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Created by the people at Beazy.

VISUAL CREATORS
For your artistic side.

📸 LensCulture Critics’ Choice Awards

The annual LensCulture Critics’ Choice Awards recently announced its 44 winners for 2024. The awards are unique in that they have no theme, have no limitations on genre, and are open to photographers of all experience levels.

Dubbed a “global celebration of photography”, the contest attracted entries from over 140 countries and was judged by a panel of 20 industry experts.

The lack of themes or genre restrictions ensured diversity—with this year’s winners capturing everything from punk rock scenes in NYC to the plight of stateless families in Lebanon.

Instead of being judged by just three to five people, this year’s winners were hand-picked by 20 photography experts, who each selected three favorites to win an award. The result is a diverse collection of projects that truly reflect the wide range of visual storytelling happening worldwide.
It’s a visual feast that showcases the global language of photography.

PRODUCTION MASTERY
The commercial aspects of creativity.

🎞️ LTX Studio: AI Takes the Director's Chair

AI-based editing suite LTX Studio offers a glimpse into a future where artificial intelligence isn’t just a tool in the editing room but a comprehensive filmmaking partner. It uses AI for storyboarding, editing, and more, aiming to be a one-stop-shop for video creators.

Early reviews praise its power and potential, signaling the industry’s broader shift into AI-assisted production. Adobe’s already dabbling, but LTX Studio is one of the first to offer a more all-encompassing AI solution, attracting creators eager to explore AI’s storytelling possibilities from the get-go.

And with Adobe and others dabbling in AI editing, the question isn't if AI will join your editing bay—it's when and how deep.

Whether you're hyped or skeptical, LTX Studio and other tools are making the case that AI could be your next creative partner.

CREATOR ECONOMY
Navigating the digital creative world.

🤖 AI Crisis: TikTok's Unfiltered Avatar

Just when you thought deepfake fears were fading, TikTok’s AI influencer generator, Symphony Avatars, took a wrong turn.

Last week, the beta version went public by accident—allowing anyone to create AI avatars that could spew hate speech, misinformation, and more. Imagine if deepfakes and information warfare had a lovechild, and you've got a pretty good idea of what went down.

CNN Tech Correspondent Jon Sarlin, who first flagged the issue, made a series of cringe-worthy and dangerous avatars. Sarlin posted a now-deleted thread showcasing the AI saying, well, just about every terrible thing Adolf Hitler ever wrote.

After Sarlin’s report, TikTok said only “an extremely small number of people” accessed the tool, and harmful content would’ve been flagged under the platform’s moderation policies.

That’s not calming experts, who say this episode raises new questions about AI accountability and deepfake defense. Still, some are holding out hope that the incident will spark a deeper industry conversation around the use of AI in creator culture. TBD on if it’ll be a worthwhile TikTok trend.

🔥 Press Worthy

📽️ VISUAL CREATORS

Photo reuniting, where people track down subjects of old photos and reunite them or their family with the images, is a growing trend. For example, Jessia Dowell from Australia, who collects discarded photos and uses social media to reunite them with their subjects or families.

SwitchLens’ smartphone-attached grip has a Micro Four Thirds mount but a smaller sensor; however, a $99 upgrade swaps it for the real deal.

📈 PRODUCTION MASTERY

IATSE and the AMPTP reached a temporary agreement, averting a potentially crippling Hollywood strike. If approved, the deal will cover 13 West Coast Locals and reportedly includes a 7% wage hike in year one, 4% in year two, and 3.5% in year three.

Reality TV editing is no joke, and the creators of Vanderpump Villa spill the uncut tea on how they condense footage, play with pacing, and inject music to keep you hooked. It's a masterclass in storytelling through the cutting room lens.

🎭 CREATOR ECONOMY

Toys"R"Us partnered with OpenAI's Sora to create an AI-generated promotional video featuring a dream sequence with the company's founder from the 1920s. The video aims to modernize the brand while honoring its history.

YouTube seeks music label deals to expand artist cloning AI, after its initial project with only 10 artists.

📚 Learn & Grow

📽️ VISUAL CREATORS

• How to Judge a Vintage Lens – A crash course on how to identify and evaluate lens defects

• How Photographers Get Hired by Brands

📈 PRODUCTION MASTERY

• Shadowing a Commercial Director: Start with a Creative Mindset

• Creating Photos That Buyers Want To Buy

🎭 CREATOR ECONOMY

• How David Attenborough and Color Cameras Turned Tennis Balls Yellow

• Why 2024 Is The Best Time Ever To Be A Content Creator