Renowned indie filmmaker Hooroo Jackson unveiled the groundbreaking A.I. feature film, "Window Seat," marking a bold departure from traditional filmmaking. At 61 minutes in length, this is the first feature film entirely generated with Artificial Intelligence (A.I.).
"Window Seat" tells the gripping story of a man who discovers his high school bully aboard the same plane, leading to a psychological battle 30,000 feet in the sky.
Things escalate when the protagonist, Thom, the co-founder of a popular tech platform, is thrust into a national scandal for his internet past. The bully, hearing everything from his seat, begins to torment him completely.
This tragi-comedy draws inspiration from the works of David Mamet, intertwined with the dark artistry of filmmakers like Aronofsky, Fincher, and Kubrick.
Hooroo Jackson explains, "You will quickly forget it's A.I., and even the most skeptical viewers were hooked within a few minutes."
The journey began in June when Hooroo recreated the Titan OceanGate implosion entirely with A.I.
"Why it works is because, for a moment, we were all outraged about the exact same thing. There was no nuance; art is not always so easy."
The short film gained rapid popularity, leading to calls for a full-length A.I.-generated feature film.
"I never had that much encouragement before. So, I tackled Window Seat, partly due to its single airplane setting."
The film's production exclusively used A.I. tools like the runway video generator and elevanlabs for dialogue. "I was constantly surprised at what was possible. Every limitation of A.I. was figured out by silent film masters over a century ago. There are no limits."
"The biggest accomplishment of the film, though, is the performances. You will hardly believe there's not a single human voice in the movie."
Hooroo Jackson reflects on the film's efficiency, stating, "While colossal productions like 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' may take years and cost hundreds of millions, 'Window Seat' stands tall at a mere $190 budget and was completed in just 23 days by one person. And you know what? I think a lot of people will say my film was better."
The film encountered challenges during production.
"I was trying to skirt around lip-synch until I realized you have to generate video until there is lip movement. Sometimes it would take fifty takes just to get their lips moving for one line."
The A.I. itself posed occasional comical challenges.
"There is a scene where a character walks through a museum of dinosaur bones. During a shot, one of the dinosaurs in the background just walks right off."
"Window Seat" is a timely and disruptive film in an industry currently in a state of revolt. "It is just the right time, and I'm glad the film is out. It's the exact kind of film everyone says is not made anymore, and it's a self-aware film that knows its place in the moment."
"A.I. filmmaking is here now. People do not realize we have the post-war New Wave times one thousand," adds Jackson. "The time has begun."
The OceanGate Titan A.I. short film
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBkZoLiUdrQ
Trailer for Window Seat
Trailer source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjzf6UvMo4Q
Window Seat is currently available on GumRoad with a pay-what-you-want model, and formal distribution is being explored:
https://hooroojackson.gumroad.com/l/hooroo
About Hooroo Jackson
Hooroo Jackson is an award-winning filmmaker celebrated for his visual artistry. His first film, "Aimy in a Cage," garnered critical acclaim and the prestigious Director's Prize at the Portland Film Festival in 2015. With "Window Seat," Jackson continues to push the boundaries of cinema, creating a landmark film entirely generated with A.I. technology.
