In this episode, Lynne and I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kacie Luaders, an audio producer and creative entrepreneur who's pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the world of sound and storytelling.
I first met Kacie through AI … well, actually, through PitchBlack, Black Public Media’s annual competition that spotlights (and awards) filmmakers and immersive artists with up to $150,000 in funding for projects.
Kacie was was one of the contestants, and her pitch was for “Word Games,” a project that envisioned a future where AI-powered poets battled human artists in a spoken word competition.
The idea of a poetry slam fueled by bots that could potentially be better than humans was equal parts fascinating and horrifying — and I wanted to learn more about the mind behind the project.
So when Lynne and I came up with our list of potential guests, Kacie was one of my first picks.
The Rise of the Creative Technologist
Our convo covers a lot of ground (as usual), but one of the most fascinating topics was tracking Kacie’s career journey.
From theater sound design, to podcasting, to AI-driven audio experiences — her LinkedIn profile chronicles the evolution of a creative technologist. And in a media landscape that is increasingly powered by algorithms and bots, that ability to bridge the gap between artistic vision and technological implementation becomes even more valuable.
I think the skill set for creators is going to be knowing how to communicate these things in our head to the tech folks who can actually build it and sort of vice versa.
Kacie’s perspective challenges an oft-depicted (or projected?) divide between "creatives" and "techies," suggesting a future where the most successful professionals will be those who can navigate both worlds with ease. (Something I personally struggle with on the regular — even when it comes to publishing and promoting this very podcast)!
The Evolving Landscape of Audio Production
In that vein, we got a little nerdy about the future of audio production, with Kacie offering some intriguing predictions:
AI-Assisted Sound Design
Imagine an AI that could automatically add basic sound effects to raw film footage, allowing sound designers to focus on more complex, creative aspects of their work. This could revolutionize the efficiency of audio post-production in film and television.
AI Mixing for Live Performances
She also envisions AI tools that could handle basic mixing duties during live performances, potentially allowing audio engineers to manage multiple shows simultaneously. While this raises questions about job displacement, it also opens up new possibilities for how we approach live sound.
What I like about these ideas is that they point to a future where technology enhances rather than replaces human creativity.
While lots of pitches about AI promote the idea that these tools can help artists focus on innovation by automating the more mundane tasks, it’s nice to hear this perspective coming from an artist herself vs. a tech bro.
Embracing the Weird and Wonderful
It wouldn’t be the “Tech & Soul” podcast without a bit of soul … and perhaps the most soulful takeaway from our conversation was digging in to Kacie’s embrace of the weird in art and technology.
From her love of electronic music, to her AI-generated images of "Black women joyfully eating giant party subs," Kacie’s work is a celebration of the unexpected and the joyful.
And in the midst of the current political, socio-economic and just general tech and productivity-focused cultural landscape, it’s important to share visions of the future powered by joy, laughter and the freedom to be weird.
So, the next time you're listening to a podcast, watching a film, or interacting with a new piece of technology, take a moment to appreciate the creative technologists like Kacie working behind the scenes.
They're the ones turning science fiction into reality, one weird and wonderful idea at a time.
So how are you incorporating new technologies into your creative process? What possibilities do you see for AI in audio storytelling? And what’s one weird thing that brings you joy? Share your thoughts in the comments — or feel free to drop us a note.
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