Mark Simon

Actors are starting to realize something. Your face your body your performance — can now be replicated without you being there. AI doesn’t ask for permission. It requires data. This is exactly why the SAG-AFTRA strikes happened. Because control over likeness is no longer guaranteed. — In film, VFX, and real-time production, human identity is already being captured, rebuilt, and reused. But in most cases, there is no verified reference of the individual. No baseline. No proof. Only approximation. — At Clonstudios, we don’t just create scans. We establish **verified digital identity** — a high-fidelity, timestamped reference that defines ownership between a person and their digital self. Access to our Digital Identity Program is selective. Apply here:https://lnkd.in/eFphXAAY #SAGAFTRA #ActorsLife #VFX #FilmIndustry #Deepfake #DigitalDouble #Ownership #FutureOfFilm #Metahuman #AIReplication #DigitalIdentity #Clonstudios

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Most actors focus on getting the agent meeting. Fewer focus on what happens inside it. Agent meetings may include copy, but they’re not only auditions. They’re about alignment, professionalism, and long-term potential. Agents aren’t just listening for talent. They’re evaluating clarity, professionalism, self-awareness, and market positioning. In the next Fly Forgers session led by Jo Y., we’re unpacking that process with special guest Ferenc Laczko of SBV Talent Agency, to clarify what that room actually requires. The goal isn’t hype. It’s literacy. Because access improves when expectations are clear. And preparation changes outcomes. https://lnkd.in/gvcgzpBX

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It’s time for Freeway’s next video 📺, about paying US Guild Residuals to members of SAG-AFTRA, DGA and WGA, using a Collection Account.👇   🤔 What are Guild Residuals and how does a Collection Account with Freeway make sure that Independent Film Producers pay Residuals correctly?   ➡️ Residuals are additional compensation payments which may become due and payable by the Production Company to Actors, Directors and Screenwriters, under the Basic Agreements.   ➡️ Residuals may become due when a Film is exhibited, distributed, or otherwise exploited, domestically and/or internationally, beyond its initial theatrical exhibition.   ➡️ This can include pay and free TV, home video and DVD, streaming and new media.   🧐 How are Guild Residuals calculated and paid?   ➡️ Guild Residuals are payable on worldwide revenues.   ➡️ The Production Company will set up a Collection Account with Freeway as neutral third party Collection Account Manager (CAM) to manage the receipt, administration and allocation of revenues.   ➡️ The Production Company and the Sales Agent will instruct the local buyers or Distributors, to pay revenues due under the Film’s Distribution Agreements, into the Collection Account.   ➡️ Freeway sets aside, off the top and from every dollar received in the Collection Account, a fixed percentage which goes to a Residuals-Set-Aside.   ➡️ A Payroll House, appointed by the Production Company, will calculate the exact amounts of Residuals payable, based on information like worldwide revenue reports and the Film’s media allocation.   ➡️ Freeway is periodically notified by the Payroll House of the exact amounts of Residuals payable. Each time the CAM receives an invoice from the Payroll House, Freeway pays the total amount of Residuals payable from the Residuals-Set-Aside to the Payroll House. ▶️ The Payroll House will then cut the checks and pay each Guild Member individually. 👉 Do you have US Guild Members in your Film, and do you want to know more about paying Residuals through a Collection Account with Freeway? ✅ Contact Freeway Entertainment Group or visit the website: https://lnkd.in/gu_dXThz.

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Covenant Pulse Protocol DRÆM SEQUENCE Submission DRÆM SEQUENCE isn’t just another render challenge it’s a global 3D community event where artists from around the world synchronize their creativity to the same 120 BPM heartbeat. For 30 days, we’re all building visuals around a shared rhythm. Same tempo. Same keyframes. Completely different visions. My submission transforms that 120 BPM pulse into a Covenant-inspired sci-fi light ritual. Massive alien doors respond to each on-beat keyframe (0-120), glowing, charging, and awakening in perfect sync with the beat. This challenge is huge because: Every artist works within the same strict timing framework Camera specs and tech specs push cinematic discipline Judging spans idea, lighting, composition, animation, and overall appeal Only one submission per artist A curated Top 100 montage raises the bar even higher It’s not just about making something cool it’s about precision, storytelling, and technical execution under shared constraints. This piece represents my interpretation of rhythm as architecture turning light, scale, and motion into a synchronized alien ceremony. Good luck to everyone in DRÆM SEQUENCE. Let the beat decide. Tags #DraemSequence #120BPM #BeatSync #SciFi #HaloInspired #Covenant #AlienArchitecture #CinematicLighting #3DAnimation #EmissiveLighting #Procedural #EnvironmentArt #HardSurface #GameArt #UnrealEngine   #Blender3D  

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Here is a frustrating reality about your screenwriting: The odds of your screenplay's success are mostly determined by the decisions you make before you even start writing. The concept, the genre, the castability. The actual writing is just modifying those odds for better or for worse. #screenwriting

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"Orson Welles didn’t shun technology in “Citizen Kane”; he pioneered deep-focus cinematography, added ceilings to sets for unprecedented angles, manipulated lighting for psychological texture, and cut time with “lightning mixes” that astonished audiences. His innovation was inseparable from the technical frontier of 1941.” WSJ: AI Is a Gift to Human Creativity When anyone can produce passable work, real talent becomes more readily apparent than ever. Link 👇

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🎬 Virtual Production Field Guide | Part 1 of 3 If you’ve never booked a virtual stage before, start here. Virtual production brings filmmaking back under your control. --- Technology: The wall is everything. Its quality determines how believable your final image will be. Look at the specs the same way you’d evaluate a camera package: contrast ratio, pixel pitch, color accuracy, and size. A high-end stage like Twickenham’s Samsung build runs a 35,000:1 contrast ratio — many others hover around 5,000–10,000:1. That difference shows up in black levels, reflections, and how seamlessly foreground assets blend into the background. The right wall depends on your format. A glossy commercial may demand that fidelity, while a gritty indie film may not. Match the stage’s capability to your project’s needs, not the marketing brochure. And don’t get distracted by size alone. Bigger isn’t always better—it’s about finding the mix of resolution, brightness, and viewing distance that serves your lenses and story. --- Location Once you know the tech spec you need, the next question is proximity. Is the right stage within reach—or will you burn your budget getting there? There’s a balance. A top-tier wall in London might deliver unmatched fidelity, but if your team’s in L.A., travel and downtime could erase the benefit. Likewise, a nearby stage that can’t meet your technical or creative standards defeats the purpose. Map your options early: - List stages that fit your technical needs. - Compare total access cost (travel, shipping, crew, schedule impact). - Decide what you’re optimizing for—**image quality, convenience, or control.** The right choice isn’t the closest or flashiest—it’s the one that aligns with your creative goal, schedule, and risk tolerance. --- The best stage is the one that fits your story, your team, and your timeline. Next up: Part 2 — Getting It Right On Stage. ♻️ Share or repost if you know someone who might find this valuable.

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In 1987, Phuture (the artist) released Acid Trax. The record lifted the TB-303 synth out of obscurity and birthed the Chicago House music genre. But before that the TB-303 spent 6 years languishing while no one new what to do with it. When I look at the generative AI landscape, that's what I'm seeing. Automating jobs (even poorly) might make money, but it doesn't create value. Saving time is nice, but most of us will just be expected to accomplish more in our workday as a result. I receive emails from AI assistants that cause more confusion than they solve. I'm seeing a lot of coordinated and unsubstantiated hype in the news (looking at you, New York Times) that takes time and expertise to debunk. I'm seeing a lot of buggy software, but that is nothing new. Generative AI is transforming the software development process, but that only affects people who are developing software. Text-to-audio/video technology is REALLY interesting, but I don't find it interesting as a user. Conversational chat bots can be useful... but these are as good at helping you THINK you are learning as they are at actually helping you learn (and somehow, we all believe we are the exception). I'm not anti generative ai - I like using it for software development. Like red meat and air travel I think we should consume in moderation (and please do not use Grok). And yes, the AI boom has many consequences that are outright harmful. Here, I am looking for things that are genuiniely exciting. In the past few years A LOT of jobs transformed into "Figure out what to do with AI" or "Figure out what to do ABOUT AI". Most institutions and startups are effectively trying to do the same things in their respective fields, and currently that is not very creative. Do you have a counter example? Something outside of software development that you are genuinely excited about?

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By the late 1950s, Hollywood’s directors of photography were looking for a smaller, lighter studio camera that built on the legacy and features of the venerable Mitchell BNC. The engineers at Mitchell Camera went back to the drawing board to design a spinning mirror reflex camera that maintained the much loved variable focal plane shutter, their world-renowned movement, and could be used handheld or in a blimp. In 1960, Mitchell introduced the Mitchell R-35 which featured a spinning mirror reflex through-the-lens viewfinding system, maintained the 180 degree variable focal plane shutter that was adjustable while the camera was running, incorporated Mitchell’s dual pin registered movement capable of speeds from single frame to 120 frames per second, allowed for full aperture viewfinding while giving the operator the ability to see beyond the full aperture frame lines, offered a wide range of motors for studio and location work, launched the Bausch & Lomb Super Baltar lenses, and introduced the unique 400’ inverted magazine with shoulder rest. This inverted magazine, as well as the lighter, more streamlined form factor made a camera with the rich feature set of the BNC into a hand-holdable production tool. Other key features of the Mitchell R-35 included a built-in viewfinder magnifier for critical focus, color and monochrome contrast filters, and a bigger, brighter eyepiece. The Mitchell R-35 was at home both on a tripod or on the operator’s shoulder. After two years of review by industry professionals, the R-35 was re-engineered and re-introduced as the Mitchell Mark II 35mm Studio Reflex Camera, commonly referred to as the Mark II. With the Mark II, Mitchell maintained the overall form factor of the R-35, improved the film transport, increased the top speed to 128 frames per second, improved the magazine handling capabilities, and overall improved the usability of the camera. We are pleased to offer this lovely example of a Mitchell Mark II that comes from the collection of cinematographer John Hora. https://ln.run/1SKM- #CinemaGear #MitchellMarkII #cameras #35mm #film #mitchellmk2

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Probably my favorite insight so far. Constantly going back to the fundamentals instead of adding extra complexity to my pipeline has been my go-to approach for the past few years, and I recommend everyone do the same. I feel like we should understand how complex operations behave, so we can extract those concepts and apply them using lighter, less complex tools.

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Producer Notes #2 - Every change has a ripple In animation, nothing is a small tweak. A timing shift affects layout… Layout affects animation… Animation affects lighting… Lighting affects comp… Clients don’t see that chain reaction, and they don’t need to. But it is our job to look at them and say confidently: “We can do this, here’s what it touches.” Transparency is always the right answer.

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The surprise announcement of Guillermo del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" getting the 3D treatment for it's 20th Anniversary, led me to speculate what other slightly offbeat titles or filmmakers work could make great dimensional viewing? How about Wes Anderson? His visual style certainly looks like it might fit the bill and he has previously expressed interest in 3D. It's also an instance where the well known side-effect of stereoscopy's potential to create a slight miniaturisation effect being a positive to explore as opposed to something to try to minimise and work around. So how about "The Phoenician Scheme"? Could it be a good candidate for 3D conversion? READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/eDGMpAdA

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Tech Scouts Author: Lee Burks Film and television tech scouts, or location scouts, play a vital role in the pre-production process, identifying and assessing locations that best fit a project’s vision. However, a crucial aspect of their work involves evaluating safety concerns that can impact the production's success and the well-being of the cast and crew. One of the primary considerations for tech scouts is ensuring that locations have adequate exits. They must assess emergency egress points to ensure that everyone can evacuate swiftly in case of an emergency. This includes identifying main entrances and additional exits that may not be immediately visible but are essential for a safe evacuation plan. Fire suppression systems are another critical focus area. Scouts need to evaluate whether a location has adequate fire safety measures in place, such as sprinklers, fire extinguishers, and clear pathways to exits. They should also check for flammable materials on-site, including decorations or props that might increase fire risks. Mold and environmental concerns are also paramount, especially in older buildings that may have histories of water damage. The presence of mold can pose serious health risks to the cast and crew, potentially impacting productivity and wellbeing. Tech scouts should look for signs of moisture, proper ventilation, and any history of mold issues before deciding to use a space. Additionally, traffic control is a vital consideration, particularly for locations near busy streets or in urban settings. Scouts need to evaluate whether there are appropriate measures in place to manage vehicle and pedestrian traffic during filming, such as road closures, traffic cones, and signage. Tech scouts should be mindful of other environmental concerns, such as noise levels, proximity to hazardous materials, or wildlife that could pose risks. Ensuring that the selected location adheres to safety regulations and meets the specific needs of the production is essential for not only creating a seamless filming experience but also safeguarding the health and safety of everyone involved. By addressing these potential concerns, tech scouts help minimize risks and lay the groundwork for a successful and safe production.

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Producers & Casting Directors: You Know When a Voice Hits It’s that moment in the booth when the read isn’t just right, it’s real. The tone lands, the message breathes, and suddenly the spot sticks. That’s not luck. That’s a voice actor who gets it. Great talent brings more than sound. They bring instinct, emotional intelligence, and timing that elevates the entire production. They know how to serve the story, not steal it. In luxury, healthcare, or high-impact commercial work, the right voice doesn’t just deliver, it embodies. If you’re casting for resonance not just range you already know: the voice makes it memorable.

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A voice acting tip to kick off your week: Casting directors can hear it when you don't know who you're talking to in your audition. Doesn't matter what gear you're using. Doesn't matter how pretty your voice sounds. Audition prep matters.

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