It is completed and slated for you to see beginning on Valentine's Day. A love story? Okay, you could say that. First however, "Slow Burn" is a pioneering effort by moviemaker B. Harrison Smith. This is the first ever feature film starring a Hollywood horror icon. In other words...real movie people made it, not some schmuck like me using Grok. Lauren-Marie Taylor ("Friday the 13th Part 2") is very prominent in this film. What does a total AI film look like, when done well? In unscientific terms, within a few minutes you have forgotten you are watching an AI film and see what is on the screen the same way you watch terrific horror films.
The action lines regarding AI in moviemaking are vicious, though unfounded. You have heard them...no more human talent needed. SAG and other unions will be gone. 90% of Hollywood crews will be laid off. The human element in films will be down the drain. In all fairness, this last one already happens in a lot of films anyway. Now remember, we have had CGI for over 50 years and film crews still go to the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and Petra to film movies. B. Harrison Smith will tell you that his film "...challenges misconceptions about AI cinema, presenting the technology not as a shortcut but as a new artistic tool wielded with traditional filmmaking discipline."
More importantly, when schmucks like us see "Slow Burn," what do we see? Do we see a terrific horror film? Or, do we see jagged characters that kind of look natural, with a too smooth tone of the voice, and rhythmic blinking of the eyes every seven seconds? I've seen "Slow Burn." It is a terrific horror film...and I stress horror. Painstaking effort has been put into it to make sure the choppy amateur AI you may see on some YouTube channels is not what we have here. We have a damsel in great peril that is quite the babe...in fact she sort of has a young Denise Richards look. We have Michael, a good looking psycho-type, who displays uncomfortable narcissism and deviant social attributes. We meet Ms. Taylor's character, Donna. Donna runs a greenhouse and we like her but figure there is more to her character that just a friend of Michael's. A few minutes into the film you will put your magnifying glass away, which you hoped to find uneven lines, or mis-fallen shadows, and you will enjoy this work. The uneven lines and shadows that don't fall right have all been AI'd out of existence.
Michael, a college student, is awkward and not into having friends or social interaction. He is also obsessed with Riley, a dame out of his league. She dates the hunk Chad. Michael's obsession rules the day and now he takes aggressive action that does not go quite the way he planned...with very horrific and unnatural consequences. You'll see. You will enter Michael's fantasy world, and however alluring it is to Michael, will scare the pants off you. You will wince at Riley's fate. The beautiful will fall so helplessly to the evil, or so it will seem. What happens when evil eats evil? You'll see, and it won't give you the warm and fuzzies.
Mr. Smith advised me that "Unlike viral AI 'content,' Slow Burn was developed through a rigorous, production-driven process. Characters were designed, rendered, and built as consistent models, environments were constructed with continuity in mind, and scenes were executed with intentional camera language, blocking, and performance direction. Every frame reflects authored choices traditionally associated with live-action filmmaking." In other words, AI displaced no one. Writers, sound guys, continuity and set people, editors, etc. were still needed to create this film.
We should also mention more about Ms. Taylor...she is involved in this AI film as an actress and not a "digital asset." Her talents went to drawing out the character of Donna, enhancing Donna's humanity, and appropriately showing her fear, revulsion, and caring. If Mr. Smith, at any time, presented Donna as anything she wasn't, Ms. Taylor was there to correct him. This film collaborated with the actors and actresses, with no intention of replacing them. Lauren wanted to explore new creative avenues with AI,” Smith adds. “Because of our shared horror pedigrees, we saw this as an opportunity to send a message to the industry: AI doesn't have to erase actors, writers, or directors. Used correctly, it can enhance storytelling and expand what's possible.”
Mr. Smith adds, "Lauren wanted to explore new creative avenues with AI. Because of our shared horror pedigrees, we saw this as an opportunity to send a message to the industry: AI doesn't have to erase actors, writers, or directors. Used correctly, it can enhance storytelling and expand what's possible.”
Download RadTV now and get ready to watch "Slow Burn" in a couple of weeks. Be warned, this is a horror film with no humor and resting places. It builds in intensity, will make you uncomfortable, delve into the taboo, make you wince and avert your eyes, shriek at some jump scares, and shock you. Even if you are not interested in AI, you will want to see this horror film.
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