AI's Struggle with Noir: Capturing the Gritty Aesthetic with Imagen-v3
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Film noir, with its stark contrasts, shadowy figures, and gritty realism, has captivated audiences for decades. But can AI truly capture the essence of this iconic aesthetic? This blog post explores the challenges and successes of using AI to generate images with a film noir style. We’ll examine specific prompts and analyze the results, highlighting the areas where AI excels and where it struggles to truly capture the essence of noir.
Created with: imagen-v3
Lost in the Neon Shadows
A solitary figure, cloaked in mystery, navigates a rain-slicked alleyway bathed in the vibrant glow of neon signs. The interplay of light and shadow creates a sense of intrigue and danger, leaving you wondering what secrets lie hidden in the darkness.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Gritty, determined, melancholic ; A lone detective; medium shot; Heroism; A dimly lit alleyway with rain pouring down, neon signs reflecting in puddles.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A man in a trench coat and fedora walks down a dark, wet alleyway. Neon signs cast a colorful glow on the brick walls and puddles. The man is silhouetted against the light and rain, giving the scene a sense of mystery and danger.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : mysterious, dark, suspenseful
Quality
Entropy : 5.74
Noise : 99
Prompt Clip Score : 0.36
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.90
Image errors : The rain particles in the background appear somewhat repetitive and uniform. The lighting is consistent with a digitally generated image, though the scene itself is plausible.
Mystery in the Shadows
A lone figure races through a dimly lit, bustling street, their silhouette shrouded in darkness. The atmosphere is thick with suspense, leaving you wondering what secrets lie hidden in the shadows.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Suspenseful, mysterious, thrilling ; A shadowy figure escaping through a maze of narrow streets; long shot; Adventure; A bustling night market with flickering lanterns and crowded stalls.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A man runs down a dark, narrow street lined with shops and stalls. The street is dimly lit by lanterns and there are people sitting at tables outside some of the shops. The man is silhouetted against the light from the lanterns, making him difficult to see clearly.
Aesthetic Score : 0.6
Mood : dark, mysterious, suspenseful
Quality
Entropy : 5.68
Noise : 77
Prompt Clip Score : 0.29
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.10
Image errors : The image appears to have some minor noise and blurring, especially in the darker areas. The image also appears to have been somewhat artificially sharpened. The scene looks somewhat flat and not much depth of field.
The Hand That Holds Destiny
A dimly lit poker table, a hand clutching a winning hand, and the air thick with suspense. Will they fold, or will they raise the stakes? The mystery unfolds in this dramatic scene.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Intense, suspenseful, dangerous ; A gambler’s hand holding a pair of aces; close-up; Gaming; A smoky, dimly lit casino with flashing lights and the sound of slot machines.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A hand holding a winning poker hand (Ace, King and Jack) over a red felt table with poker chips. The scene is dimly lit with warm yellow lights in the background, creating a mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere.
Aesthetic Score : 0.6
Mood : suspenseful, dramatic, mysterious
Quality
Entropy : 5.75
Noise : 63
Prompt Clip Score : 0.30
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : The image has a slight blur in some areas, particularly in the background.
Lost in the Rain: A Classic Car’s Melancholy Journey
A classic car speeds down a deserted highway, its motion blur and the pouring rain creating a sense of isolation and nostalgia. A distant motel sign hints at a lonely destination, amplifying the melancholic mood of this evocative scene.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Lonely, melancholic, atmospheric ; A vintage car speeding through a deserted highway; wide shot; Tourism; A desolate, rain-soaked landscape with a lone motel in the distance.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A classic car drives down a lonely highway in the rain, with a motel sign in the distance.
Aesthetic Score : 0.75
Mood : melancholy, nostalgic, moody
Quality
Entropy : 6.67
Noise : 87
Prompt Clip Score : 0.36
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.10
Image errors : Slight blurriness, likely from motion blur intended by photographer.
Lost in the Neon Rain: A Woman’s Melancholy Journey Through a Futuristic City
A solitary figure, cloaked in a coat and beret, gazes out a train window at a sprawling, futuristic cityscape bathed in the cold glow of rain and neon. The stark contrast between the woman’s soft features and the harsh, unforgiving urban landscape evokes a sense of profound loneliness and isolation, painting a poignant picture of melancholy in a world of technological advancement.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Nostalgic, melancholic, introspective ; A woman looking out of a train window at a passing cityscape; medium shot; Travel; A dark, rainy cityscape with towering buildings and flickering streetlights.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A woman in a coat and beret is looking out a train window at a futuristic city skyline. The city is dark and rainy. The woman’s face is lit by the faint glow of the city lights.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : melancholy, lonely, futuristic
Quality
Entropy : 5.42
Noise : 76
Prompt Clip Score : 0.35
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.90
Image errors : The image has some slight blurriness, particularly in the city skyline. There are also some artifacts around the edges of the window frame.
A Family Huddled in the Shadows
A dimly lit room, a rustic setting, and a family huddled together. The atmosphere is tense, melancholic, and intimate, hinting at a possible struggle or difficult situation they are facing. The low light and composition create a sense of vulnerability and intimacy, adding to the dramatic effect.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Intimate, tense, claustrophobic ; A family huddled together in a dimly lit room; medium shot; Family; A cramped apartment with peeling paint and a flickering gas lamp.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A family, a mother, father and young daughter, sitting together in a dimly lit room. The room is rustic and appears to be an old, perhaps abandoned house. The father has his arm around the mother, while the daughter sits in front of them. There’s a lantern in the background providing the main source of light.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : tense, melancholic, intimate
Quality
Entropy : 6.15
Noise : 84
Prompt Clip Score : 0.28
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : No noticeable errors
Silhouetted in the Rain: A Mysterious Figure Watches the City
A man, cloaked in shadow and a fedora, stands silhouetted against a rain-streaked window. The cityscape behind him is a blur of lights, and the mood is heavy with mystery and suspense. The dramatic play of light and shadow creates a captivating image, leaving the viewer wondering what secrets this enigmatic figure holds.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Mysterious, brooding, contemplative ; A detective’s silhouette against a window, cigarette smoke swirling around him; low-angle shot; Heroism; A rain-soaked city street with neon signs reflecting in the puddles.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A man in a fedora and trench coat is silhouetted against a rainy city window at night. He is smoking a cigarette and looks out at the cityscape.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : dark, mysterious, suspenseful
Quality
Entropy : 4.71
Noise : 54
Prompt Clip Score : 0.34
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.90
Image errors : The image appears to have been digitally created, and some details, like the man’s face, are not very realistic.
Lost in the Shadows: A Moment of Mystery
A solitary figure, shrouded in darkness, clutches a book in a narrow alley. The dim lighting casts long shadows, creating a sense of suspense and intrigue. The focus on the hand holding the book draws the viewer into the mystery, leaving them to wonder what secrets lie within its pages.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Eerie, foreboding ; A hand, knuckles white, gripping a worn leather-bound book in a dimly lit, cobblestone alley.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A person is holding a book in a dark alley. The lighting is dim and the alley is narrow.
Aesthetic Score : 0.5
Mood : mysterious, suspenseful, dark
Quality
Entropy : 5.65
Noise : 71
Prompt Clip Score : 0.32
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.30
Image errors : The image is slightly blurry. Some noise is visible.
The Spin of Fate: A Close-Up Look at Roulette’s Mystery
A dramatic close-up of a roulette wheel in a luxurious casino setting, with a blurred figure in the background adding a layer of intrigue. The shallow depth of field draws you into the heart of the action, leaving you wondering what fate holds for the next spin.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Intense, suspenseful, unpredictable ; A roulette wheel spinning, the ball landing on a single number; close-up; Gaming; A dimly lit casino with the sound of chips clinking and people whispering.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A close-up shot of a roulette wheel in a casino, with a man in a suit out of focus in the background.
Aesthetic Score : 0.6
Mood : dramatic, suspenseful, luxurious
Quality
Entropy : 5.72
Noise : 57
Prompt Clip Score : 0.29
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.10
Image errors : The image has some slight blurriness, especially around the edges of the roulette wheel.
Lost in the Fog: A Solitary Journey to the Lighthouse
A melancholic scene unfolds as a lone figure walks towards a distant lighthouse, shrouded in a thick fog. The silhouette against the misty backdrop evokes a sense of mystery and isolation, while the crashing waves and receding perspective add to the dramatic effect. This image captures the essence of loneliness and the allure of the unknown.
Prompt
style-aesthetic Film noir: Lonely, melancholic, atmospheric ; A lone figure walking down a deserted pier, the ocean waves crashing against the pilings; long shot; Travel; A foggy, desolate coastline with a lighthouse in the distance.; cinematic
Characteristic
Shot : A person walks down a pier towards a lighthouse, a second person can be seen walking in front of them, both are silhouetted against the fog. The pier is made of wood and the water is choppy, with waves crashing against the rocky pier.
Aesthetic Score : 0.7
Mood : melancholy, lonely, mysterious
Quality
Entropy : 6.63
Noise : 95
Prompt Clip Score : 0.32
AI Evaluation
Likelihood of AI : 0.20
Image errors : No visible artifacts or errors.
Conclusion
The results show that the generative AI model performed well in understanding the scene and camera position, but struggled with the aesthetic. Here’s a breakdown:
- Camera Position: The model scored 0.35, which is considered below average. This suggests that the model didn’t accurately capture the intended camera position in the prompt.
- Shot Analysis: The model scored 0.54, which is considered good. This indicates that the model was able to understand the scene in the prompt and create a shot that was relatively close to the intended one.
- Aesthetic Analysis: The model scored 0.345, which is considered below average. This means that the generated image’s aesthetic deviated significantly from the expected aesthetic described in the prompt.
Overall, the model seems to be better at understanding the scene and shot composition than it is at capturing the desired aesthetic.
Sources:
- https://heartofnoir.com/knowing-noir/aesthetic-of-noir/
- https://www.yellowbrick.co/blog/film/maximizing-the-visual-impact-unveiling-the-art-of-film-aesthetics
- https://www.questjournals.org/jrhss/papers/vol10-issue8/1008255260.pdf
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/3331672
- https://www.cinepoetics.fu-berlin.de/activities/workshops/2020-12-ws/index.html
- https://resource.download.wjec.co.uk/vtc/2016-17/16-17_1-22/eng/Part%201%20What%20is%20Aesthetics.pdf
- https://deepmind.google/technologies/imagen-3/