Stability AI brings VFX legend Rob Legato on board as Chief Pipeline Officer while launching a new virtual camera tool,  Sony enters the camera tracking market with OCELLUS, and we analyze the downsizing at Panavision and Village Roadshow's bankruptcy filing. 

NVIDIA just unveiled its vision for AI's future at GTC, but what does it mean for media professionals? 

We break down the key announcements from Jensen Huang's keynote, including AI factories, the new Blackwell chips, and their new project Newton. Plus, we discuss NVIDIA's partnerships with DeepMind, Disney Research, and GM, while analyzing how these massive technological advances might reshape creative workflows.

Google DeepMind's latest humanoid robots are blurring the line between science fiction and reality. In this episode of Denoised, Addy and Joey explore how AI is making robots understand our physical world in real-time, the exploration of 'vibe filmmaking' as a creative approach using generative AI tools, and the alarming free speech battle facing Miami's O Cinema over screening the Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land.' From cutting-edge AI to cultural censorship, this episode unpacks what these developments mean for creative professionals.

How a chocolate bar turned MrBeast into a $5 billion business while his YouTube videos actually lose money. Joey and Addy break down the financial strategies driving today's biggest creators, from Emma Chamberlain's coffee empire to Logan Paul's Prime energy drink dominance. We also explore YouTube's upfront events challenging traditional TV ad sales, and examine Netflix's experimental move into podcasting with Kill Tony. 

The Oscars signaled a major shift for indie filmmaking this year, with Anora's $6M budget dominating the Academy Awards with only a $6M budget, The Brutalist sweeping up behind with only a $10M budget, and Flow's $3.7M Blender-created animated feature beating out Pixar and Dreamworks. 

In this episode of Denoised, we analyze what this means for the future of film production, how small-budget projects are redefining Hollywood, and how AI tools might find a sweet spot to help smaller-budget films punch above their weight. Plus, we examine Manus, the sought-after AI agent causing a stir with its impressive capabilities, and break down Apple's latest Mac Studio update with the M4 Max and M3 Ultra chips.

Is America losing its grip as a film production powerhouse? We break down surprising survey results revealing the top global production hubs - with the U.S. notably absent from the top five. 

We also dive into Promise AI's acquisition of Curious Refuge and what truly AI-native production studios might look like compared to traditional VFX pipelines. Plus, discover how a simple $70 RGB color sensor could become an essential problem-solving tool for virtual production sets.

Addy and Joey break down the latest AI tools reshaping creative workflows. From Pika Labs' impressive video manipulation features to Flora's intelligent canvas connecting multiple AI models, they explore how these tools are changing VFX and content creation.

Plus, insights on Midjourney mood boards, Alibaba's open-source video model, and ElevenLabs' new speech-to-text technology. Subscribe for more technical insights on the cutting edge of media production.

Joey and Addy break down three major stories this week: xAI's Grok 3 model emerges as a serious AI contender despite its meme origins, with impressive coding capabilities and real-time data integration via X. RED introduces game-changing Z-mount compatibility, opening up their cameras to Nikon glass and Sony lenses without sacrificing functionality—the first major development since Nikon's acquisition. 

Plus, Addy shares exclusive insights from his involvement in the 2025 Sci-Tech Awards, highlighting innovations like fire-resistant gel technology and advanced VFX denoising, before the hosts offer their Oscar predictions for Sunday's ceremony. A fast-paced, no-BS breakdown perfect for filmmakers and tech enthusiasts.

Joey and Addy tackle the breaking news of Technicolor's potential collapse and what it means for the 15,000 employees worldwide at iconic VFX houses like The Mill and MPC. They analyze how the future of VFX might shift toward smaller, specialized teams and discuss DNEG's strategic acquisition of Metaphysic AI. The conversation shifts to the escalating tax incentive battles keeping productions away from L.A., with the U.K. raising its relief to 40% and Netflix investing $1B in Mexico. Plus, they examine several AI products recently laid to rest, including the Humane Ai Pin and Skyglass's virtual production app. A sobering but essential episode on the rapidly evolving state of the film and tech industries.

In this episode of Denoised, Joey shares his first-hand experience at the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) Tech Retreat, including his participation in a live AI-assisted editing challenge. Joey and Addy break down what makes HPA unique in the M&E space, the innovative AI editing tools Joey tested under pressure, and the cutting-edge tech on display in the Innovation Zone.

Key topics covered:
The unique networking environment at HPA Tech Retreat
Joey's "Live without a Net" AI editing challenge
AI tools tested: Claude, Perplexity, Strada, Eddie AI, ElevenLabs
Innovation Zone highlights: Quickture, Strada's peer-to-peer technology
Virtual production updates from Lightcraft, B&H Studio, and PlatePros


#############

📧 GET THE VP LAND NEWSLETTER 
Get our free newsletter covering the latest news and tools in media creation, from virtual production to AI and more: 
https://ntm.link/vp_land

#############

📺 MORE VP LAND EPISODES

From Europe to Hollywood: Inside VFX Production with TRIXTER's Christina Caspers
https://youtu.be/hejWSL36btg

AI Filmmaking Hackathon, Reuters' AI Copyright Victory & Stability AI’s Hollywood Move
https://youtu.be/OiHmkUYgNBQ

The Best (and Worst) AI Commercials at the Super Bowl. Plus, Will the Oscars Require AI Disclosure?
https://youtu.be/TSdpEdtHH7A

#############

📝 SHOW NOTES & SOURCES

HPA Tech Retreat
https://hpaonline.com/event/2025-hpa-tech-retreat/

Claude
https://www.vp-land.com/p/claude-ai-can-now-control-your-computer

Perplexity AI
https://www.perplexity.ai

Strada
https://www.vp-land.com/p/strada

Eddie AI
https://heyeddie.ai

ElevenLabs
https://ntm.link/elevenlabs

Ideogram
https://www.vp-land.com/p/newsletter-feb-18-9df5

Quickture
https://www.quickture.com

Lightcraft
https://www.vp-land.com/p/lightcraft-at-nab-2024

B&H Studio
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/shared/b2bHub/theStudio.jsp

PlatePros
https://www.vp-land.com/p/plate-pros-at-cinegear

#############

⏱ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:38 HPA First Impressions and Conference Structure
05:05 "Live without a Net" AI Editing Challenge
08:02 Live AI Editing Tools and Workflows
09:50 Eddie AI
11:00 Claude AI
13:35 Perplexity AI
16:00 Prompting with AI Tools
20:40 ElevenLabs and Descript
23:35 ChatGPT Deep Research
24:34 AI News Highlights from HPA
25:25 ChatGPT Operator
26:28 Ideogram
28:04 Twelve Labs
30:50 AI Tool Trends Prediction
32:15 Quickture
34:54 Traditional vs. AI Video Editors
36:17 Strada
38:42 Virtual Production at HPA
39:10 PlatePros
40:10 Lightcraft