Ninth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Visual Effects (VFX) in films have been meticulously crafted by skilled artists who painstakingly create and manipulate computer-generated imagery (CGI) to enhance the storytelling and visual aesthetics of a film. However, with the rise of AI, the landscape of VFX is undergoing a transformation. AI algorithms are now capable of generating realistic and complex visual effects, blurring the lines between human creativity and machine-generated content. In the light of this concern, this study seeks to discuss the broader implications of this paradigm shift in Hollywood films productions, to establish the intertextuality of the selected films, and to portray how the utilization of AI-VFX enhances or challenge viewers’ perceptual realism and reality. The study’s discourse is informed by Jean Baudrillard’s Simulacra and Simulation. The study employs the discourse analysis approach with emphasis on the critical discourse approach and the purposive sampling technique is used to select three Hollywood apocalyptic films from all apocalyptic films produced within 2013-2021. Hence, N = >111, n = 3. The selected Hollywood films (World War Z, Terminator: Dark Fate & Zack Synder’s Justice League) are synoptically discussed and the rhetorical tropes/modalities employed in the elaboration of the storylines are also critically analyzed. The expected outcomes of this study include a deeper understanding of the impact of AI-VFX on narrative constructions, and audience imagination/reception of Hollywood apocalyptic films. The findings will contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding the role of AI in the creative industries and shed light on the potential benefits/limitations of AI-VFX in films.