In an era where technology is reshaping the global understanding of art, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a revolutionary tool to conduct film analysis in a digital humanities style. This presentation explores AI’s capacity to uncover previously unnoticed dimensions of film through data-driven analysis, offering insights that transcend traditional methods. My research on U.S. filmmaker Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time …in Hollywood demonstrates AI’s ability to reveal the director’s use of cinematic language. By using HUME AI to analyze actors' emotional expressions and Speak AI for sentiment analysis of the dialogue, along with examining elements like shot type, camera movement, theme and many more, I uncovered new and interesting insights into how filmmakers construct their narratives. Using data visualizations, AI can provide new perspectives on cinematic techniques such as Tarantino’s use of filmic beats to communicate and reinforce narrative ideas. Its growing relevance extends beyond national boundaries, benefiting scholars and critics worldwide by offering a new lens for studying global cinema. As AI continues to evolve, the shift toward a datafication of media looks forward to a future where human creativity and machine intelligence collaborate to shape the next chapters of film and media aesthetics. In short, AI is ushering us into an era where the study of art is becoming as rich and insightful as the art itself.

Authors:
Bryan Blakely, Southern Methodist University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Bryan Blakely is a Doctor of Liberal Studies student at Southern Methodist University. His interests include digital humanities and film analysis, with his current project exploring AI-driven data analysis of cinematic language.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

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