Rough Cuts #1 - Talking points from Movieland - 1/4/2025
A new regular round-up of innovations, campaigns and talking points shaking up the cinema and entertainment sector, with a focus on AI, social media, tech, digital, and marketing.
(PSA: There’s no April Fool’s here!)
I read a LOT of articles, LinkedIn writers, Substackers, Reddit threads etc. about film during the week. Honestly, my notes app is exploding with bookmarks, and I have too many disorganised Notion pages where I’m saving these articles.
Since I know most people do NOT have the time or desire to wade through the noise, but want to know the key trends, stories and talking points that are causing chatter and opinion within the cinema/entertainment industry I thought I’d start a round-up series.
I want to say it’ll be weekly, so let’s go!
Please share your thoughts in the comments, and if you’ve spotted an alternative angle, opinion, or counter-opinion on any of the below stories, pop them in the comments - I’d love to learn more!
1. YouTube’s new ‘Shows’ feature to push creator-led episodic content - streamers should be worried.
YouTube is ONCE AGAIN making a play for streaming and linear TV audiences with its latest feature, YouTube Shows, a move designed to make creator-made, episodic content easier to discover, and more bingeable. This isn’t just a tweak, it’s a direct challenge to streaming giants who are struggling with discovery and fine-tuning their algorithms to help users find new content.
YouTube already boasts viewing numbers that make the eyes water, so it makes sense it would muscle in and bring its sophisticated discovery algorithms to bear to smarten up discovery and access for serialised storytelling.
With this update, content episodes will be displayed chronologically as episodes, with automatic click through to the next in the series and promoted as cohesive shows, making it easier for audiences to follow and binge-watch. This shift will encourage creators to toward more structured, story-driven formats rather than one-off viral hits - a trend we’re already seeing in advertising and on TikTok and microdrama platforms like ReelShorts.
It’s also a major play for advertising dollars. Episodic content keeps viewers engaged for longer, which means more premium ad opportunities and stronger brand partnerships. As creators embrace this model, expect YouTube to position itself as the home of digital-native TV, pulling audiences away from traditional networks and even streaming platforms.
Read more about the rising trend in micro-drama streaming apps
2. Hollywood studios are profiting from AI-generated content on YouTube
It started with bizarre, lazy, obviously fake movie trailer spam - with hooks like “NEW JURASSIC WORLD:DOMINION PLOT LINE REVEALED” all over X.
Major Hollywood studios, including Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and Sony Pictures, have been monetizing AI-generated fake movie trailers - aka garbage SLOP! - on YouTube channels like Screen Culture and KH Studio. Despite concerns from the SAG-AFTRA union about the misuse of actors' likenesses, these studios have continued to profit from such content. YouTube has responded by suspending the monetisation abilities of these channels for violating its policies on video duplication and misinformation.
Yes, the above “trailer” for the still-in-production Christopher Nolan “The Odyssey” is a total fake…!!!
3. The Russo Brothers launch high-tech studio driving AI applications in filmmaking
The Avengers duo, the Russo brothers - who recently defended their use of AI in Prattfest flop The Electric State on Netflix - are leveraging their otherwise ongoing success and funds into establishing a high-tech studio aimed at harnessing the creative potential of AI for filmmaking and other media. Their new venture, Agbo, will develop, experiment with, and leverage AI tools to streamline creative processes and control costs, promising that artists and filmmakers remain in control of their work in an increasingly digital age.
No evidence of that cost-cutting benefit yet, since The Electric State cost $320million (for Chris Pratt? Are people high?) and is somehow devoid of any magic whatsoever.
4. Netflix partners with social media’s A View from a Bridge for emotional awareness campaign around hit show ‘Adolescence’
A View from a Bridge is a TikTok phenomenon, the brainchild of content creator ‘@joebloom’. Joe set up a red phone line on a bridge, inviting members of the public to pick it up and share their problems, concerns, thoughts, and ideas which became a viral content series that has drawn millions of viewers.
To support the release of their recent hit drama Adolescence, which has sparked global conversations around toxic masculinity, the Andrew Tate-ification of social media and the danger it poses to young teens, Netflix partnered with A View from a Bridge project, inviting the series’ actors to share their stories on the red phone.
This is a great example of social-first approach to marketing a film, a natural fit partnership, a clear understanding of the target audience - young people, and concerned parents. Just two of the videos have racked up over 2.5 million views and sparking thousands of conversations.
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5. Kartoon Studios teams up with Roblox and VUE to release world's first AI animated movie with in-game tie-in for kids
Vue are consistently ahead of the game in terms of cinema innovation, so of course they’re jumping on Roblox! In a groundbreaking partnership bridging gaming and cinema, Kartoon Studios has joined forces with Vue Cinemas and Roblox to release "Dreamscape," the world's first feature-length AI-animated film with an integrated gaming experience. Hitting UK cinemas on April 19, the innovation extends beyond the screen as children ages 6-12 will access exclusive in-game Roblox environments that continue the film's storyline.
Developed through Kartoon's AI Animation Lab, the proprietary "CreativeCore" technology allowed a small team of just 12 artists to create the full-length animated feature in under 9 months. What makes this project unique is its seamless integration with Roblox's platform, where young viewers can play as characters from the film in custom game worlds that unlock after viewing the movie.
Vue Cinemas' exclusive theatrical partnership includes dedicated "gaming zones" in select locations where children can access the Roblox integration immediately after screenings. This multi-platform approach targets elementary and middle school audiences with an experience that flows between passive viewing and active gameplay.
