MAM
A step ahead
China may have overtaken other countries in the number of mobile phones and Star may be reaping the harvest of SMSs in the country, but in the West, media companies and cell operators are already a step ahead.
According to a Reuters report, at least six media companies in the US are toying with new ideas with which they can use wireless to boost their profits and extend their brand reach. Picture displays and replaying of video clips is now de rigeur, networks are now considering live newscasts and whole movies on wireless gadgets.
Going a step further, companies like Disney and Time Warner are thinking of providing full mobile services with help from existing network operators, apart from just providing media content to wireless phones. While the mobile phone market is not growing as fast in the US as in the East and Far East, media companies, experts say, would need to be creative to convince consumers to use their content on phones. Wireless, they say, could also emerge as a potential battleground between cable and phone companies.
Time Warner and cable rival Cox Communications are already looking at wireless services as a potential addition to their TV, wired telephone and high-speed Internet offerings in an effort to compete with bundled packages offered by phone companies. The deadlines are short. Both companies say they are geared for such launches in the coming fiscal. Walt Disney and Fox Entertainment Group are already pushing entertainment and news to phones through pacts with mobile companies. But the Walt Disney Company may even decide to sell its own branded wireless phone service in the United States, using an existing operator’s network. The Disney or ESPN brand name could work very well with specific target groups.
Fox currently allows phone users to participate in the American Idol talent hunt via SMS and plans to provide more features. Disney claims that its wireless business is already profitable in markets where it is well established, particularly in Japan where it first started in 2000.
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Brands
Netflix acquires Ben Affleck’s AI film-tech firm InterPositive
Streaming giant picks up production startup to streamline digital filmmaking
LOS ANGELES: Netflix has officially acquired InterPositive, an AI film-technology startup founded by actor and director Ben Affleck. The move marks a significant investment by the streaming service into assistive AI tools designed to support the technical side of movie production. While many AI companies focus on generating new images or scripts, InterPositive focuses on the logistical challenges of filmmaking. The firm’s technology is designed to handle technical tasks that often delay post-production, such as correcting lighting inconsistencies and ensuring visual continuity across different takes.
The acquisition is not about replacing human actors or writers. Instead, Netflix intends to use the technology as a digital assistant for directors. The software understands cinematic logic, meaning it can automatically adjust background elements or environmental effects to ensure a film looks polished and consistent without months of manual editing.
In a Netflix post on Thursday, Affleck emphasised that the project was born out of a desire to support the craft rather than automate it. “I knew I had a responsibility to my peers and our industry, to protect the power of human creativity and the people behind it. In creating InterPositive, I sought to do just that,” Affleck wrote. “From the invention of the moving image to the transition to digital, from motion capture to virtual production, technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it. Our shared commitment to continuing this legacy makes joining together a natural next step.”
Netflix chief product and technology officer Elizabeth Stone said, “Our approach to AI has always been focused on meaningfully serving the needs of the creative community. InterPositive’s technology is purpose-built for filmmakers and showrunners to naturally support their visions. We’re excited to welcome the team to Netflix and continue building a future where technology enhances storytelling, while people remain at the core.”
Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria added, “New tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it. Ben and his team are part of a long tradition of artists leading innovation in storytelling. Their work gives filmmakers more choices, control, and protection for their vision.”
The deal coincides with a broader partnership between Netflix and Artists Equity, the production company led by Affleck and Matt Damon. Following the success of their recent projects on the platform, this acquisition cements Affleck’s role as both a creative and technical advisor to the streamer. Affleck noted that the partnership was a logical fit due to “Netflix’s decades of experience applying and scaling technology responsibly.” He will serve as a senioradvisor for the integration of the technology, ensuring the tools remain focused on helping filmmakers.
For the film industry, this acquisition signals a shift in strategy. Rather than just buying finished movies, Netflix is now owning the specialized technology used to build them. By bringing these tools in-house, the company aims to reduce the rising costs and lengthy timelines associated with high-budget original films while giving their productions a technical edge in speed and visual quality.
