Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
A new Billy Joel documentary features an AI-generated version of the singer in his younger years.
The film – 1971: Billy Joel’s Lost Interview, directed by Adam Ripp – will premiere on the opening night of the Long Island Music Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) Music Documentary Film Festival on September 25.
The documentary features authentic audio from Joel’s interview on the That’s Interesting radio show following the release of Cold Spring Harbor, his first solo album, but also uses AI technology to show Joel as a 22-year-old.
In a press release, Tom Needham, executive director of the LIMEHOF Music Documentary Film Festival, said of the 20-minute film: “We are entering a new era in filmmaking, where emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are creating new possibilities for preserving and sharing stories from the past.
“We recognise that AI in entertainment is a topic that will generate discussion and different viewpoints, but this film demonstrates how technology, when used thoughtfully, can help us reconnect with important moments in music history. 1971: Billy Joel’s Lost Interview allows audiences to see a young Billy Joel before worldwide fame changed his life, and we hope people will experience it with curiosity and an open mind.”
Joel himself isn’t involved in the documentary, which comes after another unauthorised biopic sparked a legal response from the singer’s team.
According to Variety, the documentary, directed by John Ottman, was set to start filming this autumn.
But Joel’s spokesperson said in a statement: “Since 2021, the parties involved have been officially notified that they do not possess Billy Joel’s life rights and will not be able to secure the music rights required for this project.
“Billy Joel has not authorised or supported this project in any capacity, and any attempt to move forward without it would be both legally and professionally misguided.”
Ottman hit back: “The film is told from the perspective of Irwin Mazur, and we hold the exclusive life rights to Irwin Mazur. And the film neither depicts nor seeks to use any of Billy Joel’s original music because it takes place during his formative years performing cover songs with The Hassles and struggling to find his artistic identity.
“We don’t know who this rep is; but to characterise the project as ‘legally and professionally misguided’ does not accurately reflect the actual nature of the film or the rights underlying the production.
“The project is based on Irwin Mazur’s firsthand experiences and his legitimate right to tell his own life story and perspective surrounding the events depicted in the film.”
