About this episode

The episode discusses A24's partnership with Google DeepMind and the implications for the film industry, including studio mergers and the ongoing debate over CGI versus practical effects.

A24 announced a $75 million research partnership with Google DeepMind and framed it as R&D for production tools, not a content deal. Nobody cared about the distinction. Chris, Daniel, and James Blevins spend the first half of this Rough Cut on why that announcement landed like a betrayal anyway, then pull the same thread through the Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, Mark Ruffalo's New York Times op-ed on quiet industry retaliation, and what it means that four studios now control what used to take six. From there the panel turns to Christopher Nolan's press tour for The Odyssey and the practical-versus-VFX marketing dance that VFX artists roll their eyes at every single time it resurfaces. They close with a Monstrous Moonshine state of the union, walking through the June July shoot and a quick, lighthearted aside on why the show still uses AI tools like Suno for its own theme song. Mentioned this episode: A24, Google DeepMind Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros. Discovery, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Stoller Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey, D-Neg, Weta Workshop Monstrous Moonshine June July Suno Special thanks to our sponsor: Center Grid Virtual Studio…

People in this episode

Hosts: Chris, Daniel, James Blevins

Topics covered

• film industry
• CGI
• VFX
• studio mergers
• AI tools

Keywords

• A24
• Google DeepMind
• CGI
• VFX
• film industry
• studio mergers
• Christopher Nolan
• Mark Ruffalo

Sponsors

Center Grid Virtual Studio

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: A24, Google DeepMind, Paramount Skydance, Warner Bros. Discovery, D-Neg, Weta Workshop

Books & works: The Odyssey

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