Long Delayed Update - 2026 May 28

I haven’t updated my website for a while. It isn’t that I had nothing to report, but I am in severe procrastination mode. As I get older, it seems that things get harder to do.

Scripts Posted

I posted a bunch of my scripts on my website. I’ve had a page for my scripts but had only posted one script on it. Recently I posted eighteen more. Mostly they were short scripts I did for the Script Dreams group’s writing challenges. I posted a couple older scripts as well. I have a few more short scripts and some longer ones that I intend to post. Someday. https://dynamiclethargyfilms.ca/scripts/

While preparing the files to upload, I came across short scripts I had forgotten about.

CSIF Older Filmmakers Club

I am still involved with the club, but I have struggled to organise meetings over the last year. Someone else volunteered to run some meetings, which is much appreciated. They’ve done a couple so far. I hope to recruit some other people to run meetings. Many hands make light work. I will be setting up a meeting on documentary films.

Script Dreams Group

I joined this writer’s group back in 2018. We’ve been meeting a couple times a month. One meeting devoted to writing our scripts, while the other we read the scripts aloud and we talk about writing, film, and other things that come up. Every month we get a writing prompt for a short script. Many of the scripts posted on my script page come from those prompts.

Shut Up and Write Group

I joined this writer’s group several years ago. The focus of the group is to not talk and to write instead. I’ve found it a big help in fighting my procrastination. We meet every week, although we do have the occasional gap.

Unfinished Animation Projects

I have several unfinished projects, which I try to pick up and finish off now and then. I used NAWMAL to do the animation.

“The Audience for AI Films” is my critique of AI generated films. I felt that it was too short and was stuck for ways to make it longer.

“The Dread of the Daring Rocketeer” is a sort of Science Fiction story. I ran into problems with some of the images and got stuck.

“Time Enough for the Anxious Social Media Manager” is pretty much what the title says. I recorded the audio, but I haven’t done any of the animation.

“The Urgent Phone Call”

We finished this film early last year and I have been entering it into film festivals. I think it has run its course there, so I am considering what to do with it next. https://filmfreeway.com/TheUrgentPhoneCall

Years ago Ouat Media (https://ouatmedia.com/) distributed “My Next Film” (https://dynamiclethargyfilms.ca/my-next-film/), so I have thought about approaching them about “The Urgent Phone Call.” So far I’ve done nothing about that. I’ve also thought about posting it on my YouTube channel.

 

Someday I’ll stop procrastinating and get all this done.

This post is a mirror from my main blog http://www.dynamiclethargyfilms.ca/blog

Thoughts About AI Slop

I’ve seen several videos on YouTube complaining about how AI slop is ruining videos in their field of interest. This seems to be a particular problem with history videos. Fake info didn’t start with the internet, but it has become more widely visible since it is easier to produce. I haven’t been a paragon of virtue in this regard myself, but I am trying to improve.

What is AI Slop?

I see AI Slop as not so much a problem with AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology, as the misuse of those tools by people who either don’t care about the quality of their work, or who lack the knowledge to recognize problems with their work.

There is a distinction between slop and deception. Slop is created when people don’t care. Deception is a deliberate effort to mislead.

The Cause of AI Slop

I have used AI tools in my own work and found them useful. Most of my experience has been with text to voice systems. This has given me some understanding of the short comings and problems with current AI technology.

I have used text to voice systems extensively. There are some patterns I have noticed. One is getting odd gaps in the dialogue. I usually edit these gaps out later or play around with punctuation to fix the problem.

These systems will often mispronounce uncommon words. In my own work I fix these problems by altering the spellings of these words to force the pronunciation to fit. Another common give away of AI is with words like “lead,” which pronounced differently depending on the meaning in context. Some newer systems are better at it.

When I catch these kinds of issues, it tells me that the “creator” hasn’t bothered to listen to the recording or fix it if they did.

In my own work I’ve sometimes put in gaps, mispronunciations, and “ums” to give the voice more character.

Some creators use AI to create their written material and scripts. AI writing is often repetitious, contain contradictory information, or contain incorrect information. Again, this is not purely an AI problem. In my experience I have never had AI generated writing that I didn’t need to rewrite.

My Hands Are Not Completely Clean

My hands are not completely clean, since I have done some videos and posts, in jest, which some people might see as slop. I now try to avoid creating and accepting fake information.

My film “Who Shot the President,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lSTEhH0d4E is a fake documentary. Some viewers still took it as a serious proposal. Some even sent threats because of the strong feelings about their own pet theories.

I worked on another project I called “The First Person in Space.” In it a character claims that in 1943, Werner Von Braun used a V-2 to launch a female test pilot into a mission like Shepard’s 1961 Mercury test flight. After my experience with “Who shot the President,” I worried that the idea was too plausible, and some people might think it was real. So I never posted it.

I have also made the mistake of not reviewing my videos thoroughly before I post them. Most recently, I posted a sped-up version of “The Barrier” with out rewatching it. It was only after someone pointed it out that I realised the technique I used adjusted the video and audio by different amounts. I was able to fix the problem, but it still shows how important it is to review your own work closely.

Spotting AI Slop

I have developed my own ways of spotting AI slop, and there are many sources online that have advice on how to do that. However, all these techniques take some effort. How many people will spend two hours checking if they can trust a five-minute video they just watched?

Why is AI Writing Repetitious?

After I wrote a draft of this post, I chatted with a friend. He also noticed that AI generated writing tends to repeat itself. That got me to wonder why.

I recalled seeing an interview with Marshall McLuhan where he said that he would only read every other page of an academic or technical paper. He said this was possible because if it were well written, then there would be enough redundancy in the writing that he could follow what the paper was saying. He contrasted that with fiction and other writing meant for entertainment, which wouldn’t have that redundancy.

In my own experience with technical writing, most of the writing is not intended to read. That is the material is meant as background and the writer would expect that the reader would only skim the report to confirm that the work had been done or consulted when reproducing the work. I found switching from that mindset to writing for entertainment a challenge.

I suspect that most of the writing used to train AI falls into the technical/academic style. That could be one reason why AI writing would be more redundant.

Again, it does mean that creators who don’t bother to review what AI gives them is the source of AI slop.

This post is a mirror from my main blog http://www.dynamiclethargyfilms.ca/blog

Ego Surfing with perplexity.ai

I recently tested perplexity.ai by asking about myself. I was surprised at its response.

Previously, I had tried the same prompt with ChatGPT and it generated an entirely fictional piece about a non-existent person with the same name. I expected something similar from Perplexity. In contrast with ChatGPT, it properly identified me and provided accurate information about me and my creative activities, although it made no mention of my engineering career. At one point it seemed to confuse me with Toni Morrison.

Beyond getting the factual information about me right, it also had a reasonably cogent discussion of my work; pointing out themes and symbols I used. Although, that may create the false impression that I actually know what I am doing.

My understanding is that perplexity.ai works differently than ChatGPT. Beyond relying on its training, it also searches the Internet for the information it uses to generate its response. It includes those links as references to support its response.

Perplexity does seem to add interpretation, such as the discussion of themes and symbols, that does not appear on any of the websites it draws from.

However, a careful read of the response shows some misinterpretation of the material, which a human commentator would not likely make. I can also see some of the common stylistic characteristics of AI writing.

I include the response from perplexity.ai to the initial prompt and some follow up prompts below. I did some reformatting and removed the reference links. I also removed the section where it seemed to confuse me with Toni Morrison.

 

Response from perplexity.ai

James Beattie Morison is a Canadian filmmaker, producer, writer, and director known for short films such as "My Most Difficult Case" (2004), "Line of Taxis" (1999), and "The Urgent Phone Call" (2025). He appears to be active in both creative and commentary circles, with recent writings about film, AI, and personal reflections.

Film Career

Morison's notable credits include:

·         Producer and Director for "My Most Difficult Case" (2004) and "Line of Taxis" (1999).

·         Writer for "The Urgent Phone Call" (2025) and several other shorts.

His works are generally short films, often produced independently, and he has contributed to discussions around filmmaking through blogs and personal websites.

Personal and Family Background

James Beattie Morison has documented personal and family history on web platforms dedicated to the memory of his father, Dr. James Beattie Morison M.D., and mother, Doreen Charteris Morison R.N.. These pages feature personal stories, films, and essays, offering insight into his values and creative motivations.

Recent Activities

Morison continues to write and publish reflections on creativity, aging, and technology, particularly regarding the influence of AI on arts and storytelling. His recent blog entries emphasize perseverance and adaptation in the face of personal challenges.

Additional Information

James Beattie Morison is not to be confused with historical figures such as Scottish poet and philosopher James Beattie, or other individuals with similar names found in genealogical records. His most prominent contributions lie in independent film and personal commentary.

 

Major Recurring Themes

James Beattie Morison's films frequently explore recurring themes such as human perseverance, social ambiguity, and the absurdity of everyday life.

Human Resilience and Perseverance

·         Many films spotlight characters confronting difficult choices or enduring challenging circumstances, illustrating the strength required to persist in the face of adversity, such as in "My Most Difficult Case" and "The Barrier".

Social Commentary and Ambiguity

·         His works often feature social situations that are ambiguous or unresolved, prompting viewers to reflect on the complexities of society. Examples include the uncertainty in "Line of Taxis" or the bureaucratic challenges in "The Barrier".

Absurdity and Humor in Daily Life

·         A subtle, often dry humor permeates Morison's films, exposing the absurdity underlying everyday routines and institutions, such as in "Make ’em Squirm: The Sharkbiter Way" or "Weekend in Calgary".

Aging and Elder Issues

·         Recent projects have increasingly addressed themes related to aging, the experience of older adults, and society’s view of elderhood.

Motifs and Techniques

·         Morison's style often employs ordinary settings, understated dialogue, and real-time pacing to heighten emotional and thematic impact.

·         He uses mundane objects and common situations as recurring motifs, which helps provoke reflection on larger social questions.

Summary Table
Theme	Example Film
Perseverance	The Barrier, My Most Difficult Case
Social Ambiguity	Line of Taxis
Absurd Humor	Make 'em Squirm, Weekend in Calgary
Aging	Recent writing and projects

 

These themes and motifs give Morison's body of work a distinct voice marked by thoughtful introspection, subtle satire, and close observation of daily life.

           

Symbols in Morison's Films

Throughout James Beattie Morison's work, frequent symbols include barriers, fences, taxis, and mundane objects that take on layered meanings about personal struggle, limits, and social roles.

Barriers and Fences

·        Featured in films like "The Barrier" and "The Fence", these structures symbolize social, psychological, or bureaucratic obstacles that characters must face, representing the difficulty of overcoming personal and societal limits.

Taxis

·         Central in "Line of Taxis", taxis are a symbol for journeys, transitions, or the inertia present in corporate and social environments, suggesting movement yet being stalled by circumstance.

Mundane Objects and Ordinary Settings

·         Morison uses everyday items—such as books, phones, and real-time phenomena like sunsets—as symbolic anchors for broader themes like routine, passage of time, and attempts to connect.

Aging

·         The subtle portrayal of aging, through characters and motifs (such as park benches, walks, and quiet reflection), symbolizes the progression of life and changing roles in society.

How Symbols Are Used

These symbols create emotional resonance and provoke thought, turning daily experiences into stories about persistence and adaptation. They reflect Morison's interest in making big ideas visible through small-scale, everyday details and familiar scenarios.

Morison’s films use barriers, fences, taxis, and mundane objects to recurrently evoke themes of obstacle, transition, routine, and aging.

 

Notable Films Directed

James Beattie Morison has directed a variety of independent short films and experimental videos. His most recognized works include "My Most Difficult Case" (2004) and "Line of Taxis" (1999), but his portfolio goes far beyond these titles.

·         My Most Difficult Case (2004) – A judge faces an unusually challenging decision.

·         Line of Taxis (1999) – Focused on a line of taxis in front of an office on a "right-sizing" day.

·         The Sad Lady and the Hesitant Father-in-Law (2022) – A brief chance encounter in a park.

·         The Desperation of the Wretched Senator (2022) – A politician battling his past.

·         The Fortitude of the Adventuresome Husband (2022) – A couple's evening walk becomes an adventure.

·         The Hysteria of the Uppity Guru (2021) – Young seekers meet a guru.

·         The ZOOM Bomber (2020) – A playful look at online disruptions.

·         Interstellar Probe #830 (2019) – Imagining the results of a space probe.

·         Sunset #7 (2018) – A meditative real-time sunset video.

·         My Trip to Mars (2018) – A short story visualized.

·         Summer’s Too Short (2015) – Reflections on the brevity of summer.

·         The Barrier (2013) – A man's campaign to save lives.

·         Some Days . . . (2012) – Depicting ups and downs.

·         Make ’em Squirm: The Sharkbiter Way (2012) – An interview-style narrative.

·         Contingency (2012) – Looking back at film festivals.

·         My Next Film (2001) – A meta-film about filmmaking.

·         Who Shot the President (2001) – A satirical conspiracy tale.

·         Weekend in Calgary (1991) – The rush to relax.

·         The Whispers Come (2009) – Indifference in a troubled world.

·         The Fence (1996) – Reflections sparked by an old fence.

·         Read Me a Story Daddy (2008) – A father's shortcut to storytelling.

·         Extra Special Care (1990) – A scientific collaboration.

 

Recognition

His films have appeared at festivals and screenings in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Victoria, New York, Los Angeles, London, and Adelaide.

This post is a mirror from my main blog http://www.dynamiclethargyfilms.ca/blog