Welcome to VP Land - your daily update for all the latest news in movie tech.

In this issue:

👁️ Descript’s new video editing tools
💾 Apple, Pixar, NVIDIA, and more partner up in OpenUSD
🧪 Nickelodeon is bringing slime back (AR slime)

And more! Let’s dive in.

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Adios, Teleprompters & Frankenbiting

Descript, the text-based video editor app (with some under-the-radar pro-level features), has just dropped some new updates that continue to subtly blend machine learning tech in extremely useful ways.

Eye Contact

This one keeps blowing my mind. One click and your eye line will automatically shift from wherever you're looking right into the camera. Obvious use case: read right from your script on your computer screen and edit the video so it looks like you were using a teleprompter the whole time.

We just dropped a video demoing this:

Replace Selection

With Descript being a text-based editor, it's long had a feature to write out a script inside a Composition. But you were limited with what you could do with that text - the only options were to convert it to audio with Overdub, their AI voice generator.

But if you recorded audio or video for the script, you'd have to go through a whole cycle of importing it and deleting your temp script.

Not anymore. Now you can just highlight the section you want to record, hit Replace with, and Descript automatically replaces the temporary script.

Regenerate

This is an audio cleanup tool I can see all NLEs adopting. If you've done any type of documentary editing, you're definitely familiar with frankenbiting - using bits of audio clips to clean up a statement or change an intonation so it sounds natural.

With Regenerate, Descript will use ML to automatically do that. Smooth out any jumpy or awkward audio cuts by just hitting Regenerate.

What do you think of these new editing tools and do you see major NLEs adopting them?

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SECOND UNIT

Will OpenUSD be the 3D format for VisionOS?

Apple has joined forces with industry leaders such as Pixar, Adobe, Autodesk, NVIDIA, and Linux to promote and further develop Pixar's 3D Universal Scene Description technology, OpenUSD.

The collaboration will focus on enhancing the interoperability of 3D tools and data, aiming to streamline content creation and propel the next generation of augmented reality experiences.

• Partnership Details: The alliance is forming under the banner of the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD), with the goal of improving the capabilities of OpenUSD and encouraging its widespread adoption.

• Tech Insight: OpenUSD, initially developed by Pixar, is lauded for its ability to bridge gaps among tools, data, and workflows in 3D scene depiction, making the creative process more efficient and accessible.

• VisionOS Future: Apple's VP of their Vision Products Group, Mike Rockwell, emphasized the company's active contribution to OpenUSD's development, highlighting its importance to the visionOS platform and the Reality Composer Pro developer tool.

VIDEO VILLAGE

AKS

🌐 Around the Web

• Create 3D models for various AR or metaverse applications with the MagiScan mobile app

• ETC releases the third installment of its case study on virtual production

• Disney partners with Apple — Disney+ content and 4D gameplay are planned to be available on the Apple Vision Pro

• Quest VR headset avatars may soon be used in video calls

• Schedule posts and track your social media with Metricool*

• IndyCar partners with IRIS to effectively remove background noise from the onboard mics during broadcast in real time

• Rumor has it that Sony will launch 2 new mirrorless cameras with a strong focus on AI

• Nickelodeon is using augmented reality to bring back slime & more effects during a special broadcast of next year’s Super Bowl

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CALL SHEET

📆 Upcoming Events

August 3
SMPTE - The BIGGEST Virtual Production Show Ever!
XR Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Showcase of theatrical cinematic performances, driven by a menagerie of creative technologies within virtual production

August 4 - 5
frame:work:losangeles
XR Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Conference for conversations about the unique challenges of creating video for physical spaces, live performances, and virtual worlds.

August 
Studio Arts - Technology for Entertainment Creatives
Unreal Engine and virtual production online courses

Have a film-related event to share? Just reply back to this email and let us know the details.

ABBY SINGER

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