The Futurist Vision of Actor and Filmmaker Brit Marling
Nov 19, 2023
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Brit Marling, actor and filmmaker with a futuristic vision, discusses her new show, artificial intelligence in filmmaking, and her love for science fiction. She reflects on her unconventional path, meeting her collaborators, and the public outcry over the cancellation of 'The OA'. They also talk about the state of Hollywood, the power of collective action, and her directorial debut inspired by Krzysztof Kieślowski.
Brit Marling believes in the power of storytelling to challenge the status quo and inspire collective action.
The cancellation of 'The OA' showcased the power of collective authorship and how audiences can find hope and inspiration through their own creativity and collective action.
Marling raises concerns about the industrialization of storytelling, emphasizing the importance of preserving authenticity and humanity in the face of economies of scale and artificial intelligence.
Deep dives
Brit Marling's Passion for Challenging Stories and Collective Action
Brit Marling, writer, director, and actor, has spent the past 15 years telling daring and ambitious stories that reveal uncomfortable truths about our present society. Collaborating with Zal Batmanglij, she has explored themes such as capitalism, climate change, and the afterlife in projects like 'Another Earth' and the Netflix series 'The OA'. Their latest collaboration, 'A Murder at the End of the World', follows a Gen Z amateur detective trying to solve a crime at a remote retreat. Marling believes that stories have the power to challenge the status quo and inspire collective action, and she is inspired by the potential of people coming together to reimagine the world and create change.
The Impact of Collective Authorship in The OA
After the cancellation of 'The OA', a show beloved by millions, fans took to the internet to express their disappointment. They created a collective movement, posting videos of themselves performing the show's iconic movements and demonstrating their passion for the series. Brit Marling, co-creator of 'The OA', acknowledges the power of collective authorship and how the audience became authors of the story themselves. She sees this as a testament to the impact of storytelling and believes that audiences can find hope and inspiration through their own creativity and collective action.
The Challenges of Economies of Scale and AI in Storytelling
Marling raises concerns about the impact of economies of scale and artificial intelligence (AI) on storytelling. She believes that the current focus on scaling up and commodifying stories can result in an erosion of human elements and originality. AI, while offering potential advancements, also carries the risk of perpetuating existing biases and limiting creativity. Marling emphasizes the importance of resisting the industrialization of storytelling and preserving the authenticity and humanity that come from collective efforts and individual voices.
The Power of Collaborative Filmmaking
Marling expresses her unwavering belief in the power of collaborative filmmaking. She highlights the profound experiences that can arise from working together with a group of people towards a common goal, overcoming challenges, and finding kindness and perseverance in the face of adversity. Marling finds inspiration in the energy, inventiveness, and sense of unity that can be found on set, solidifying her passion for filmmaking and her faith in human potential.
Remaining Hopeful and Human in Challenging Times
Despite the current darkness and challenges in the world, Marling remains hopeful and places her trust in people and their ability to create change. She highlights the importance of maintaining individuality, collaboration, and humanity in the face of destructive forces. Marling believes that stories play a crucial role in this process, allowing individuals to change their perspectives and inspire collective action. She sees storytelling as a powerful tool to reimagine the world and build a sustainable future.
For more than a decade, actor and writer Brit Marling has made futuristic work that reveals truths about our disquieting present. Her latest endeavor, A Murder At the End of the World, is no exception.
We recently sat with Marling in front of a live audience as part of this year’s On Air Fest LA Annex, where we discussed her excellent new show on FX (8:34), the role artificial intelligence may play in the future of filmmaking (14:26), and where she first fell in love with science fiction (20:35). Then, Brit reflects on her winding path at Goldman Sachs and Georgetown (23:40), where she met longtime collaborators Zal Batmanglij and Mike Cahill (25:25) that would eventually result in films like Another Earth and Sound of My Voice (36:18).
On the back-half, we speak on the power of collective action (41:30), the public outcry that followed the cancellation of The OA (45:15), the state of Hollywood (51:12), and why Brit was inspired to direct (57:00) upon finding a passage from the late Polish auteur, Krzysztof Kieślowski (57:35).
You can listen to our 2019 conversation with Marling here.
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