190: Reality isn't the problem, but literacy will be
RIP Al Foster; And what should we make of Gemini Veo3?
Sometimes someone has an artistic technique that shakes up your creative worldview. It’s how they approach the canvas, or the f stop, or the tremolo bar, or the way they perch their IBM Selectric just so. And you could fool yourself into thinking equipment and style are all it takes to make art that resonates.
If you play drums you’ll instinctively know what I’m talking about here.
What is Al Foster doing with those cymbals way up in the air like that? The cat is sitting really low, those drums are angled all kinds of funny, and it’s almost as if he’s challenging himself to even reach the equipment.
But Al Foster (Wikipedia, Downbeat, official website) could groove like nobody else—with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, and so many others. He brought a unique melodic swing to every situation that transcended ergonomics. Al Foster passed away on May 28 at age 82.
If I could point you to one Al Foster appearance, it’s with the legendary singer Carmen McRae on an album called “Carmen Sings Monk” (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube). Easily one of my top five albums ever. And if I could point to just one song on that album, it would be the opener, “Get It Straight” (Straight No Chaser) — a live performance from 1990 featuring bassist George Mraz, tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse (who toured with Monk), pianist Larry Willis and the remarkable Carmen McRae singing Sally Swisher’s lyrics to a classic tune by Thelonious Monk.
Foster starts with brushes. Then there’s an undeniable ride cymbal underneath Rouse. And some infectious work accompanying Mraz’s bass solo. The quick drum solo at 02:46 isn’t just a melodic confection. If you’re a drummer, listen to what he’s doing with his left/hi hat foot throughout. Incredible.
Of course, other drummers embraced the upright “sky” cymbals gag; Steve Jordan’s tenure in the David Letterman was probably the most noticeable. But Foster stuck with it. Because it was never about how things looked but how they sounded. Foster’s sound is for the ages.
🤔 What have we been saying about, “this is the worst the technology will ever be?” In other words, it only improves from here. But what does that mean?
We’ve entered that part of the story where literacy really starts to matter. Because now one chat interface, one text prompt, is all you need to generate very real video with fully synched audio. That last element is critical.
Gemini Veo3 is here…
Navigate to Google’s Gemini. You’ll need at least the $20 Pro plan to access Veo3 inside the Gemini app.
Prompt: A jazz drummer plays a melodic solo with a quartet in a night club
Yes, it’s not perfect (I guess the saxophonist is off camera?), but still remarkable given this combination of physics, photorealism, and most importantly, synched audio, wasn’t possible even six months ago.
Now assume clips like these are submerged within an edit with graphics and existing footage. And you’re watching it all in a scrolling feed on your phone. How would you know what’s real? Would those you care about know the difference?
…Is it time to start noticing?
I think we’re beyond the trivial idea of deepfakes here. Veo3 suggests reality will be challenged, at scale and especially across social. Yes, I think you should invest time to use and exploit this technology. Go ahead, reimagine scenes from the Bible as if they were modern influencers. Create some new pharma pills. Or generate interviews at a fictional car show. The point is, the more you understand what it takes, how tools like Veo3 achieve results (or fail to), the more you’ll be able help others understand what’s going on.
Wall Street Journal tech columnist Joanna Stern produced an insightful Veo3 explainer video with “making of” elements you should watch. The money quote: “He generated approximately a thousand clips.” In other words, there’s still A LOT of effort required to assemble consistent clips across a range of scenes.
But you don’t have to look far to see how this goes into uncharted waters, and quickly. Stern’s effort attempts a coherent drama over time; the whole “movie making will change forever” vibe is real. But—what if all you wanted to convey was something wild, ridiculous, and primed for short-attention span theater?
Remember how parents used to be concerned about rock lyrics influencing kids? Or video games? How about these clips?
I do take comfort in the recent words of my 17 year old: “Dad, I don’t believe anything I see on my phone.” Our collective ability to be literate, to understand the motivations behind a given clip, are going to be challenged.
Then there are the real humans acting as if they were Veo3 generations, via Ars Technica. And where would we be without pushing the existential limits and asking if this entire adventure, including Al Foster, has just been prompts all along?
🤖🚨 Announcing “AI in Action: A Hands-on Workshop for Marketing and Creative Leaders”
I’ll be leading a fast-paced, two hour, very limited seating workshop on Thursday, June 26 for the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association. Register here.
🤖 🍁 This Fall: AI for Artists and Entrepreneurs (online)
From August 25 - December 12 I’ll be teaching a wholly revised, very in-depth, asynchronous curriculum for MCAD. You can register for it. Of course, I’ll be writing about all of this as the summer moves on.