Archival Producers Alliance Open Letter

During the negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA), Hollywood’s adoption of artificial intelligence sparked discussions about its implications for the future of the entertainment industry. Simultaneously, a cohort of documentarians is shining a spotlight on the utilization of relational AI in non-fiction filmmaking, particularly concerning archival endeavors.

The recently established Archival Producers Alliance issued a statement emphasizing the necessity for the industry to establish guidelines in response to this emerging technology to maintain trust with their audience. Comprising over 100 filmmakers, including renowned Emmy and Oscar-winning professionals with extensive experience in collaborating with major studios and streaming platforms, the Alliance aims to address the ethical dilemmas arising in the realm of non-fiction production due to the surge in the market catalyzed by the proliferation of streaming services.

One of the primary concerns raised by the Alliance pertains to the ethical implications of employing relational artificial intelligence within the medical community. Led by industry stalwarts like Stephanie Jenkins from Florentine Films (Muhammad Ali), Rachel Antell, and Jennifer Petrucelli from Sub-Basic Archival (In the Shadow of Everest, Ahead of the Curve), the group advocates for enhanced transparency and best practices in the use of generative AI.

The Alliance’s plea for industry-wide standards is underscored by instances where relational AI has been misused, such as fabricating magazine articles, headlines, and historical artifacts without proper attribution. The misuse of AI-generated “historical” imagery, instead of authentic sources where feasible, has raised concerns about the integrity of non-fiction storytelling and its impact on historical accuracy.

Moreover, the Alliance highlights the risk of perpetuating misinformation and distorting historical records when AI-generated content, presented as authentic in one production, proliferates across various platforms unchecked. The focus extends beyond the mere utilization of synthetic intelligence in documentaries to encompass generative AI (GAI) applications, particularly in the creation of new visual and auditory content. Instances like the controversial use of AI to replicate the voice of the late Anthony Bourdain in the documentary Roadrunner underscore the urgency for setting industry standards.

In conclusion, the Archival Producers Alliance stresses the imperative for the film community to lead by example, advocating for transparency, accountability, and adherence to best practices in leveraging evolving technologies. By preserving the authenticity and integrity of historical narratives, the Alliance aims to safeguard the credibility of the non-fiction genre and nurture a relationship of trust with audiences.

Signed,

Rachel Antell: Sub-Floor Archival Producer
Jennifer Petrucelli: Sub-Basilarchival Archival Developer
Stephanie Jenkins: Joan of Archive, Florentine Films, and Archival Producer
Prue Arndt: Independent Archive Producer
Lizzy MCGlynn: Freelance Archival Producer
Kenn Rabin: Fulcrum Media Services’ Archival and Documentary Producers
Rich Remsberg: Freelance Archival Producer
Sheila Maniar: Freelance Archival Producer Documentary Producer
Christine Fall: Freelance Archival Producer
Clare Smith Marash: Freelance director
Eugen Bräunig: Macrofilm, Documentary, and Archival Producer
Emmy Scharlatt: Esme Films’ Archive Producer and Director
Matt McDonald: Triple Threat Television Archival Producer / McUsbay Media
Akia Thorpe: Florentine Films Documentary Producer
Arsh Harjani: Vox Media Archival Producer
Celia Aniskovich: Dial Tone Films, Archival Producer, Director, Producer
Mika Holliday Lentz: Freelance Archival Producer, Documentary Producer
Melissa Jacobson: Freelance Video and Archive Manufacturer
Jillian Bergman: Freelance Archival Producer
Megan Robertson: Documentary and Archival Producer at FXR Films, LLC
Andrew Mayz: Freelance Archival Producer, Director, Producer
Emily Harrold: Apograph Productions, Archival Producer, and Documentary Filmmaker
Chi-Young Park: Freelance Producer, Archival Producer
Elizabeth Losick: Freelance Archival Producer
Heather Wilson: Archival Ninjas’ Archive Producer
Carrie Nelson: McGee Media Archival Producer
Mary Abramson: Freelance Archival Producer
Lauren Wimbush: Freelance Archival Producer- Documentary Filmmaker
Noah Weitzman: Freelance Archival Producer
Avery Fox: Freelance Archival Producer
Sascha Weiss: Freelance Video and Archive Maker
Frauke Levin: Freelance Archival Producer
Rachael Morrison: Freelance Archival Producer
Ben Cooper: Freelance Archival Producer
Vanessa Maruskin: Freelance Archival Producer- Story Producer
Emily Schkolnick: Freelance Archival Producer, Documentary Producer
Cara Fitts: Macrofilm Archival Producer
John Haptas: Stylo Films’ Documentary Filmmaker
Kristine Samuelson: Stylo Films’ Documentary Filmmaker
Nick Tyson: Documentary Filmmaker, Archival Producer, and Freelance
Jeff Dye: Freelance Archival Producer and Documentary Producer
Mary Antinozzi Soule: Freelance Archival Producer
Ray Segal: Producer of Archival Content- SegalePix
Amy Brillhart: Freelance Archival Producer
Mattie Hyperbole: Freelance Archival Producer
Nick Gilbert: Freelance Archive Producer
Kevin Bay: Freelance Archive Producer, Documentary Filmmaker
Brian Becker: Freelance Archival Producer/Filmmaker
Rob Garver: 29Pictures LLC, Director, and Archive Maker
Natalie Shmuel: Freelance Archival Producer
Meaghan Kelley: Freelance Archival Producer
Judson Wells: Freelance Archival Producer
Elizabeth Klinck: Archive Producer- E. Klinck Research
Jacqui Edwards: Freelance Archive Producer
Paul Dallas: Independent Producer- Archival Producer
Katie McGrath: Freelance Archive Producer
Victoria Evans: Freelance Archive Producer
Joe Siegal: Florentine Films Assistant Editor
Margaret Lee: Freelance Archives Producer and Assistant Editor
Hannah Shepard: Freelance Archival Producer
Madeline King: Freelance Archival Producer
Michelle Adler: Freelance Archival Producer
Madeleine Lawrence: Freelance Archival Producer
Johanna Schiller: Freelance Archival Producer
Jo Stones: Freelance Archive Producer
Gabriella Gallus: Freelance Archival Producer
Rosemary Rotondi: Freelance Archival Producer
Hilary McHone: Freelance Archival Producer
Solomon Polshek: Freelance Archival Producer
Lea Donovan: Freelancer, Archive Manufacturer, and Rights and Clearances Consultant
Katy Jones Garrity: Archival Producer- Cabbage Leaf Pictures
Willy Fines: Freelance Archival Producer
Julia Squilla: Storyteller, Archival Producer, and Freelance
Melissa Saucedo: Freelance Archival Producer, Editor
Christina D. Bartson: Freelance Archival Producer
Kate Sangway: Freelance Archival Producer
Max Segal: Freelance Archival Producer, Rights & Clearances Consultant
Peter Goldberg: Freelance Archival Producer
Chloe Kurabi: Archival Researcher- Freelancing, Archives AP
Michelle Moy: Independent Filmmaker/Documentary Maker
Debra McClutchy: Freelance Documentarian, Archive Maker, and Director
Olivia Hamilton: Archival Researcher- Freelancing, Archives AP
Jameka Autry: Freelance Documentarian, Archive Maker, and Director
Rachel Z. Stern: Freelance Archival Producer
Jennifer Troyer: Freelance Archival Producer
Helen Dobrowski: Archival Manufacturer, Documentarian, and Freelancer
Catalina Curbishley Esnaola: Freelance Archive Researcher
Laura Tusi: Freelance Archival Producer & Researcher
Michael Pickett: Freelance Archival Producer
Olivia Di Poi: Macrofilm Archival Producer
Kiersten Leigh Johnson: Freelance Archival Producer and Researcher
Rochelle Widdowson: Freelance Producer, Library Producer, and Columnist
Gregor Murbach: Freelance Archive Producer
Tiffany Hagger: Freelance Archival Producer and Researcher
Kate Owen: Freelance Archive Producer
Stuart Brown: Freelance Archive Producer
Elijah Stevens: Freelance Archival Producer, Documentary Producer
Sarah Katz: Katz Tale Media, Archival Producer, and Documentary Producer
Laura Coxson: Freelance Video and Archive Manufacturer
Wyatt Stone: Freelance Archival Producer & Researcher
Susan Johnson: Freelance Archival Producer & Researcher
Katy Haas: Documentary Filmmaker, Archival Producer, and Freelance
James Heath: Freelance Archive Producer
Josh Margolis: Freelance Director, Archive Producer
Rachel O’Connor Thompson: Freelance Archive Producer
Alessia Petitto: Freelance Archive Producer & Researcher
Tirzah Brott: Freelance Archival Producer & Researcher
Lucas Frank: Producer- Speedboat Mountain Films
Sabrina Worth: Freelance Archival Producer
Manon Blackman: Freelance Archival and Documentary Producer
Zo Kase: Freelance Archival Producer, Researcher, Associate Producer
Michele Ngo: Freelance Producer
Lisa Bell Weisdorf: Freelance Archival Producer & Researcher
Magda Gora: Freelance Producer, Archival Producer
Michele Etcheberry: Researcher, Archival Associate Producer, and Freelance
Maggie Oakley: Freelance Archival Producer
Shawna Brakefield-Haase: Producer, Archival, and Producer of Films for The Brackefield Corporation
Libby Kreutz: Freelance Archival Producer
Allison Ferner: ADF Films, Inc.’s Archival Producer
Martina Maio: Freelance Archival Producer
Alessandra Bellizia: Freelance Archival and Documentary Producer
Maggie Jay Mellor: Freelance Archival Producer
Claudia Lopez: Freelance Video and Archive Manufacturer
Natasha Sharapova: Freelance, Director, and Archive Maker
Stephen Sowers: Independent Filmmaker and Archive Manufacturer
Kevina Tidwell: Brooklyn Public Library’s Archive Maker, Librarian, and Freelancer
Hillary Dann: Freelance Archival Producer
Amory Davis: Freelance Archival Producer
Tim McAleer: Florentine Films Producer
Jackie Clary: Freelance Archive Producer
Cornelia Schnall: Freelance Archival Producer & Researcher
Judy Aley: Freelance Archival Producer
Clark Burnett: Florentine Films Associate Producer