ARTIST: Peter Gabriel

CREATOR: Junie Lau

SONG: The Court (Dark-Side Mix) FROM i/o

Video info:

This music video serves as an exploratory journey into what life would be like if we were to alter a seemingly insignificant choice. It presents a critical reflection on the importance of truth and fairness, while also suggesting that the line between demons and angels in this world is not clearly defined.

The power of AI and stable diffusion lies in its ability to invite and transport Peter to any location, dressed in any fashion, and enable him to experience alternate realities that extend beyond the confines of the real world. This remarkable technology transcends the limitations of age, time, and space, offering an infinite realm of creative possibilities.

In bringing this story to life, I employed a diverse range of AI tools, including Stable Diffusion, DreamStudio, Kaiber, Deforum, ChatGPT, Midjourney, Dalle-2, and many others. Moving forward, my plan is to continue advancing this project by harnessing the latest AI tools.

As a director and production designer for several years, I have frequently encountered limitations in material resources and budget constraints when translating the surreal visuals from my imagination to the screen in traditional filmmaking. However, with the aid of AI technology, I can now swiftly bring to life all of my extraordinary, whimsical, and marvellous ideas, fostering a deep connection with audiences. I will continue to integrate storytelling techniques honed from my previous film productions with cutting-edge AI visual technology, embracing and experimenting with any unprecedented technological creations and communication mediums that may arise in the future, thereby crafting a new form of narrative in this era of hyper-modernism.

There is no denying that numerous technological advancements is evolving rapidly, resulting in profound transformations in our mindset and the infrastructure of traditional industries. We now find ourselves in a completely new world, characterized by panic, conflicts, wars, and challenges. However, amid the darkness, there is also hope shining like stars, guiding us towards a better future. As an artist, my ultimate goal is to infuse love, meaning, and compassionate care into the lives of individuals and the world at large. With eager anticipation and unwavering confidence, I am prepared to be one of the visionary architects embarking on this limitless and awe-inspiring journey. I see myself as a storyteller, contributing love and significance to this imminent new world.

In the future, I eagerly look forward to collaborating and engaging with creatives from diverse fields, collectively unlocking the endless possibilities of AI and creating captivating narratives that will mark the beginning of a new era, leaving an indelible mark on history.

I firmly believe that this is just the beginning of an extraordinary journey.

-Junie Lau

Song info:

The Court is a track taken from Peter Gabriel's album i/o, released on 1 December 2023. This is the Dark-Side Mix, by Tchad Blake.

Words and music by Peter Gabriel. Produced by Peter Gabriel.

Published by Real World Music Ltd. / Sony Music Publishing.

The Court began with a Cuban loop that I was playing around with on my keyboard. I’m an old drummer, so I still love to find a groove that makes me want to dance and then build ideas around it.

In the lyrics, the chorus refrain ‘the court will rise’ came early, and this free-form, impressionistic lyric around justice evolved around it. There’s a sense of urgency there. A lot of life is a struggle between order and chaos and in some senses the justice or legal system is something that we impose to try and bring some element of order to the chaos. That’s often abused, it’s often unfair and discriminatory but at the same time it’s probably an essential part of a civilised society. But we do need to think sometimes about how it is actually realised and employed and if justice could be applied.

-pg