Some have feared our world might turn into a dark Black Mirror episode due to our ever-evolving technology, and at times, abuse of the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
It now appears that the worry may not be completely irrational, as certain TV and movie viewers have spotted something many have said to be a “creepy” occurrence: computer-generated imagery (CGI) background actors.
A clip taken from a scene from the Disney+ film, Prom Pact, faced substantial criticism after going viral on TikTok.
Viewers noticed what seemed to be numerous CGI background extras enthusiastically cheering alongside human actors in a crowd.
A clip taken from a scene from the Disney+ film, Prom Pact raised concerns as it showed uncanny CGI actors in the background
Image credits: Caiden Reed | Ghostface-Doo
The excerpt was also shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), receiving over 16 million views from users who described the fake actors as “creepy.”
One viewer on X wrote, "These NPC (non-player character) demons are scarier than any horror movie I've ever seen."
Even those working within the entertainment sector expressed their dismay, with actor Patton Oswalt, famous for his role in King of Queens, voicing his concerns: "What in the ever-loving hell."
The circulation of this viral clip has ignited an online discussion regarding a matter that SAG-AFTRA has repetitively brought to studios and production bosses’ attention: the apprehension surrounding the potential replacement of human actors, particularly extras, by CGI and the utilization of AI.
The clip sparked debates regarding the use of AI in the entertainment industry
Image credits: Corey J. Wood
Reports have revealed that the movie was shot in 2022, when restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic where still being practised.
Ashley Nicole Black, an actor and writer known for her work on A Black Lady Sketch Show, told People: "The largest group in SAG is background actors.
“Some people call them extras, but they’re not extra; they're essential.
“Background actors work the longest hours for the least pay, and they are the ones who make the worlds we create on-screen feel real and lived in."
Image credits: Disney
According to Variety, SAG-AFTRA has been actively advocating to ensure that movie and TV studios seeking to employ 3D scanning technology on background actors for the purpose of using their likeness in other projects do so with consent and appropriate financial compensation.
Another issue that has been raised revolves around the replacement of actors from marginalized communities with CGIs, as the viral clip shows a majority of the fake extras appearing to be racially diverse.
As a result, viewers have said that AI may reduce the employment opportunities for actors from ethnic minorities, as studios may appear diverse without genuinely promoting diversity.
Kamil McFadden revealed he had only netted $2.77 from residuals
Image credits: The Hollywood Reporter
Disney has faced previous criticism for its insufficient inclusion of diverse actors.
Back in 2017, former Disney actress Zendaya openly challenged the network's "lack of diversity" while advocating for increased representation of black actors on her show, K.C. Undercover.
Many users further expressed their concerns, reminding others that background acting might disappear, while it has historically offered the opportunity for people to earn breakthrough gigs.
"Reminder that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were cast as extras before their big break,” a person wrote.
Many actors have come out with the poor pay they have received while working for entire seasons on TV shows
Image credits: The Hollywood Reporter
They added: “They've talked about how grateful they were for that and how it introduced them to people in the industry.
“AI generated extras is taking that away and is nothing but harmful to the industry."
Aine O Neill from ABC's The Rookie has come out on X to open up about her own groundbreaking experience as an extra, saying that the experience had advanced her career.
She wrote: “I started as a featured extra on The Rookie.
Despite the Hollywood writers' strike taking an end, actors have remained on strike
Image credits: TODAY
“I was there every day and eventually got asked to audition for a speaking role.
“This is how a lot of actors get their ‘break’ into the industry.
Hollywood’s striking writers represented by The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and production workers represented by The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a tentative agreement on 24 September.
Actors have come out in defense of the work of extras in movies
Following a lengthy 148 days of strike, the tentative agreement was declared a “victory”.
Hollywood writers’ demands that have been met included the use of artificial intelligence (AI) being completely barred from writing or rewriting literary material and generating source material.
According to Mashable, the deal also requested that no material covered by the contract be used to train AI.
Nevertheless, Hollywood actors have remained on strike.
As reported by Time, “striking actors voted to expand their walkout to include the lucrative video game market, a step that could put new pressure on Hollywood studios to make a deal with the performers who provide voices and stunts for games”.
During the summer, an online trend saw actors sharing the exact minimal sums of what they made from residuals of popular shows.
Among the 14 actors who exposed their modest earnings, Kamil McFadden revealed he had only netted $2.77 from residuals for his role as Ernie Cooper on K.C. Undercover.
Kimiko Glenn from Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black also posted a video showing she had only received $27.30 in overseas royalties in 2020 despite the show’s success.
Naturally, people bashed Disney's use of AI-generated extras
