Featured Articles
Reel AI: Erik Barmack’s biweekly article for The Ankler
How Sora Played Hollywood On Its Way to Dying
Erik Barmack’s Reel AI Column from The Ankler
INTRO TO AI
Quick Explainers on Basic AI Terms and Tools
ALL ARTICLES
Why OpenAI Needs ‘TBPN.’ Badly
Sam Altman now knows the next AI arms race isn’t about tech — it’s about narrative
How Sora Played Hollywood On Its Way to Dying
It turns out entertainment was too small for OpenAI. The bigger game is still coming.
Val Kilmer and Immortal IP Stars: Private Equity’s Next Play
Hollywood’s answer to the music catalog boom may be here
Amazon MGM Tests AI Tools to Streamline Post-Production
Internal experimentation focuses on editing and VFX workflows as the studio looks to reduce timelines without altering creative output
Why Did Ben Affleck Start an AI Company in Secret?
Hollywood stars issue stern warnings while quietly building startups behind the tech
SAG-AFTRA Expands AI Protections Into Advertising and Voice Work
A recent update broadens the union’s focus beyond film and television, signaling where the next contract battles may emerge
OpenAI Moves Closer to Hollywood’s Gatekeepers
Early March conversations with agencies signal a shift from technology rollout to rights negotiations and talent representation
How Hollywood Choked Sora 2’s Rise
ByteDance’s AI reconnaissance strike and the four strategic choices now facing the studios before the next attack
SAG-AFTRA Tightens the Rules on AI Voice Replication
The union’s February guidance shows where the next labor fight is heading
Netflix Buys Ben Affleck’s AI Studio
Why the streamer’s February acquisition signals a shift in how movies may be made
How Hollywood Choked Sora 2’s Rise
The numbers don’t lie. And it turns out this industry still knows how to close ranks
Runway Pushes Generative Video Toward Filmmaking
The February release of Gen-3 production tools targets professional creators
The Digital Crowd Is Replacing the Background Actor
AI crowd simulation tools are quietly changing how large scenes get made
Liza Minnelli and the Consent Case for AI
Why one artist’s embrace of generative tools complicates Hollywood’s moral line
Adobe’s Hollywood Strategy Comes Into Focus
Why Firefly’s studio partnerships signal a different AI endgame
Hollywood’s “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” Moment
Why a new artist coalition is forcing AI training out of the shadows
The Oscars’ AI Lie: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Last year’s ‘Brutalist’ controversy gave way to a landscape where the tech is rewarded — as long as it’s cloaked in prestige
Brad Pitt and the Economics of the Digital Double
Why A-list stars are renegotiating longevity, not novelty, in the AI era
Awards Season Meets Artificial Intelligence
Why eligibility rules are becoming Hollywood’s next AI battleground
Ryan Reynolds and the First AI Advertising Problem Hollywood Can’t Ignore
Why celebrity-driven brands are colliding with generative marketing tools