‘I didn’t expect to win’: How AI director Kwon Hansl turned pumpkins into prizes on the world stage

“One More Pumpkin” is acclaimed as the world’s first AI film with a distinctive plot and message. The film’s characters, such as the elderly couple who survived for 200 years, the skull-faced Grim Reaper and the haunted pumpkin, are elaborately generated by AI. The graphics are said to be superb compared to other similar films generated by AI.

Having majored in film at Chung-Ang University, Kwon keeps experimenting to see how far he can go with films using AI technology. Launching the startup Studio Freewillusion with two of his friends from the same college was part of such an endeavor. The studio has a patent for AI filmmaking. Once a video clip is uploaded, AI creates the relevant sound effects, such as the sound of footsteps or water. Ku Do-hyung, who co-founded the company with Kwon, was present at the interview and said, “Film is a genre of art that evolves with technologies. I want to keep working on technologies that can help the AI content industry.”

“One More Pumpkin” is based on a Korean sentiment yet incorporates Halloween culture, adding an exotic feeling to the story. Kwon said he completed the film in five days using AI technology.

“I believe AI is a breakthrough that enables you to get over the difficulties you may face during film production, such as limits on the production cost,” said Kwon during a recent interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily. “There will come a day when AI works on computer graphics [in films] by filling in for humans,” he added. Below are edited excerpts from the interview.

Q: Since when did you start dreaming about being a filmmaker?  
A: I loved writing and creating something new when I was little. I first made a short film with a camcorder with a 6-millimeter lens when I was a high school freshman. That’s how it started. I thought I could film anything if I majored in film.

How was the reality? 
Nothing was easy. Filmmaking wasn’t as easy as I initially expected because I didn’t have enough money. I also had to think of the interests of others when making films, so it made me consider AI technology. Since I produced “One More Pumpkin” with free AI tools, it cost me almost nothing.

Can you tell us some of the difficulties you’ve faced during the production of “One More Pumpkin?”  
It took a lot of time and patience. I had to type in details, such as the size of the angle and the right aperture for each scene, but the results didn’t come out as I wished. I wasn’t 100 percent content with the scenes created by AI, but I had to choose among the suggestions. It was a grueling procedure to type in all the details until I got what I wanted. The graphics generated by AI can look somewhat bizarre because they don’t express various emotions, unlike the graphics created by humans.

That’s what we intended. Unlike live-action films, we wanted to make the film look somewhat uncanny and uncomfortable.

The film is narrated in English and a pumpkin is used as a key element in the story. Can you elaborate on that?
I wanted to be recognized in the film scene. So, I thought the first place I had to be was in an international film festival because it is more open to AI films. AI is also adept at drawing Western cultural elements, such as Halloween. [When I submitted the film] I expected to win an award. I didn’t expect to win the grand prize, though.

What was the best thing that ever happened to you after winning the grand prize? 
I met Richard Taylor, the graphic designer for the “The Lord of the Rings” series (2001-03). We exchanged contact details and promised to meet up in New Zealand sometime in the future.

Do you think such big names in the film scene are interested in AI?  
AI is part of computer graphics. They seem to accept AI films as a kind of independent film genre.

Can AI replace humans?  
It’s nonsense. AI is nothing but a mere medium. I think there will be a time when people who know AI can gain the upper hand in the market. But before that, we must find a middle point regarding using AI. With free AI tools, you can’t draw a drop of blood. There needs to be a relevant standard when using AI. That’s because freedom of expression is restricted under strict censorship. Since I’m at the forefront of AI films on home soil, I feel pressure and responsibility at the same time, as I may have an influence on the ups and downs of this industry.

Your next project will be unveiled soon with more natural graphics compared to “One More Pumpkin” thanks to advanced technologies in AI. Is that right?  
Yes. When I was working on “One More Pumpkin,” I didn’t mind having errors and didn’t edit them out thinking that they would add kitsch elements to the movie, but now I’m preparing another AI movie with a more serious tone. I hope I can make a film by mixing AI technology with live-action later.

BY HWANG JEE-YOUNG [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr]