Latest news with #VerenaPuhm
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
New tools, diverse storytelling: Is AI democratising filmmaking?
"Dad, I know this looks real, but it's only AI. You don't have to wire money to anyone!' says a young, handcuffed woman, sitting in the centre of a dingy room. That video, and many others, made the rounds on social media shortly after the launch of VEO3. Google's new AI video generation model promised anyone with an access to a computer the ability to generate near-realistic videos from simple text prompts — and it kept its promise. What had been primarily a tool for filmmakers was suddenly available to everyone. What if this tool lands in the wrong hands: those who will abuse it for purposes other than the art of audio-visual storytelling? And that, of course, is not the only 'downside' of AI in film. Recently appointed Head of Luma AI's LA Studio, Verena Puhm has made significant waves in the field, trailblazing through a world of new opportunities in the art of audio-visual storytelling with AI. Puhm attended the AI Film Festival in Dubai, where she vowed the audience with her Sora Selects Film 2025 AI short film MILK. She also spoke frankly about the pros and cons, hinting at another shortcoming: IP and copyright infringements, anticipating what would occur a couple of months later, when Disney sued Midjourney for using Disney's IP. In this context, Puhm broadens the discussion in our interview: 'There's a big responsibility also on creatives to just do the right thing. If you put in 'Batman is fighting Spider-Man' in Midjourney, you might get Batman and Spider-Man fighting. Is that the content that you want to create? Then you cannot sell it.' One of the keywords that quickly crystalises from the interview is 'agency.' Puhm criticises some AI filmmakers for ripping off other artistes, for prompts like: 'in the style of Wes Anderson.' As James Cameron once pointed out, we're all models. We have been trained on movies, trained on stories, trained on the world's materials, but that doesn't give filmmakers permission to rip off other artists' work. Generally, it's not the intention of the AI toolmaker to encourage this, so it shouldn't be the intention of the creative using it, either. For audio-visual filmmakers who are just starting out in AI, Puhm suggests that they educate themselves before going through the creative process, and to keep doing what any creative would have done before the existence of AI: to secure their rights and involvement. While AI toolmakers aren't taking anything away from the creative in the same way studios have done in the past, Puhm points out that if there's a concern with IP retention or copyright, then leave traces of human involvement in the creation. For example, manipulate the created image in Photoshop, make screenshots or screen recordings of the process, do anything to document interaction between human and machine. While the use of AI was somewhat frowned upon at previous editions of the Cannes Film Festival — not just because the tools we have today hadn't been developed yet — Puhm noticed a change at this year's edition: AI was met with curiosity for the first time. 'If you're curious, you're not there yet where you're judging, and the biggest issue that I've seen in the past was that people are judging too fast. They judge based on fear or ignorance and no education.' One of the greatest opportunities AI film-making has to offer any storyteller around the world is that it 'provides this new playground for filmmakers that have historically been left out of the narrative because they were either not locally in Hollywood… to tell a story, did not have personal ties to studios … and now they pitch their project and (it) would get made (even though) they did not have a story that would reflect what the mostly male, white-dominated studio heads would want to see.' Instead of seeing it as a menace, AI can be a tool of connection between different cultures. 'It's an opportunity to under-represented voices to tell their story… all of a sudden, I can connect with someone from Zimbabwe that I never would have met. I would have never understood their cultural norms, beliefs, religion, anything that really makes me understand a different culture, and helps me expand my view on the world.' As a creator and storyteller herself, Puhm sees AI more as an expansion of humanity's film-making capabilities; writers can verbalise what they want to see in an image, designers can use motion graphics, and add sound and audio without the necessary skills you needed before. With a long background in traditional film-making, Puhm recalls the moment she first brushed shoulders with AI as a film-making tool: 'I felt that I got my agency back. I did not have to rely on gatekeepers to green-light my projects.' To Puhm, the biggest argument in favour of AI is democratisation: giving power back to the people, which is happening with the accessibility of film-making tools, and giving respect back to the artists, who 'historically have been very much exploited by the system... even though the creatives are the ones that are creating worlds; so with this new shift we can become storytellers on any platform.' She concludes: 'That's what it's about … giving artists an opportunity, the respect they actually deserve and to shape how the future of storytelling can look like. Hopefully, it will be broader than what we have experienced in the past.'
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Luma AI Launches "Dream Lab LA" to Give Filmmakers the Knowledge, Tools, and Team to Thrive in the AI Era
"Dream Lab LA" will be led by industry veteran and filmmaker Verena Puhm and entertainment technology expert Jon Finger With support from a16z, AWS, NVIDIA and other leading investors, Luma AI is partnering with filmmakers to evolve their craft – honoring the past while innovating for the future LOS ANGELES, July 10, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Luma AI, one of the world's most advanced generative AI companies, today announced the launch of its groundbreaking initiative, "Dream Lab LA" – a bold new initiative headquartered in Los Angeles that combines frontier AI technology with deep expertise in filmmaking. Dream Lab LA is designed as a creative engine room where Hollywood veterans, emerging storytellers, studios, and curious minds come together to shape the next era of storytelling – before it arrives. "Dream Lab LA is where we build what everyone else is still guessing at," says Amit Jain, CEO and Founder of Luma AI. "This is not about chasing trends, this is about defining what's next." Rooted in hands-on filmmaking and backed by frontier research, Dream Lab LA exists to explore how AI can empower creativity, not replace it. As AI rapidly reshapes the creative landscape, Dream Lab LA offers a space for experimentation, education, and collaboration between studios, creators, and curious minds. Luma AI today announced the leadership team for Dream Lab LA, naming Verena Puhm as Head of the studio. A powerhouse in both traditional and AI-driven storytelling, Puhm has shaped content for global giants like CNN, BBC, Netflix, Red Bull Media, and Leonine Studios. As one of the earliest creatives to embrace AI in filmmaking, she's led acclaimed projects recognized by Sundance, Project Odyssey, Curious Refuge, and OpenAI's Sora Selects. Her ability to merge narrative craftsmanship with technological innovation has earned her a reputation as one of the leading voices driving the future of the entertainment industry. In her new role, Puhm will spearhead the studio's vision for next-generation content and lead a slate of boundary-pushing productions. "I believe the future of storytelling should be shaped by the people who tell stories, not just the people who build the tools," says Verena Puhm, Head of Dream Lab LA. "We're cultivating a community, a creative lab, and a launchpad for what's next. This isn't just another platform; it's a creative studio built from the ground up to blend technological innovation with artistic intention." Jon Finger, Creative Workflow Executive, brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of emerging technology and content creation. A pioneer in at-home motion capture, 3D scanning, and virtual production, he has worked across various entertainment sectors with brands such as Paramount Network, The Game Awards, and Comedy Central, and has developed for Netflix. For the past three years, Finger has focused on AI integration in filmmaking, developing workflows that give creators physicalized control over AI-driven productions. "The focus here is to find the best experiences for passionate creatives," said Jon Finger, Creative Workflow Executive. "The world is changing quickly, and we want to find the best ways for fun, fulfilling human-centric creative expression to not only continue but be amplified, so more creative people can find a new prosperous way forward." Luma AI is fundamentally different from other technology companies; it builds AI that elevates the craft of filmmaking, working closely with creatives. From its intuitive Modify Video, Reframe, and Keyframes to its foundation models Ray2 and Photon, Luma is creating instruments, not gimmicks, explicitly designed for narrative storytelling. At its core, Dream Lab LA is a creative harbor where:- Filmmakers collaborate, learn, and tell new stories- Studios get embedded support to modernize workflows and upskill teams- Curious daredevils push boundaries and experiment freely Projects created using Luma AI's tools are already being deployed in real-world productions and will continue to shape what's next across film, TV, gaming, and beyond. About Luma AI Luma AI is building a multimodal general intelligence that understands and operates in the physical world. Its flagship platform, Dream Machine, enables anyone to generate photorealistic video and images from simple prompts, and now powers creation for over 30 million users. In 2025, Luma released Ray2, a frontier video generative model capable of creating realistic visuals with stunning detail and natural motion. Luma's models are utilized by top entertainment studios, ad agencies, and technology leaders such as Adobe and AWS, and are available via subscription or API. The company is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, AWS, Amplify Partners, and Matrix Partners. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts Peter BinazeskiLuma AIpeter@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Luma AI Launches 'Dream Lab LA' to Give Filmmakers the Knowledge, Tools, and Team to Thrive in the AI Era
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Luma AI, one of the world's most advanced generative AI companies, today announced the launch of its groundbreaking initiative, 'Dream Lab LA' – a bold new initiative headquartered in Los Angeles that combines frontier AI technology with deep expertise in filmmaking. Dream Lab LA is designed as a creative engine room where Hollywood veterans, emerging storytellers, studios, and curious minds come together to shape the next era of storytelling – before it arrives. Rooted in hands-on filmmaking and backed by frontier research, Dream Lab LA exists to explore how AI can empower creativity, not replace it. Share "Dream Lab LA is where we build what everyone else is still guessing at," says Amit Jain, CEO and Founder of Luma AI. "This is not about chasing trends, this is about defining what's next." Rooted in hands-on filmmaking and backed by frontier research, Dream Lab LA exists to explore how AI can empower creativity, not replace it. As AI rapidly reshapes the creative landscape, Dream Lab LA offers a space for experimentation, education, and collaboration between studios, creators, and curious minds. Luma AI today announced the leadership team for Dream Lab LA, naming Verena Puhm as Head of the studio. A powerhouse in both traditional and AI-driven storytelling, Puhm has shaped content for global giants like CNN, BBC, Netflix, Red Bull Media, and Leonine Studios. As one of the earliest creatives to embrace AI in filmmaking, she's led acclaimed projects recognized by Sundance, Project Odyssey, Curious Refuge, and OpenAI's Sora Selects. Her ability to merge narrative craftsmanship with technological innovation has earned her a reputation as one of the leading voices driving the future of the entertainment industry. In her new role, Puhm will spearhead the studio's vision for next-generation content and lead a slate of boundary-pushing productions. "I believe the future of storytelling should be shaped by the people who tell stories, not just the people who build the tools," says Verena Puhm, Head of Dream Lab LA. "We're cultivating a community, a creative lab, and a launchpad for what's next. This isn't just another platform; it's a creative studio built from the ground up to blend technological innovation with artistic intention." Jon Finger, Creative Workflow Executive, brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of emerging technology and content creation. A pioneer in at-home motion capture, 3D scanning, and virtual production, he has worked across various entertainment sectors with brands such as Paramount Network, The Game Awards, and Comedy Central, and has developed for Netflix. For the past three years, Finger has focused on AI integration in filmmaking, developing workflows that give creators physicalized control over AI-driven productions. 'The focus here is to find the best experiences for passionate creatives,' said Jon Finger, Creative Workflow Executive. 'The world is changing quickly, and we want to find the best ways for fun, fulfilling human-centric creative expression to not only continue but be amplified, so more creative people can find a new prosperous way forward.' Luma AI is fundamentally different from other technology companies; it builds AI that elevates the craft of filmmaking, working closely with creatives. From its intuitive Modify Video, Reframe, and Keyframes to its foundation models Ray2 and Photon, Luma is creating instruments, not gimmicks, explicitly designed for narrative storytelling. At its core, Dream Lab LA is a creative harbor where: - Filmmakers collaborate, learn, and tell new stories - Studios get embedded support to modernize workflows and upskill teams - Curious daredevils push boundaries and experiment freely Projects created using Luma AI's tools are already being deployed in real-world productions and will continue to shape what's next across film, TV, gaming, and beyond. About Luma AI Luma AI is building a multimodal general intelligence that understands and operates in the physical world. Its flagship platform, Dream Machine, enables anyone to generate photorealistic video and images from simple prompts, and now powers creation for over 30 million users. In 2025, Luma released Ray2, a frontier video generative model capable of creating realistic visuals with stunning detail and natural motion. Luma's models are utilized by top entertainment studios, ad agencies, and technology leaders such as Adobe and AWS, and are available via subscription or API. The company is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, AWS, Amplify Partners, and Matrix Partners. For more information, visit
