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How filmmaking tech may help wildfire recovery

How filmmaking tech may help wildfire recovery

Plus California's AI Crackdown and Disguise at CES

January 14, 2025

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Hey everyone

It’s been a pretty stressful week in LA, with the various wildfires causing havoc and the uncertainty of whether you’ll need to rush out and evacuate or if a friend or family member will need to do the same.

I cut CES short to head back home, with the Palisades fire burning in the distance outside our window. We were fortunate that we didn’t have to evacuate, but not everyone was so lucky, and some lost everything.

Two people in my network lost their entire home: Ramiro Montes De Oca, who currently works at Kino Flo but has contributed tons of research on 2110 and virtual production, lost his home. Ben Mekler, a film and TV writer and film school colleague, also lost his home. Linking to their GoFundMe pages to help them get back on their feet.

If anyone else has links for people who need support, please send and I’ll share them on social.

Unfortunately, we’re not out of the mess yet. Weather conditions are going to be prime for more fires over the next few days - hoping for the best. Stay safe, everyone.

And now for something a bit more upbeat…

We’ve got a new contributor to VP Land!

Tim Porter, CTO of Mod Tech Labs, has joined us to help contribute to the newsletter. He’s got vast amounts of virtual production, Unreal Engine, AI knowledge, and more. Thrilled to have his expertise on board to help make this newsletter even more awesome - like with his first story on how drones and AI can help asses the wildfire damage.

We’re getting together what I was able to cover at CES, stay tuned for that Friday. Until then here are a handful of videos we’ve published of some products we did cover.

Joey

Using Filmmaking Tech for Wildfire Rebuilding: AI, Drones, and Advanced 3D Scanning

The Los Angeles wildfires have devastated neighborhoods across Los Angeles, where over 12,000 buildings were destroyed in what could become one of the costliest wildfire disasters in U.S. history.

Advanced technology could transform how insurers handle this overwhelming volume of claims. Here's how:

Drone-Based Assessment: Drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and LiDAR sensors can rapidly survey disaster zones, creating detailed documentation of damaged areas without risking human safety. These aerial platforms can capture comprehensive data sets in hours rather than days.
AI-Powered Analysis: Machine learning models can process drone imagery to detect structural damage, assess material degradation, and identify safety hazards. This automated analysis helps prioritize high-risk cases and accelerate claims processing.
3D Visualization Innovation: Recent advances in Gaussian Splatting technology, as highlighted by Michal Gula of Overhead4D, offer promising capabilities for rapid 3D reconstruction. While this technique excels at quick visualization, it's worth noting that traditional photogrammetry may still be necessary for legal documentation requiring maximum precision.

A mapped burned house from a previous fire. Source: Tomas Barnas , Overhead4D , Rastislav Hrcka and Forensic Science Institute of Slovakia.

Final Take

The insurance industry stands at a crossroads. With claims potentially reaching into the billions, traditional assessment methods simply won't scale. Digital workflows combining drones, AI, and advanced 3D visualization could help insurers process claims faster while maintaining accuracy.

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California Cracks Down on AI Use in Entertainment

California is stepping up to regulate artificial intelligence in Hollywood, introducing groundbreaking laws to protect performers from the misuse of digital replicas.

Here’s What’s New

Contract Clarity: Assembly Bill 2602 (AB 2602) ensures that any use of AI-generated replicas of a performer’s voice or likeness must be explicitly detailed in contracts. Negotiations? A legal or union representative must be present to safeguard performers.
Posthumous Protection: Assembly Bill 1836 (AB 1836) makes it illegal to commercially exploit digital replicas of deceased performers without consent from their estates. This spans movies, TV, games, audiobooks—you name it.

Why It Matters

As AI reshapes the entertainment industry, ethical and legal challenges are piling up. Performers deserve control over their digital likenesses—and fair compensation when AI mimics their work.

The impact is even more profound when it involves deceased performers. A recent controversy erupted when the family of Christopher Reeve voiced outrage over attempts to digitally replicate him. Cases like this highlight the emotional, ethical, and financial stakes tied to AI technology.

The legislation seeks to strike a critical balance: foster innovation while protecting Hollywood’s creative workforce and the dignity of those no longer with us.

The Big Picture

California’s actions set the tone for the future of AI in entertainment. In an era where tech is evolving at lightning speed, protecting creative rights isn’t just important—it’s essential.

🗄️ Nvidia's major clients, including Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta, are postponing orders of the latest 'Blackwell' AI racks due to overheating and connectivity issues, potentially impacting Nvidia's sales and causing its shares to drop over 4%.

🌌 Microsoft is integrating neural rendering into DirectX by introducing cooperative vector support, enabling AI-driven graphics enhancements and paving the way for more immersive real-time rendering experiences.

𓇲 AI is transforming chip design by using machine learning to create unconventional, highly efficient designs in hours, outperforming traditional methods and unlocking unprecedented performance in wireless technology.

👤 AI de-aging technology, like NukeX's CopyCat Node, uses advanced machine learning models to transform facial features and textures in video, enabling dynamic and realistic changes for seamless visual effects integration.

🧊 Image to 3d shootout! - Trellis vs Meshtron vs Meshy AI → into UNREAL! Recent advances in AI generative 3D tools, developed by major players like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Stability AI, enable the creation of detailed, textured 3D models from text or images, which can be refined and integrated into platforms like Unreal Engine for conceptual design.

🤖 AI agents are advanced tools that autonomously perceive and act in their environment to achieve specific goals, with major tech companies leveraging them to transform industries like health care, robotics, and gaming.