Martin Scorsese has joined the German AI company Black Forest Labs as an adviser and began using its tools for storyboarding [1, 2].
The move by the 83-year-old director [1] signals a significant shift in how traditional cinema leaders view generative technology. While many in the industry have resisted AI due to labor and creative concerns, Scorsese's endorsement suggests a path toward integrating these tools into the pre-production process.
Scorsese said that cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old [2], and that filmmakers must remain open to how it can evolve [2]. By collaborating with the German startup, he aims to explore the potential of AI to expand the possibilities of storytelling [1, 2].
However, the partnership has sparked a divide within the film community. Some critics have described the collaboration as a stain on the industry [3]. Boots Riley said that Scorsese received a large sum of money for the partnership and expressed a lack of concern for the implications [3].
Despite the backlash, the director continues to advocate for technological evolution. He views the current shift not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a new set of tools for the cinematic craft [1, 2].
“Cinema is a young medium, only around 125 years old, so we have to open to how it can evolve.”
Scorsese's partnership with Black Forest Labs represents a pivotal moment in the tension between traditional artistry and generative AI. By adopting AI for storyboarding, a high-profile auteur is legitimizing the use of these tools in the conceptual phase of filmmaking. This may accelerate the adoption of AI in professional studios, even as labor disputes and ethical debates over AI-generated content persist in the broader industry.
