Exploratory Research on the Migration of Auteurs' Cinematic Aesthetic Styles in AI-generated Short Films

Abstract: This study investigates the migration of the author-director’s visual aesthetic style within the context of AI-generated short films. It observes that prominent auteurs are actively negotiating the tension between inherited cinematic traditions and their own expressive impulses, as well as the intersection between their practical filmmaking experience and the algorithmic logic of AI-generated imagery and creative inspiration. Based on the technical logic of keyword-driven creation, it explores the evolution of directors’ narrative approaches, the aesthetic framework of AI-generated visual art, and the broader implications for artistic reflection. Furthermore, it investigates the transformation of aesthetic standards, the challenges of intelligent visual representation, and the expanded expressive potential of contemporary image-making practices. The structure of this research is divided into several key sections. The first part examines the current applications and developmental challenges associated with the migration of auteurs’ visual aesthetic styles in AI-assisted filmmaking. It emphasizes the narrative efficiency and emotional expressiveness achieved through audio-visual language in the directors’ prior works, while exploring how the fictional nature of AI-generated imagery can evoke a sense of realism that resonates with the audience’s lived experiences. The second to fourth parts offer in-depth analyses of AI short film experiments conducted by Jia Zhangke, Li Shaohong, and Yu Baimei, respectively. These analyses are approached from multiple perspectives, including the logic of AI keyword generation, the construction and symbolism of audio-visual language, and the articulation of the director’s creative intentions. The discussion centers on the methods and outcomes of visual aesthetic style migration within these works, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolving relationship between human creativity and AI-assisted artistic expression.

Keywords: AI-generated Short Films, Auteurs, Migration of Cinematic Aesthetic Styles, Jia Zhangke, Li Shaohong, Yu Bai mei

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007138

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