Jerry Hartman, professor of communication

In his lecture, “Media Literacy: When the unreal is so real,” the 2022 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer considers the impact of innovative visual technology and its influence on the stories we tell and hear.

"JESUS WAS A REVOLUTIONARY in a religion steeped in tradition and hierarchy; he told stories about and for everyone. Looking at it from a media perspective, he was a content creator. I’ve always been interested in the intersection of technology and storytelling. During a Sabbatical in the spring of 2022, I researched and beta tested virtual production tools—including artificial intelligence (AI) for creating images.

Filmmaking is intersecting with game engine software that renders a virtual world based on real-time motion tracking feedback. This kind of virtual production allows a filmmaker to integrate natural human exploration of a virtual scene to pre-visualize, and then capture, the clips needed to create traditionally framed media. Disney’s “The Lion King” (2019) utilized this approach.

Virtual hybrid production is a related approach that utilizes a physical camera to capture in-camera visual effects. With this style of production, a virtual world is displayed in the background of a real-world scene. This allows you to create with a virtual 3D space, captured by real cinema camera with minimal or no editing later. The technology allows a filmmaker to move a real camera and see the virtual background scene react—redrawing the scene in real-time. Any foreground real object in the scene can have reflections of the virtual background for instant believability. Over half of the Disney’s “The Mandalorian” series (2019) was filmed utilizing this technology.

This style of filmmaking often crosses over with the use of AI tools for image creation and animation. My research led me to test some of the new natural language visual content creation AI tools. AI software can now generate photo realistic ‘new’ content that is difficult to discern as computer-generated. For instance, I prompted the DALL·E 2 Open AI software to generate photos of engineering professors in a laboratory. One hundred percent of those created images were male. When prompted to generate nursing professors in a classroom, 75% of the images were female. The AI system has embedded our historical bias within these professions that have tended to be dominated by a certain gender.

What can filmmakers (and other content creators) do to motivate needed social change? First, acknowledge that there is embedded bias. Second, know that media—even entertainment media—can motivate behavioral change. A study done by the Norman Lear Center found that viewers of the fiction film “Contagion” (2011)—which also had an uptick in viewers during Covid-19—had new knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Viewers understood more about how a virus spreads and mutates, were more likely to talk to friends and family about viruses, and were committed to washing their hands more frequently.

Many documentaries are now using virtual production technology to visually explain complex ideas or to interview subjects in locations where they may not be able to travel. As a proof of concept, I worked with Pastor Ron Hessel at Summit Northwest Ministries to film an interactive sermon. Using an ancient throne room and fast-food restaurant backgrounds, we were able to add a unique perspective of place in addition to duplicating characters to better share a story.

While technology has changed how visual stories are created and shared, media literacy hasn’t changed. I encourage anyone consuming media—that’s everyone!—to consider learning more about media literacy. Media literacy means that you take time to be a critical thinker. Take time to analyze, evaluate, and assess media as you encounter it. For a start, consider who made the media and for what purpose. Then consider how that information may impact the way you view content. Consider if you should share it or not.

Jesus, the content creator, told stories, parables. These were certainly not Aesop’s fables with a neatly wrapped up “here’s what this means”. I think if Jesus was on earth today he would be sharing stories as films. I encourage everyone to examine their own media consumption. I recommend that you watch a wide variety of content, examine why the media was created, and question the embedded values. Be a part of social change for the greater good.

Watch a full recording of Hartman’s lecture at wallawalla.edu/DFL