The Machine Cinema Times - July 4th, 2025
... still wondering if robots have celluloid dreams.
Edited by Elizabeth Kealoha. Pod Digest by Ant Neely
In this issue:
Real Creative “Pick of the Week”
“Overheard in Basecamp” for the week June 26 - July 2
*Check out the linked NotebookLM podcast below if you’re too busy to read!
Real Creative “Pick of the Week”
Each week the Machine Cinema members + the Real Creative team obsess over social feeds in search of the world's best AI creative video, gaming, and music projects. This week one project stuck out:
About this project
Matt Zien is wildly creative and at it again with "Post-Scarcity Blues." The video features a surreal hologram singing about our simulated future. Matt is one of the creative geniuses behind KNGMKR Labs which has already created some of the most inventive AI films to date. This video was created using mostly MidJourney video and Hailuo. And the song was created with Suno and Audimee. This one had the Machine Cinema Basecamp buzzing, give it a watch if you haven't already!
About the Artist
Matt Zien is a co-founder of KNGMKR Labs alongside his partner Mac Boucher where they’ve been pushing the edges of what is possible with Gen AI tools exploring speculative history as well as genre-bending narrative content.
You can find this and over 300 AI filmmakers and their projects over at realcreative.ai which features some familiar faces from the Machine Cinema community.
Overheard in Basecamp - Week of June 26 - July 2, 2025
Our Machine Cinema Basecamp is a firehose of activity and even the most diehard members of our community can feel overwhelmed sometimes. This weekly digest of hot topics discussed, links and articles shared and discussed is here to make sure you never miss a beat.
If you’d like to join the conversation, this link is your invitation.
Full disclosure, we had our robot friend help us pull all this together and sometimes they are prone to making harmless mistakes.
Are you too busy to read this? Have a listen with this link!
🎨 Bias, Identity & Prompt Precision
A raw and revealing conversation unfolded about AI image and video generators’ persistent trouble rendering people of color. From skin tone inaccuracies to facial defaults, creators shared frustration, hacks, and broader concerns about representation.
Even detailed prompts often fail to yield accurate depictions of Black and Asian subjects
Some found turning up “weirdness” settings actually improved results—raising deeper questions
Upscalers like Magnific were called out for lightening skin tones
The group called for systemic change, not just workaround tips
💬 “I ran the same prompt five times. Only when I turned on ‘weird’ did it finally understand a dark-skinned Black woman. So… Black women are weird?”
🧠 The Neuroscience of Prompting: Real or Slop?
A recent MIT Media Lab study claiming AI makes writers “more average” triggered fierce critique. Members questioned the methodology, sample size, and general conclusions—then pivoted to deeper questions about how AI might reshape cognition over time.
The study suggested LLM use leads to reduced brain activity and creative diversity
Critics noted the study was small and skewed by prompt style and task framing
Some argued that AI is rewiring the brain in ways not yet captured by traditional metrics
💬 “Our brains are such old machinery. Some of us still can’t get our nervous systems to understand the difference between an email and a lion.”
⚖️ Fair Use, Lawsuits, and the End of Clean Models?
A Washington Post article on the Anthropic case sparked a robust debate: is training AI on copyrighted data truly “fair use”? If books are safe, are images and video next?
Courts may legitimize training on copyrighted data, even without consent—so long as it’s “transformative”
Creators questioned whether true “clean” models are even possible
Video models trained on AI-generated images are raising new ethical red flags
💬 “There’s no such thing as a clean model. Only cleaner.”
🧪 Live Action, Lip Sync, and Upscaling Hacks
Tech swaps abounded this week—from lip sync tricks to upscaling workarounds.
Front-facing models perform best with Kling or Higgsfield
Topaz Starlight and Astra were favored for uprezing to 1080p+
Lip sync “greats” like Matt Zien got shoutouts
Firefly was noted for copyright-safe generation, but inconsistent quality
💬 “Every example I’ve seen that really works is still actor-anchored. Humans matter.”
🛠️ GenAI Workflows: Messy, Modular, and Evolving
One member laid out their entire AI production setup—browser-based chaos, automator rules, folder nesting, and tab overload—opening the floodgates for others to share evolving strategies.
AI outputs break traditional file hierarchies—cyclical, not linear
WebCatalog and Miro were praised for taming browser sprawl
Some suggested script-based foldering tied to shot lists and prompts
ComfyUI remains both powerful and maddening for advanced users
💬 “No one has the whole bag. Just pieces.”
🎞️ From Ripomatics to Real Films
A handful of creators reflected on early-career ripomatics and how AI now offers even more powerful tools for visualizing concepts—especially for filmmakers priced out of traditional production.
One member shared a WWII survival film ripomatic made years ago—now aiming to remake it with AI
Others debated which genres are most viable right now (sci-fi, horror, stylized drama)
Set extensions, hybrid VFX pipelines, and AI previs were cited as major unlocks for indie features
💬 “We’re not far off from being able to shoot a $5M script for $50K if you build it right.”
🎭 Microdramas Go Mainstream
The chat exploded with analysis and opportunities around vertical-format microdramas. With China leading the charge and VCs circling, the group debated whether this emerging format is a new creative frontier or a race to the bottom.
Vertical dramas are taking off across China, Korea, and the Middle East—often tied to recycled IP
Creators see potential for using microdramas as pitch tools, traffic drivers, and story incubators
Netflix is now testing a vertical feed to compete with TikTok and YouTube Shorts
Distribution is the real currency—ownership of platforms, not just content, is the power move
💬 “We’re going to be so flooded by microdramas by the end of the year... and then AI video games and interactive media will bulldoze all of that.”
📺 Microdramas as MVPs? The VC Playbook Emerges
The idea that microdramas could operate like MVPs (minimum viable products) in tech sparked serious intrigue. Could a string of 60-second episodes replace the pitch deck?
The format mirrors startup logic: test early, iterate fast, build community
Creators explored whether audience interaction could influence future episodes
The gap between dopamine delivery and deep storytelling was hotly debated
💬 “Quibi was too early. Now China came at the right moment—and it’s blowing up.”
📊 Distribution > Creation: Again and Again
As the microdrama floodgates open, the conversation circled back to an age-old tension: discovery.
Creators expressed concern that standout work would drown in algorithmic sameness
Distribution platforms—not just good content—will determine what rises
Legacy media brands may have an edge if they adapt to vertical and interactive formats fast
💬 “Making great content is half the battle. Getting it seen is the war.”
🌍 New Faces, Global Growth
The community surged with new members from Amsterdam, Paris, and beyond—many joining after GenJams or Machine Cinema events. Several shared portfolios, reels, and questions about how to plug in and push their work further with AI.
Dozens joined from Prompt Club and Artifex Lab in Paris – Check out this eye-popping reel from PromptClub.ai
Intros poured in from artists in Argentina, the Netherlands, and Poland
One creator teaching AI filmmaking in Argentina asked for platform access support
Another pitched an unpaid “demo” for a vertical AI series—sparking debate about labor value
💬 “If you’re a legit company, you should pay artists during the demo phase. Time is money.”
🔗 Link Drop: What the Community Shared
🧪 Tools & Industry
“Cat Biggie” and the Rise of AI Studios
🎥 Film & Art Projects
100% AI-Powered Short Film Every Week
📚 Thought Pieces
AI Bots Reshaping the Web: Publishers Must Adapt or Perish
AI Storytelling Market Map Q3 2025
Are you a builder or founder of an AI tool or platform and want to be included? Are you a storyteller using a tool you don’t see here but want to share? Let us know!
P.S. Machine Cinema is currently running a survey to help understand how AI artists/creators are being compensated for their work. This is part of our effort to advocate for AI artists and AI work. If you’re an AI artist making money with AI, please fill out this survey.