A.I. Video Tools Are Coming for Hollywood. And the Gatekeepers Know It.

A viral clip of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise brawling has set social media ablaze. What’s noteworthy is that instead of taking place on a movie set or awards show stage, the fight that spawned the clip happened entirely on someone’s computer. And this time, the footage looked convincing enough to fool casual viewers.

It also rattled studio lawyers and prompted legal threats from Disney.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times ran an interview with the CEO of media tech startup Synthesia, arguing that A.I. video will lower the barrier to entry for filmmakers worldwide. Translation: The ability to generate believable CG sequences, digital actors, and cinematic shots is no longer confined to a backlot in Burbank.

For decades, Hollywood’s power rested on control of capital-intensive production. Cameras were expensive. Effects pipelines were labyrinthine. Distribution required relationships with theaters, cable networks, and later streaming platforms. Independent creators could tell stories, but spectacle remained the studios’ trump card. A dragon costs money. So does a convincing alien invasion.

Consumer-grade A.I. video tools threaten that advantage. When a hobbyist can generate a photorealistic fight scene on a home PC, the gate cracks. Now bundle camera movement, lighting simulation, and lip-synced dialogue in one subscription, and the garden wall topples.

Read the full post on Substack!

Access it free for the first two weeks, then find it in the paid archive.