AI isn’t just another flash-in-the-pan techno-bauble, like VR headsets, the “metaverse,” or NFTs. It’s actually revolutionary. The insistence betrays the measure of anxiety one might expect at a confab celebrating a power–hungry industry staring down an energy crisis. - Wired
“If a studio or production house needs something shape-shifting or face-switching, chances are they’ll call Parker & Stone. And chances are something strange — and, perhaps even more surprising when it comes to AI, potentially ethical — will result.” - The Hollywood Reporter
“Italy’s Cinecittà Studios are back in the black with a small but significant €1.1 million ($1.2 million) operating profit for the fiscal year of 2025, it was announced on Tuesday just as three big Hollywood shoots in various stages are decamped on its vast backlot.” - Variety
Retro Rewind is the latest in a category called “store simulators”—games that basically create bottled versions of hourly-wage drudgery. Set in the ’90s, the game tasks players with such activities as stocking shelves, manning the checkout counter, and balancing the daily books. - The Atlantic
The reductions made possible by InterPositive‘s technology would be “substantial” on below-the-line production, “conservatively” reaching at least 10% to 20%, the application said. - Deadline
“With the movie’s release came a flurry of social media posts, as audiences debated everything one could possibly imagine to be a potential topic for debate. (Those) included … the film’s quality, the book’s quality, the frequency and success of the jokes, its perceived political perspective, … Gosling’s project choices and the directors’ track records, to name a smattering.” - The Hollywood Reporter
A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that President Trump’s executive order barring the federal funding of NPR and PBS violated the First Amendment. - The New York Times
Hollywood studios are making significantly fewer movies and television shows than they did just a few years ago. The ones they do make are increasingly being shot in other countries and states that offer more generous tax subsidies. - The Wall Street Journal
“As opposed to a traditional set, there are no luxury trailers for the stars, no furnished dressing rooms or green rooms for the execs. Each member of the crew, from production assistant to top-billed star, receives the same treatment. And things move fast — some actors shoot all their scenes in one day.” - TheWrap (Yahoo!)
Streaming's rebel phase is officially over. HBO Max's confused British debut—complete with licensing tangles, bundling mysteries, and consumer bewilderment—proves digital platforms have become everything they once promised to disrupt. — The Conversation
After seasons of pretty faces in period costumes, the Netflix hit discovers that meaningful representation requires more than just colorblind casting—it needs actual storylines that grapple with identity and belonging. — LitHub
“Many shows have not only endured, they’ve spawned universes, international adaptations and spinoffs. Bravo, a TV channel that used to focus on the performing arts, is now an unscripted powerhouse that even has its own convention, BravoCon.” - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)
The newest price increase includes a $27 a month premium (that is, not ad-supported; which was, one may remember, THE WHOLE POINT OF STREAMING) plan. Time to get out? - Decider (MSN)
