newslounge.co · Feb 02, 2024

Good Morning. 

Welcome to newslounge, your weekly VFX-AI compass. We always point you in the right direction.

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on Today’s menu:

• Story-Driven Fashion for Gen Z

• CG Renders to AI Animation

• Upscaling in AI

• Midjourney’s New Updates

• The Future of 3d Sculpting and more…

-Ardy

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HEADLINE

Story-Driven Fashion for Gen Z

AI is revolutionizing the way we think about fashion and intellectual property (IP), bringing the exciting trend of "storyliving." 
This innovative approach goes beyond just selling products; it's about immersing consumers, especially Gen Z, in the stories they love through what they wear.

Here's how it's changing the game:

• Story-Driven Fashion: Fashion isn't just about style anymore; it's about storytelling. Items like the Gundam Wing Sunglasses show how fashion can move past traditional merch to offer pieces that tell a story, connecting with consumers on a deeper level.

• Gen Z's Hunger for Authenticity: Today's young consumers want more than just things; they crave genuine, narrative-rich experiences. They're drawn to brands that weave the essence of their favorite IPs into their products.

• AI's Role in Personalized Experiences: AI is key in crafting personalized, narrative-driven content that resonates with specific audiences, making marketing more effective and engaging.

🚨Examples to Watch: Disney's "Storyliving" community, Asteria, is a prime example of how IPs can extend into real-life experiences, offering a new way to live out our favorite stories.

In short, the fusion of IP, storytelling, and AI is not just redefining fashion but is also reshaping how consumers engage with their favorite narratives, creating a more immersive and personalized world of consumer experiences.

-Ardy

Avatar visual effects workers vote to unionize

A collective of visual effects artists involved in the production of the Avatar films have decided to form a union. In a National Labor Relations Board election, 57 out of the 88 eligible VFX employees at TCF US Productions 27, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, voted in support of unionization. Nineteen of the workers voted against the initiative, while two ballots were disqualified.

CASE STUDY

CG Renders to ComfyUI Workflow: Nike Animation

AnimateDiff just keeps getting more and more exciting! I've been able to enhance the consistency and detail even further. What makes this process a bit challenging is the numerous results you can achieve with different prompts, models, and values. It's almost impossible to determine the best possible outcome until you keep experimenting. And just when you think you've got it figured out, a new update comes out.

In case you missed it, I posted a quick video on YouTube and currently working on a more in-depth video to go over the nodes.

🎁 Project Breakdown: here
▶ Youtube link: here

-AA

We are seeking collaborators. If you've been enjoying our content and would like to help us, please send us an email with your information and a few lines about how you would like to be involved.

SNIPPETS

🚨 Midjourney dropped "Niji v6" this week and people are already creating insane anime images and videos.

🎮 Metro Awakening built exclusively for VR, is coming to PS VR2 

🚀 Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Submits $30 Billion Offer for Paramount Global

🚀 Google’s Advanced Gemini Takes Everyone By Surprise

🌎 Google says you'll need a subscription to use Bard Advanced

🎲 Nescafé’s “major rebrand” is too safe to stand out

🎬 Synthesia launches LLM-powered assistant to turn any text file or link into AI video

AROUND THE WORLD OF AI

Upscaling in AI

Leonardo AI introduces a versatile image upscaler that enhances a wide range of images, from AI-generated art to personal photographs and artwork. Here's a simplified breakdown:

• Universal Upscaler: Allows any image to be upscaled, adding significant detail and improving visual quality.

• Up to Two-Times Upscale: Initially supports enhancing images up to two times their original size, which is quite impressive for maintaining quality.

• Adjustable Creativity Strength: Offers a slider for adjusting the 'creativity strength,' allowing users to control the intensity of the upscale effect.

• Diverse Applications: Effective for a variety of images, including AI art, photographs, and Photoshop artworks. For example, a photo mashup can be enhanced to show more detailed textures and elements, making the image appear more vivid and lifelike.

Leonardo AI's upscaling tool is designed to make images more detailed and visually appealing, demonstrating its capability to enrich the quality of various types of visual content.

🚨I've also written about Krea.ai in the past, which is a very worthy competitor.

-AA

💥This is awesome! AR multiplayer FPS in China is a blast from the past with a futuristic twist. Perfect for an urban community. And yes, the P90s make it extra cool 😎

💡 This is huge!!! 3D UI for ComfyUI

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