Issue 06: AI's Growing Footprint in Mainstream Filmmaking

For years, generative AI has been a tantalizing but often theoretical topic in filmmaking circles. We’ve seen its potential, but its formal role in the wider industry has felt like a distant promise. Now, that relationship is beginning to solidify, moving from an experimental curiosity to a structured and intentional part of mainstream production. We are seeing not just adoption, but a growing commitment from major players to define how these tools will be integrated.

This week, two pieces of news highlight this shift. First, Netflix has released its comprehensive guidelines for the use of generative AI content. This is a significant step, as it indicates a global streamer laying down a clear framework for how its vast content pipeline can responsibly use these new technologies. It's a move toward formalizing a practice that has been happening in an ad-hoc way. At the same time, OpenAI is supporting the production of "Critterz," a largely AI-generated film. This isn't just another tech demo; it’s an active exploration into what's creatively and technically possible when AI is used as a core engine for a full-length feature.

These developments are not the final word on AI in film, but they are meaningful indicators. They suggest a future where AI isn’t a niche special effect, but a more integrated part of content creation. For filmmakers, this means that understanding AI's capabilities and its evolving role will be increasingly important for navigating the professional landscape. The conversation is shifting from whether AI belongs in the industry to how we will work alongside it in a more organized way.

OpenAI Backs AI-Made Animated Feature Film: OpenAI is backing a new animated film, "Critterz," made largely with AI tools, to demonstrate that the technology can produce movies faster and cheaper than traditional methods. The film, which has a budget of less than $30 million, aims to debut at the Cannes Film Festival and will use a combination of AI-generated visuals and human-written scripts and voice acting.

Netflix Releases Guidelines for Using Generative AI: Netflix has released new guidelines for using generative AI (GenAI) in its productions. The company has approved GenAI for ideation, such as creating mood boards, but requires permission for other uses. Key principles include ensuring AI outputs don't infringe on copyrighted material and that GenAI is not used to replace or generate new talent performances without consent.

Warner Bros. Discovery Sues Midjourney Over Copyright Infringement: Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the AI image generator Midjourney. The company alleges that Midjourney "stole and exploited" its intellectual property by illegally training its AI on copyrighted works, leading to the creation of images and videos of popular characters like Superman and Batman.

New Book 'Post-Cinema: The Age of AI' Explores AI's Impact on Filmmaking: A new book by Scott Billups, "Post-Cinema: The Age of AI," serves as a guide for filmmakers navigating the profound changes brought by artificial intelligence. The book explores how AI is transforming the film industry, from creating virtual actors to blurring the lines between creator and audience. Billups, a pioneer in the field, discusses the future of storytelling as it evolves beyond traditional screens.

Adobe to Launch Free Premiere App for iPhone: Adobe is releasing a free version of its Premiere video editing platform for the iPhone. The new app is designed for mobile-first creators, offering a multi-track timeline, 4K HDR support, and AI-powered tools. It will replace the company's current mobile app, Premiere Rush.

Camera Intelligence Pivots to AI: Camera Intelligence, formerly known as Alice Camera, has raised an additional $2 million in funding by shifting its focus to AI. The company plans to integrate AI models into its next camera, allowing for voice-controlled functions and on-device editing. The new AI-based software will also be available as an iOS update for existing users.

Midjourney Launches 'Style Explorer' Tool: Midjourney has introduced an early version of its "Style Explorer" tool, Style Explorer V1, which allows users to discover and apply unique visual styles to their AI-generated images. The tool features a library of randomly sampled styles, a "like" function to save favorites, and a fuzzy search for finding styles based on keywords.

Higgsfield AI Launches 'Draw-to-Edit' Feature: Higgsfield AI has introduced a new "Draw-to-Edit" feature that allows users to edit images and videos by simply drawing and adding reference images. This is a feature that is now starting to appear across many of the image generating tools, and offers a more intuitive alternative to complex prompts and software.

Google's 'Flow' AI Tool Adds Vertical Video Support: Google's AI filmmaking tool, Flow, now supports vertical video formats. This update is designed to help creators produce content specifically for mobile and social media platforms, making it easier to create and share videos that are optimized for phone screens.

Hailuo AI Announces 'Draw-to-Edit' Challenge: Hailuo AI is running a challenge for its new "Start/End Frame" feature, offering users seven days of free and unlimited access until September 17th. The feature allows users to transform static images into cinematic motion by defining the beginning and ending frames of a video. Users are encouraged to craft "boldest, funniest, most unexpected stories" using the tool.

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