Le documentaire « Endurance », diffusé sur Disney Plus à partir du 2 novembre, raconte l’expédition incroyable d’Ernest Shackleton en Antarctique de 1914 à 1917. Réalisé par Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin et Natalie Hewit, il utilise l’IA pour faire entendre la voix de Shackleton et de membres de son équipage à travers leurs écrits. Le film mêle reconstitutions modernes, archives historiques et technologie d’IA pour offrir une expérience immersive, tout en explorant les thèmes de la survie et du leadership.
Chai Vasarhelyi, an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, is adept at weaving compelling narratives.
Her work on films like Free Solo, which chronicles American climber Alex Honnold’s ascent of El Capitan without safety gear, and Nyad, detailing elite swimmer Diana Nyad’s relentless 100-mile swim from Cuba to Florida, showcases profound explorations of the human spirit.
Both films highlight individuals who confront and conquer seemingly insurmountable challenges. This fascination with resilience drew Vasarhelyi and her husband, fellow award-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin, to the riveting tale of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his remarkable 1914-1917 expedition to Antarctica aboard the Endurance. They aimed to intertwine Shackleton’s tale with that of a modern crew, supported by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust, who embarked in an icebreaker in early 2022 to find Shackleton’s ship, long entombed beneath the ice. Vasarhelyi emphasizes the importance of innovative storytelling techniques to represent the narratives of these grand adventures.
« I’ve always been captivated by the Shackleton saga; it’s one of the ultimate survival tales, » Vasarhelyi explained in a recent interview. « But with so many exceptional films about it, how could we approach it in 2024? »
Their innovative response was to harness advanced generative AI tools to vocalize the personal diaries, letters, and other writings of Shackleton and his crew, who endured over 750 days of survival after the Endurance was trapped and ultimately vanished beneath the icy Weddell Sea, far from civilization. Shackleton’s significant setbacks transformed into lessons in leadership as he ensured the survival of his crew under harsh conditions, excluding the expedition’s dogs and a cat named Mrs. Chippy.
In the upcoming National Geographic documentary, Endurance, premiering on Disney Plus on November 2, Vasarhelyi, Chin, and filmmaker Natalie Hewit utilized AI to bring Shackleton and six crew members back to life through their written accounts decades after their passing. They chose to implement AI voice-overs exclusively for crew members with archival audio interviews, a pioneering move in working with such old recordings. The voice-overs, developed using software from Ukrainian company Respeecher, complement re-enactments of the expedition, alongside original footage and photographs saved from the ship by the official photographer Frank Hurley.
The filmmakers aimed to immerse viewers in Shackleton’s expedition, making them feel as if they were present while the crew abandoned the ship, constructed a camp on the ice, traversed frozen landscapes, and navigated treacherous seas.
Having viewed the film, I can attest to their effectiveness in transporting audiences on that extraordinary journey.
The re-enactments took place across California and Iceland, utilizing glaciers and replica boats in genuine icy conditions. They collaborated with Burberry to create authentic replicas of the suits worn by Shackleton’s crew, using the original designs and materials. Additionally, the filmmakers were permitted to add color enhancements to Hurley’s archival visuals and match the hues of the original suits, following approval from the British Film Institute, which typically prohibits alterations to historical records.
Despite common concerns among filmmakers regarding the potential misuse of AI in creative processes, Vasarhelyi understands its responsible application can enhance storytelling.
« It is crucial for us to regulate and educate ourselves about these tools, and I believe our guilds are right in striving to safeguard our creative rights, » she remarked, referencing recent contracts surrounding AI use negotiated between creatives and Hollywood studios.
« This showcases how AI tools can be employed to enhance documentary filmmaking, » she added.
« When I saw the final version of this film, with its sound design and restored archival footage, I thought, ‘It’s astonishing—we’re viewing real footage filmed 110 years ago in one of the most isolated places on the planet.’”
La cinéaste gagnante d’un Oscar, Chai Vasarhelyi, excelle dans l’art de raconter des histoires captivantes.
Ses films, tels que Free Solo, qui retrace l’ascension du grimpeur américain Alex Honnold à El Capitan sans équipement de sécurité, et Nyad, qui raconte la lutte de la nageuse d’élite Diana Nyad pour réaliser un parcours ininterrompu de 100 miles entre Cuba et la Floride, mettent en avant de profondes explorations de l’esprit humain.
Ces œuvres célèbrent des personnes surmontant des défis apparemment insurmontables. C’est cette fascination pour