In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, producer of The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau, has expressed concern about deep fake technology. While Favreau is excited about the possibilities of being able to produce essentially any image and recreate any actor digitally, he is simultaneously aware that the technology could be used for negative purposes. One might imagine a terrorist organization producing a fake assassination video, or movie studios creating actors digitally to the point that no real actor’s face is necessary.
“You have a new technology available to you just as Mickey had the magic book that book allowed him to have the mops carry the buckets and do that work for him. And every technology is like that. And there are unintended consequences with new innovations if you don’t fully appreciate what these things are capable of. And I think in the case of Deepfake … It’s something that is available readily, it is a reminder that it might be used for purposes that are more misleading and more detrimental.” — Jon Favreau
It goes without saying that the deep fake technology is becoming more and more prevalent in the entertainment industry. My sources around the production of the final Indiana Jones movie have repeatedly said that the movie will rely heavily on CGI human facial generation. That movie may be so digitally altered that Harrison Ford’s CGI face will be over other actors more than Ford himself is featured in the movie. And even then, when he is featured on screen, it’s likely he will be altered digitally to de-age and improve his features.
How long will it be before most actors on screen are simply digital creations? Favreau certainly is thinking about this possibility. And we as a society should be thinking about it as well.