Blue Planet III is keeping the rough edges in the age of AI
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What's this about?
BBC's Blue Planet III is looking to prove its authenticity by leaving in the less-than-perfect shots. Previous incarnations of the nature series were defined by their gorgeous, crystal-clear footage that seemed almost too good to be real. But one dead giveaway of AI is when things look too polished
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A dimly lit editing suite with a large monitor displaying grainy footage of a sea turtle tangled in plastic debris, surrounded by a team of editors reviewing the clip with furrowed brows and notes scattered around.
Caption: Authenticity: just another filter away.
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Based on the original story on theverge.com.
Editor's note
In an age where artificial perfection is becoming the norm, BBC's Blue Planet III chooses authenticity over artifice by including unpolished footage. This commitment to transparency ensures that the series remains a trustworthy window into the natural world, rather than a fabricated fantasy.
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Panel 1
(a) The subject of this story is Blue Planet III, a nature documentary series known for its pristine, beautifully shot footage of marine life. The irony is that to prove its authenticity, the series is now including less polished, imperfect shots, inverting the usual expectation that polished visuals are more convincing. (b) The real absurdity is that the documentary is fighting against the perception of artificiality by embracing imperfection, which is a reversal of conventional wisdom that high-quality, pristine visuals signal authenticity. (c) The highlight is the ironic statement that the documentary series is trying to prove its authenticity by leaving in the rough, imperfect footage, as if imperfection is the new hallmark of truth.
Panel 2
*Setting: A bustling production room with monitors showing different clips of Blue Planet III. There’s a producer at a desk, and a camera crew reviewing footage on a large screen. The monitor shows a perfectly clear shot of a pod of dolphins leaping out of the water in a picturesque scene.* Producer (looking skeptical)
Producer: This is just too pretty. How do we know it’s real?
Panel 3
*Setting: The same room, but the monitor now shows a more chaotic shot of a fish struggling in choppy waves, with bubbles and ripples visible in the foreground.* Producer (nodding thoughtfully) Camera Operator (scratching head)
Producer: This looks more authentic.
Camera Operator: What, because it’s messy?
Panel 4
*Setting: The room where the producer and camera operator are now reviewing the rough footage together. The producer is holding a stack of notes and pointing at the monitor showing the rough footage.* Producer (deadpan) Camera Operator (sighing)
Producer: Yes, messy is the new truth. We’re leaving in the imperfections to prove we’re not using AI.
Camera Operator: And here I thought clarity and beauty were supposed to make things look real.
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