The family of Elisabeth Sladen has objected to the use of AI-generated images and sounds to supposedly replicate Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith, the companion played by Sladen in Doctor Who.
A fan-made video did the rounds recently, with generative AI used to make horrible reproductions of the Third Doctor and Sarah in Doctor Who. Sladen’s daughter, Sadie Miller, spoke out about the video, saying:
“I don’t want to give this person traction or publicity, but let’s normalise calling people who make AI videos of people’s dead relatives what they are — a bit of a pervy weirdo. This video uses AI images of my mother, making her say and do things she has not agreed to do because she is dead. Anyone watching, promoting and especially making this type of content is abhorrent. My mum would HATE this, as would Jon. Stop feeding strangers into a computer because you’re a pervert.”
She went on to say:
“It is shocking having someone decide her face, body, voice is their property and puppet. If you don’t understand basic concepts like consent, I really wouldn’t put this on the internet. If this was done with good intentions, then why were we, as a family, never told? Incredibly creepy. Just because you want to watch it doesn’t mean someone should make it.”
The video was made by a fan and does note that it’s unofficial, unaffiliated, and non-commercial.
Nonetheless, it’s horrible for someone to use a person’s image and voice, replicate them using technology, and parade them around; think of how families and friends would feel when seeing that!
In fairness, DigitalogMedia, the people who did the video (I’m not writing “made” or “produced” as I view using AI as neither making or producing anything), did see Sadie’s comment, offer to take the video down, and did so two days after it was initially made available. The spokesman added:
“On October 15th, I made an announcement on my social media platforms that a new actress, Caroline Whitmore, would be assuming the role of Sarah Jane. Over the following 2 weeks, Part One was reworked – roughly some 55+ shots – so that Sladen’s likeness was replaced with Whitmore.
“The project was re-released on October 31st.”
We don’t like generative AI on the DWC. It’s terrible on many, many levels — its effects on the environment, its insensitivities, its thievery, its pervasive nature, its sapping of creativity… and for oh so many more reasons.
So we’re firmly on Sadie’s side!
Thoughts, DWC readers?
