In an era where artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping creative industries, the question of human artistry’s survival becomes more pressing than ever. Abandoned Instruments delves into this very concern, exploring a future where AI threatens to replace musicians, forcing us to reconsider the essence of creativity itself.
In this interview, we speak with Even Stephens, the producer and composer of Abandoned Instruments, about the real-world anxieties that inspired the film, the influence of Ramin Djawadi’s Westworld score, and the challenges of composing music in an industry increasingly impacted by AI. As he shares insights into his creative process and the journey of expanding Abandoned Instruments into a feature-length project, he reflects on whether human ingenuity will continue to thrive in an AI-driven world—or if it will merely become a niche pursuit.
Patrick Roy, UniversalCinema Magazine (UM): What inspired you to explore the theme of artificial intelligence replacing musicians?
Even Stephens (ES): Being a musician & working with live sound it was a subject I was familiar with and the impact of AI have been regularly discussed with my fellow artists/colleagues.
(UM): Was the story of Abandoned Instruments inspired by real-world concerns in the music industry?
(ES): Absolutely, in some ways it’s already happening.
(UM): How does the protagonist’s journey reflect your own thoughts about the evolving role of human creativity in an AI-driven world?
(ES): I’m more optimistic about human creativity than Keith, I feel there will always be a market for it. But who knows, the tech is still very new and he could be more right than we know.
(UM): You mention taking inspiration from Ramin Djawadi’s Westworld score. What specific elements did you borrow or reinterpret?
(ES): The electronic sounds of the “Futureworld” elements of the show, I wanted to have a real synthetic feel that mirrors the subject matter.
(UM): Was the music composed before filming, or did it evolve alongside the storytelling process?
(ES): It evolved after I imported the final cut into Logic & dabbled for quite some time, it’s usually a lengthy process of layering/removing layers until I get the right sound.
(UM): How do you see AI affecting film composition in the future—both as a tool and as a potential threat to human composers?
(ES): t is probably already here and we don’t know it. In my own experimentation with AI music, it can be indistinguishable from the real thing.
(UM): You describe the film as a calling card for a feature-length project. What are the next steps in developing the full-length version?
(ES): inding funding, it always comes down to money.
(UM): What qualities are you looking for in potential investors or collaborators to bring this story to life on a larger scale?
(ES): The only quality that I’m looking for is that they believe in the story/project enough to make an investment, whether it be in money or time.
(UM): If AI continues advancing in creative industries, do you think human artistry will find new ways to adapt, or will it become a niche practice?
(ES): Due to the greater volume of output AI allows, it just means that genuine human creativity will have to be that much better in quality to stand out in the crowd.
(UM): What message do you hope Abandoned Instruments conveys about the future of human creativity?
(ES): That it is not really the end, maybe…
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