For three years, LMU's Innovation Symposium aims to foster the fusion of established ideas and practices with new and progressive technologies, and has previously focused on education and business pathways. This year's symposium focused on how the introduction of new concepts such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrencies can be leveraged to advance the entertainment industry.
Participants gathered at LMU's Playa Vista campus for the event on Friday, March 22nd. Panelists from entertainment companies such as Netflix, Roku, and United Talent Agency were in attendance to discuss their pioneering ideas. The mere existence of a technology like AI is a hotly debated topic, but the panelist and her LMU faculty urged attendees to consider its benefits.
“Today, as our panelists talk about innovation in this field, we are moving beyond our instinctive reactions to potential misuse and breaking new ground, increasing the capacity for human creativity and innovation, and liberating us all. We need to think creatively about the power of technology to help us develop new and important skill sets that we will all need as humans in this entirely new world,” said Dale, Dean of the College of Business Administration. – Dr. M. Smith said in a pre-recorded video closing remarks.
One of the panels was titled “Merging Technology and Storytelling” and was moderated by Justin Trevor Winters, assistant professor in the School of Film and Television (SFTV). Winters has been at the forefront of bringing artificial intelligence into the classroom, recently highlighted as a member of the university's LMU Ignite program. Starting in the fall 2024 semester, Mr. Winters will teach his SFTV course titled “Production and Screenwriting with AI.” This is the first attempt in this department.
Although the focus of the class is on creating content ideas and fleshing them out through loglines, pitches, and final scripts, Winters deploys AI to unleash students' creativity.
“We are focused on leveraging out-of-the-box technology to create better content,” Winters said. “We'll be using programs like his ChatGPT4 from his OpenAI…I personally see it as a writer's assistant or a researcher.”
Although there are many skeptics about AI, Winters believes that guidance on applying the technology is most important for those planning to enter the entertainment industry.
“Everyone in the studio is using this technology,” Winters said. “So for students to understand or at least have knowledge of what OpenAI is, what ChatGPT4 is, what Midjourney is, what Runway is, that’s a bigger asset to them when they graduate. It made it easier for me to find a job.”
This new course has the support of many faculty members across the film department, including SFTV Dean J.D. Joanne Moore. Mr. Moore also gave opening remarks at the symposium.
“This course represents a significant advancement in our mission to blend cutting-edge technology with creative storytelling,” Moore said in an email to Loyolan. “At LMU, we believe in preparing students for a future in industry where understanding and leveraging AI is key. We are not just embracing the future; we are is building.”
The symposium was held on the heels of the announcement of LMU's new graduate program, the Master's in Entertainment Leadership and Management, which injects business expertise into the entertainment industry. President Thomas Poon also stopped by the symposium to briefly address attendees and discuss the future of the program.
“When we launched this Playa Vista campus seven years ago, we knew we could bring together creative minds and entrepreneurial spirits, and the Master's degree in Entertainment Leadership and Management was a natural part of that evolution. I think it's the next step,” Poon said.
Symposium panelists included Matthew Snyder, MBA, president and co-founder of Block 3 Strategy Group and co-author of the 2023 book, The Warren Buffetts of the Web3 World . Near the end of the panel, Snider shared some insight into what he hopes for the future of Web3 technology.
“It was the '90s when you had to plug into your computer and go online and you heard music and thought, 'Oh, my mom's on the phone,' but that's basically what we're all about.” It’s the same situation,” Snyder said. . “It's very hard to onboard people, so getting more people interested and learning about it removes barriers to user experience, potentially driving up prices and giving you more power. You can get it.”
As in past years, this year's Innovation Symposium ultimately aims to push the boundaries of how new technologies can be applied to established fields, further elevating LMU's position as a university that aspires to innovate. It was.
“As we plan for the future and we offer this type of technology and incorporate it into our classrooms, we hope that we become a film school that students love to attend,” Winters said. said. “We want to be outstanding, we want to be the first to do it, and we want to move from a top five to a top film school in the conversation.”