The Flux Festival, which began on Thursday and will conclude on Saturday, has given students an opportunity to learn about art and technology through screenings, talks, exhibits and performances. The event is presented by Media Arts + Practice, Flux, Logan, and AI for Media & Storytelling (AIMS), an organization committed to experimenting with the power of artificial intelligence for media and storytelling.
“I encourage attendees to dive into as many aspects of the festival as possible — explore the screenings, main stage talks, art installations, and conversations with an open mind,” said Jonathan Wells, Flux Festival co-curator. “The festival is designed to spark creativity and collaboration, so take every opportunity to meet and engage with the artists and fellow attendees.”
The event’s main page describes Flux Festival as “a festival of creativity showcasing bold innovations in moving image and sound as artists experiment with emerging tools and technologies. Flux Festival presents an unparalleled snapshot of the global creative zeitgeist presented through a thoughtfully curated program of screenings, talks, sensory exhibits, hands-on workshops, and performances.”
“What excites me most about Flux Festival is our diverse lineup of films, installations, and conversations that encourage creative risk-taking,” said Meg Wells, Flux Festival co-curator. “Over the years, we’ve hosted countless film screenings in cinemas…bringing together visionary artists from different disciplines in one space creates a unique energy, and I can’t wait to hear how each of them is using technology in their craft.”
Static in Bloom
Static in Bloom began the festivities on Thursday, where students from USC showcased their art for audiences. The exhibition had an emphasis on the impact of AI on making art.
When: November 21, 2024, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Where: School of Cinematic Arts
The Art of AI Cinema
Students who attended The Art of AI Cinema were able to watch various short films made by students and creatives. A conversation with the filmmakers immediately followed the various screenings. There was a discussion about the use of AI in cinematography and filmmaking.
74% of artists say that they believe AI artwork to be unethical, while there are greater conversations of the benefits of using this form of intelligence. The vast AI image market is also projected to be worth over nearly a billion by 2030 globally, a 254% increase from 2022.
When: November 21, 2024, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: School of Cinematic Arts
Flux Conversation: AI Beyond the Screen
Friday’s events began with Flux Conversation: AI Beyond the Screen where Souki Mansoor, a former nonfiction filmmaker who now serves as Sora Artist Manager of Open AI, led a conversation on using AI for storytelling. Her work at Sora involves using the AI model which creates scenes based solely on text instructions.
When: November 22, 2024, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Where: Online
Flux Conversations: Art With a Nervous System
Flux Conversations: Art With a Nervous System immediately followed Mansoor’s online discussion. Jesse Damiani, adjunct professor at USC’s Media Arts and Practice, hosted a conversation centering on new media and game design. Carrie Chen, an adjunct professor at USC School of Cinematic Arts joined Damiani in discussing the implications of the current digital landscape.
When: November 22, 2024, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Where: Online
Flux Conversation: Looking Backward, Looking Forward
Nico Cassavecchia led a conversation with filmmakers during Flux Conversation: Looking Backward, Looking Forward. Casavecchia is an Emmy nominated Argentine director and filmmaker who has directed narrative pieces for many well known brands. He and his panel spoke about radical paradigm shifts in the past and how it affects the future.
When: November 22, 2024, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Where: Online
Flux Workshop: Creating Real-Time Cinema
The last event on Friday was Flux Workshop: Creating Real-Time Cinema. Students and attendees were taught by Kevin Peter He, a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. He introduced attendees on how to use game engines to produce live cinema.
When: November 22, 2024, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Where: Robert Zemeckis Center
Flux Festival Showcase
Conclude the three-day festival at the Flux Festival Showcase with a jam packed day of performances, screenings, presentations, a gallery exhibition, bookstore, and immersive experiences. There will be audiovisual performances by Jake Oleson, Kevin Peter He and Nosaj Thing.
When: November 23, 2024, 1:00 - 11:00 p.m. Where: Audrey Irmas Pavilion
The USC community can use the code AIMS 2024 at checkout to access the event for free.
RSVP here for the full day.RSVP here for just the evening AV performances.