Guided by Directors, Aided by Machines: Issue 01

In an era where technology is revolutionizing every industry, filmmaking is no exception. Generative AI is no longer a futuristic concept - it's a new collaborator in the creative process. This newsletter is your essential guide to navigating this evolving landscape.

Each week, we'll bring you the latest news, product updates, festival announcements and more in the world of Gen AI for film. We’ll explore how directors, writers, and artists are using these powerful tools to push the boundaries of storytelling, from crafting scripts with AI to generating visuals that were once impossible.

"The First Take" will be your starting point, offering a weekly observation or tip to spark your creativity. This is a space for filmmakers, producers, editors, and enthusiasts who are curious about the future of cinema and want to stay ahead of the curve.

Our goal is to demystify Gen AI, showcasing not just the technology itself, but the human creativity it enables. You’ll get practical insights, inspiring examples, and a clear understanding of how to use these new tools, ensuring your vision remains "Guided by Directors, Aided by Machines."

The Future of Hollywood Creativity with AI: A report from The Hollywood Reporter delves into how AI is poised to change everything from pre-production to post-production, shaping the next era of filmmaking.

Amazon Invests in Fable, the 'Netflix of AI': Variety reports on Amazon’s major investment in Fable, a company creating an AI-driven platform called "Showrunner" that generates playable TV shows, hinting at a new frontier for interactive entertainment.

Legal FAQ: AI Tips for U.S. Documentary Filmmakers: The International Documentary Association provides U.S. filmmakers with a legal guide to using AI, covering key topics like copyright, the use of licensed AI models, and the creation of digital replicas.

IMAX and Runway AI Partner for Limited-Run AI Film Festival Screenings: IMAX has partnered with Runway AI to screen shorts from Runway’s 2025 AI Film Festival at ten locations across the U.S. from August 17-20, marking a significant step for AI-generated content in mainstream theaters.

Sora 2 is Coming, and the Competition is Fierce: As the release of OpenAI's Sora 2 looms, TechRadar explores how it will stack up against Google's powerful Veo 3 model, setting the stage for a major battle in the text-to-video AI space.

Runway Introduces Aleph, its Newest Model: Runway Research has unveiled Aleph, a new model with the ability to perform a wide range of edits on an input video such as adding, removing, and transforming objects, generating any angle of a scene, and modifying style and lighting, among many other tasks.

Lightricks LTX Studio: Create 60-Second AI Videos: Lightricks has updated its LTXV AI video model, allowing creators to generate and refine 60-second videos in real time.

Midjourney Introduces Looping & End Frame Features for Video: Midjourney has rolled out new video capabilities allowing users to create looping videos and set a specific end frame alongside the start frame.

Ideogram.ai Launches 'Character' Consistency Feature: Ideogram.ai has announced a new "character consistency model" that allows users to generate infinite variations of a character from a single reference image, with the new feature being offered for a limited time for free to celebrate its launch.

Photoshop's New AI Tool Upscales Old Photos with Ease: Adobe has rolled out a new AI feature for Photoshop that simplifies the process of upscaling and enhancing old, low-resolution photographs, making restoration projects more accessible than ever.

Keep creating,