Oscar winner Sand dunes Production designer Patrice Vermette and David Grinspoon, an astrobiologist at the Planetary Science Institute, discussed exploring and building worlds, sci-fi and science at SXSW London on Tuesday.
Their dive into the intersection of science and storytelling ranged from imagining alien worlds to imagining the future of humanity.
Canadian Vermette won an Academy Award for Best Production Design for his film Sand Dunes: Part OneHe mentioned that to the audience early on Sand dunes 3starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Javier Bardem and Anya Taylor-Joy, hits theaters on December 18. But he didn’t provide any spoilers.
But artificial intelligence does not appear ready to play a major role in its future. “When it comes to the push for AI, I reject it,” Vermette shared during Tuesday’s event about his vision for using generative AI in his work.
“I feel more comfortable” analyzing storytelling needs and creating or recreating things through problem solving, he explained. Working with 3D models, for example, allows him to analyze designs and shapes to see “how the model interacts with the space and how I interact with it,” opening up the space to build a world through exploration, analysis, and understanding. “It’s just part of my job.”
Vermette shared that you can call his approach not method acting but “method design.” By comparison, he summarized the AI process this way: “Enter a prompt and [sound effect]”.
He also noted that he had “intensive scientific sessions” with Stephen Wolfram, the computer scientist and physicist who was a scientific advisor on Villeneuve’s project. Accessto brainstorm possible solutions to storytelling problems that creators were facing in the world of cinema, including the aliens they were creating.
Vermette also shared with the audience what she learned from the process of thinking through challenges to find the right solution for the world being created for each film. The lesson is simple: “Trust your instinct.”
Having extensive experience in science fiction, Vermette also shared his thoughts on time travel when discussing music. “It’s also the only real time travel machine, because the emotions come back” when you hear the music.
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