streaming service that could become reality a few years down the line with the increased use and sophistication of generative AI technologies. It is loosely modeled after existing streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max with the main difference being within each film option there are three different “customizable” options that present the film in an alternative way, with different aspects in each. This project is just a speculative version of what the technology may look like moving forward so the ability to actively customize is not currently available to the user, instead, pre customized versions made using generative AI are set for each film so that the user can get a general idea of what the ability to customize media through the use of AI would look like. The trailers were created using Chat GPT prompting, Midjourney, and Runwayml. The user interface is modeled after existing streaming platforms and uses a simple design to ease user experience, limiting the number of clicks needed to navigate to different pages on the website. The website itself, titled, plottwiststreaming.com, consists of three main pages and around 18 sub pages. The three main pages being the home page, the movies page, and the info page. Those three pages house the most crucial information about the project. The 18 sub pages are home to the 3 variants of each of the 18 movies selected for AI trailer generation. Each of the 18 well known films have three variants each trailer being around a minute long to provide a glimpse into what the potential film would look like. The implications made by the speculation of integrating generative AI into mainstream media opens the conversation on what cultural representation will look like moving forward. If users have the ability to fully tailor what they are watching to fit what they would like to see, the issues we see in the media industry today surrounding representation could be lessened or even eliminated. There is of course, the potential for negative use, as is present with all emerging technologies. This concern is something to mitigate, as the technology becomes more prevalent in the mainstream. Overall, the capacity for generative AI to streamline the movement of representation on-screen is one of great potential and if continued in this manner, positive changes can be seen in the media industry in the near future.

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