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VISUAL CREATORS
For your artistic side.

🎥 Runway’s Act-One: Transforming Actors to Cartoons!

The Story: Runway has unveiled Act-One, a groundbreaking AI tool that transforms a single video of an actor into animated characters with stunning accuracy. This revolutionary platform eliminates the complex requirements of traditional motion capture, allowing creators to produce expressive animations using just a smartphone camera.

The Details:

• Act-One allows users to record a short video, capturing an actor’s performance, which then drives the animation of a generated character, accurately reflecting facial expressions.

• Previously intricate motion capture processes are simplified with Act-One, enabling creators to animate characters without specialized equipment or extensive setups.

• This tool excels in generating cinematic-quality outputs that maintain realism across various camera angles, reinforcing the emotional connection with audiences.

• Users can create multiple characters from one actor's performance, making it ideal for indie films and digital content where resources are often constrained.

• The initial rollout of Act-One is happening now, with full accessibility planned for all Runway users soon.

Why It Matters: Act-One represents a monumental shift in animation and character modeling, reducing the barriers to entry for creators while enhancing storytelling possibilities. By allowing simple video inputs to drive character animations, it democratizes high-quality content creation, empowering indie filmmakers and artists to explore new creative avenues. This could reshape how narrative content is developed, allowing for richer, more engaging stories without the burden of expensive motion capture gear. The impact on the creative landscape could be profound, as more artists harness this technology for innovative storytelling.

PRODUCTION MASTERY
The commercial aspects of creativity.

🖌️ Creatives Unite: Stand Against AI Data Scraping!

The Story: Over 26,500 artists and cultural workers, including high-profile names like ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus and Radiohead's Thom Yorke, have signed a petition calling for an end to the unlicensed use of their creative works in training generative AI. Organised by composer Ed Newton-Rex, the petition highlights the severe threats that AI poses to artists' livelihoods and is aimed at protecting intellectual property rights amidst rising legal battles against AI companies.

The Details:

• The statement reads, “The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted.”

• Ed Newton-Rex founded the petition after resigning from Stability AI over its claim that using copyrighted works without permission constituted fair use.

• Prominent signatories include actors Kevin Bacon and Julianne Moore, Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, and musicians from diverse genres who worry about their livelihoods.

• Ongoing legal disputes reflect the urgent need for policy changes, as AI firms face lawsuits for allegedly infringing on the rights of artists.

• The UK government is considering regulatory frameworks, including an opt-out system that would allow AI to use creative works unless creators object.

Why It Matters: This petition not only gives a powerful voice to artists but also underscores the rising concerns around intellectual property rights in the age of AI. As generative AI companies become more prevalent, the ability to sustain a livelihood as a creator is jeopardized by the unchecked use of their works, threatening to undermine the very fabric of creative industries. For photographers, filmmakers, and artists, this movement symbolizes a crucial fight for recognition, respect, and fair compensation in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

CREATOR ECONOMY
Navigating the digital creative world.

🎶 TikTok's Paid Song Use: Disclosure Dilemma?

The Story: The American Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reiterated that creators must disclose paid promotions in their videos, but surprisingly, these rules don’t apply to music promotions on TikTok. With many popular tracks arising from influencer marketing campaigns that often lack clear disclosures, the divide could impact both musicians and creators in navigating this evolving landscape.

The Details:

• The FTC enforces strict guidelines for creators to disclose financial relationships influencing their content, typically requiring transparency around paid promotions.

• However, the FTC has clarified that posts with music in the background don’t always need disclosures if there are no direct claims about the songs being made.

• A staggering “75% of popular songs” on TikTok reportedly stem from marketing campaigns involving creators, as musicians and labels pay for song placements in their videos.

• While top creators can earn up to $10,000 per video for music promotions, many promoters now target smaller creators and pay as little as $25.

• Independent musicians face fierce competition from these sound campaigns, often backed by larger budgets, which compromises their chances of going viral organically.

Why It Matters: The discrepancies in FTC regulations regarding music promotions could fundamentally alter how creators and musicians collaborate. For creators, it opens a lucrative avenue to monetize their content more freely, yet it raises ethical questions around transparency with their audiences. Independent musicians, on the other hand, may struggle against funded campaigns that overshadow their grassroots efforts, highlighting the need for equitable promotional practices in the fiercely competitive creator economy.

🔥 Press Worthy

📽️ VISUAL CREATORS

Tim Burton finds AI unsettling, saying it evokes a cultural aversion akin to fearing one's soul is captured in photos. Speaking at his Design Museum exhibition launch, he echoed a common artist concern, emphasizing the emotional and personal nature of his work.

Lomography has launched the Lomo’Instant Wide Glass, which they labeled as “the best instant camera on Earth”. With a 90mm multi-coated glass lens, it promises superior detail and vibrant colors on Fujifilm Instax Wide film.

📈 PRODUCTION MASTERY

Animation Guild workers rallied at Netflix's Burbank office, delivering a petition signed by nearly 2,000 members. Amid staffing threats from AI and rising unemployment, they demand fair wages, job security, and industry protections, embodying unity and resilience for their craft.

Three major industry groups, including the NCTA and IAB, are suing the FTC over the new “Click to Cancel” rule aimed at simplifying subscription cancellations. They argue it’s arbitrary and claim the FTC is overstepping by regulating cancellation methods, impacting profit margins of big firms.

🎭 CREATOR ECONOMY

A new study reveals the vital role of facial expressions in YouTube thumbnails. Surprised faces lead in engagement (at 26.95%), followed closely by happy expressions (26.65%). MrBeast shares his experience, noting closed mouths boosted his video views.

Meta is rolling out a new mini-site filled with tips for creators looking to boost their Threads presence. With insights based on user engagement data, creators can learn how to drive conversations and customize their feeds effectively, improving overall performance.

📚 Learn & Grow

📽️ VISUAL CREATORS

• The Art Movement That Changed Film Forever

• Top Photography Contests to Enter in 2025

📈 PRODUCTION MASTERY

• Perplexity blasts media as ‘adversarial’ in response to copyright lawsuit

• Celebrated Photographer Tyler Mitchell Joins Gagosian

🎭 CREATOR ECONOMY

• Why Digital Retro Cameras Are the Nostalgic Comeback We Didn’t Know We Needed

• YouTube is gamifying the creator-viewer connection