Val Kilmer was brought back to life, and now the phenomenon is talking in Finland as well

Screenshot from the trailer of the movie As Deep As The Grave from Youtube. Val Kilmer appears in the film after his death, as an AI version of himself. Picture: A Visionary Film

Last American actor who died in Val Kilmer seen in a role built with the help of artificial intelligence Coerte Voorheesin directed in a western film As Deep As The Grave. Kilmer appears in the film for an hour as a Catholic priest and a Native American spiritualist.

The first glimpse of the AI-created character was seen in April at the Cinemacon event in Las Vegas, where the film’s trailer was released. Val Kilmer was chosen for his role already five years before his death, but due to his deteriorating health, he hardly had time to act in it at all.

As Deep as the Grave is an indie film that took six years to produce, the schedule of which was slowed down by the lockdowns of the corona pandemic.

Kilmer’s artificial intelligence character is built on the basis of old recordings, photos and archive material. According to the filmmakers, the cooperation with the actor’s family was close, and the family supported the project. According to them, it is not about exploitation, but about respecting the will of the actor and the wishes of the family.

According to the director, the group also considered using another actor, but there was no possibility.

“We don’t have a budget. We’re not a big studio movie. So we had to come up with innovative ways to make it happen. And we realized that technology is for us,” Voorhees said. For Variety.

Reception has been contradictory. Some of the viewers have considered the digital return of artificial intelligence Kilmer as a touching tribute, but the trailer has also been commented more strongly on social media.

Some viewers described the AI-made character as “scary” and “disgusting” and questioned the ethics of the whole approach.

“Rest in peace means rest in peace,” one fan formulated his criticism.

Actors’ Union executive director Elina Kuusikon according to Val Kilmer’s case is part of a trend that is accelerating month by month. According to him, artificial intelligence has developed so far that synthetic characters are practically indistinguishable to the viewer from real performances.

That is why the union is rushing to reform the legislation dealing with artificial intelligence. Kuusikko reminds that the matter also affects both dead and living public figures. In addition to actors, artists, TV personalities and politicians are among the subjects of interest.

“I consider it really urgent,” says Kuusikko. “Legislation should be ready before this gets out of hand. It is also necessary for democracy.”

in Finland are only taking the first steps in the commercialization of digital actors, but in the United States the conversation is already heating up. In Hollywood, some of the top stars have taken a pragmatic or even enthusiastic approach to artificial intelligence.

Various contracts have done inter alia Bruce Willis, Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine. Also Laurence Olivierin, Judy Garlandin and James Deanin heirlooms have been active.

Instead, for example Morgan Freeman, Tom Hanks and Scarlett Johansson have taken a critical view of technology.

in Finland the use of artificial intelligence and related legal issues are currently being investigated by the Ministry of Education and Culture, and the investigation is scheduled to be completed in the fall. There is also a need to speed up the fact that there is no collective agreement in the AV industry, but everything is up to the actors’ personal agreement.

The legal status of the deceased is also unclear. Kuusikko reminds that videos made with artificial intelligence circulate on YouTube, including the president About Kekko and Spede from Pasase.

“I haven’t found legislation that could clearly prevent the use of the deceased,” he states.

According to the actors’ union’s point of view, it would be important in the new legislation, among other things, that material made without permission be quickly taken out of the public domain. According to Kuusiko, it currently has time to do a lot of damage online.

If artificial intelligence versions of dead Finnish actors are really starting to be made, iconic names are high on the list, such as Vesa‑Matti Loiri, Tauno palo and Lasse Pöysti.

And perhaps many actors who are currently alive.

In the end, the discussion boils down to a difficult question: can even relatives have the right to decide what kind of roles a person plays after his death?

“Who can decide for the deceased?” Six asks. “That sounds pretty scary.”