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VISUAL CREATORS
For your artistic side.

🎥 The CMR-M1: Future of Cameras?

Remember Kodak's "You press the button, we'll do the rest" slogan? Well, a new prototype camera called CMR M-1 is bringing back that old-school magic. It's not about the specs with this one – it's about the unexpected.

It's not from a big camera company like Canon or Nikon – it's a collab between a creative agency called SpecialGuestX and a production company named 1stAveMachine.

The camera looks more like a box than a modern camera and doesn't have the high specs that photographers usually drool over. But it does have something special – an AI system that can give your photos a unique look in real-time.

It’s not your typical camera – it’s the “first generative AI camera.” Using a lo-fi IR sensor, it generates artsy AI effects using what they call “Stable Diffusion algorithms.”

It's not about specs – it’s about rethinking what a camera can be. Think of it as a time capsule from the future, offering a peek at what the next wave of cameras might bring.

The creators aren't trying to sell a million of these – they're just using it to explore new ideas. And that's what's got some photographers excited – the idea that this camera could inspire the next big thing in photography tech. But will we ever see this AI stuff in a camera we can actually buy?

PRODUCTION MASTERY
The commercial aspects of creativity.

🎬 Paramount + Skydance = Hollywood Shake-up

Paramount and Skydance Media have agreed to merge in a deal valued at $4.75B, resolving months of speculation around the future of the movie studio that also reportedly attracted a $26B bid from a consortium including Sony Pictures and private equity firm Apollo Global Management.

Under the agreement, Skydance will first acquire a 77% stake in Paramount from its parent company, National Amusements, for $2.4B. Then, the two studios will combine in an all-stock deal.

The merger brings together Paramount's century-old film catalog, which includes hits like "Titanic" and "The Godfather," and Skydance's modern franchises like "Mission: Impossible" and "Top Gun."

For context: Paramount has been the subject of intense deal-making this year, with reports that everyone from Apple to ViacomCBS (which spun off Paramount in 2019) to Disney was interested in a tie-up.

CREATOR ECONOMY
Navigating the digital creative world.

🎨 Canva Challenges Adobe's Reign

Canva, the graphic design platform, wants to take on Adobe. They recently bought the popular design software, Serif Affinity, to give Adobe a run for its money.

Melanie Perkins, Canva's CEO, recently bemoaned Adobe's monopoly and wants to give designers another option, saying the goal is to create an alternative to Adobe that's loved by professional designers.

She says designers need more choices, and she’s right—the design world has been dominated by Adobe for years.

So what’s the play here? Canva will push Affinity's pro-level tools to integrate with its platform. It’s a win for design, but photographers might still be holding out for a hero.

🔥 Press Worthy

📽️ VISUAL CREATORS

Adobe adds 'Content Credentials' to Camera Raw & Lightroom, allowing creators to verify image authenticity & edits.

DreamFlare, a startup for AI-generated videos, launches with a subscription model. Former Google employee Josh Liss co-founded the venture with documentary filmmaker Rob Bralver to provide a platform for creators using third-party AI tools.

📈 PRODUCTION MASTERY

Artists are turning to social media as a modern-day gallery. Reach goes global, feedback is instant, connections abound, and it’s all affordable. Art has entered the digital age, and the like button is the new applause. Time to get up to speed.

The cultural sector in France breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday night when the final results of the parliamentary election were announced. The election saw a mobilized cultural sector, which had raised alarm bells about the threat of a hard-right government.

🎭 CREATOR ECONOMY

Insta360's new gimbal, 'Flow Pro', integrates Apple's tracking AI, offering creators a new tool for silky smooth iPhone footage.

AI replacing creatives? Don't hit the panic button, says Tim Ringel of Meet The People. Sure, there'll be a rough patch, but adopting AI tools could be the safeguard against obsolescence. After all, creativity has always found a way to adapt and augment.

📚 Learn & Grow

📽️ VISUAL CREATORS

• Why there is no magic bullet to making a film 'more cinematic'

• Using AI to review and improve your photos

📈 PRODUCTION MASTERY

• How to Write a Movie that Shoots in Three Months

• Turn Your Footage into AI Imagery with the World’s First AI-Powered Movie Camera

🎭 CREATOR ECONOMY

• Can Art Ever Outdo Crimes Committed by a State?

• I watched the film Kodachrome, and I'm now committed to capturing moments on film