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ILM Makes ‘Star Wars: Field Guide’ Short Film Using Generative AI

By: bitcoin ethereum news|2025/05/16 11:30:07
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Visual effects house Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) has showcased a new “Star Wars” short film made using generative AI. Presented as part of a TED talk by ILM’s Chief Creative Officer Rob Bredow, the two-minute short “Star Wars: Field Guide” showcases a menagerie of weird alien hybrids created using imagery of Earth animals and AI. Billed as a test, rather than a final product, the aim of the piece, Bredow said, is to “see the trajectory we are on and the trajectory we want to be on next.” Bredow highlighted VFX artists’ anxiety about artificial intelligence, noting that when ILM worked on 1993’s “Jurassic Park,” its pioneering use of computer graphics made many in the special effects field feel like they were facing extinction. Now, he said, “many of us are feeling that way about AI.” But, he argued, the special effects and visual effects industries have thrived when old and new technologies are used in concert. Bredow pointed to how “Jurassic Park” used classic techniques such as animatronics alongside VFX. More recently, he gave the example of 2023’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” in which star Harrison Ford was “de-aged” for a key sequence in the film. To realise the effect, he said, ILM artists “hand-tuned generative AI models” based on Ford’s past performances as Indiana Jones. Simultaneously, VFX artists created a “full CGI” version of a younger Ford. This hybrid approach was adopted because while generative AI was good at “pulling all the details” from Ford’s on-set performance, it struggled with “the details and the controls.” ILM’s artists “created a blend of the two” to realise the de-aging effect, which Bredow called, “some of the best work of this kind ever done.” Likening “Star Wars: Field Guide” to a “mood board, but a moving one,” Bredow argued that generative AI needs “better artist focused tools,” pointing out that text prompts are “not great ways to make a movie.” With the advent of ever more powerful generative AI video tools, Bredow said, “we do need to use them thoughtfully, with the full permission of the talent.” Generative AI and film The use of generative AI in film and TV has proved contentious among the creative community, with films such as “Late Night With The Devil,” and “The Brutalist” coming under fire for their use of the technology. Artists are particularly concerned over AI firms’ use of copyrighted material to create the models on which their products are based, with firms such as OpenAI and Meta facing lawsuits over their failure to obtain proper licenses or permission from creators. Some productions, such as A24 film “Heretic,” have even resorted to adding a disclaimer stating that no generative AI was used in the making of the picture. Generally Intelligent Newsletter A weekly AI journey narrated by Gen, a generative AI model. Source: https://decrypt.co/320224/ilm-makes-star-wars-field-guide-short-film-using-generative-ai

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DDC Enterprise Limited Announces 2025 Unaudited Preliminary Financial Performance: Record Revenue Achieved, Bitcoin Treasury Grows to 2183 Coins

On March 4, 2026, DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE American: DDC) today announced preliminary, unaudited full-year financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2025. The company expects to achieve record revenue and record positive adjusted EBITDA, primarily driven by continued growth in its core consumer food business and overall margin improvement. The final audited financial report is expected to be released in mid-April 2026.


2025 Full-Year Financial Highlights


Revenue: Expected to be between $39 million and $41 million, reaching a new company high.


Organic Growth: Excluding the impact of the company's strategic contraction of its U.S. operations, core revenue is expected to grow 11% to 17% year over year.


Gross Profit Margin: Expected to be between 28% and 30%, reflecting continued operational efficiency improvements.


Adjusted EBITDA: The company expects to achieve a positive full-year result in 2025, a significant improvement from a $3.5 million loss in 2024, mainly due to rigorous cost controls and a higher-margin sales mix.


Core Consumer Food Business Performance


In 2025, DDC's core consumer food business maintained strong operational performance.


The company also disclosed Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA, a metric that further excludes costs related to its Bitcoin reserve strategy and non-cash fair value adjustments related to its Bitcoin holdings from adjusted EBITDA to more accurately reflect the core business performance.


In 2025, Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $5.5 million and $6 million.


Bitcoin Reserve Update


In the first half of 2025, DDC initiated a long-term Bitcoin accumulation strategy, holding Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset.


As of December 31, 2025: The company holds 1,183 BTC.


As of February 28, 2026: Holdings increased to 2,118 BTC


Today's additional purchase of 65 BTC brings the company's total holdings to 2,183 BTC


DDC Founder, Chairman, and CEO Norma Chu stated, "We are proud to have closed 2025 with record revenue and positive adjusted EBITDA, demonstrating the steady growth of the company's consumer food business and the ongoing improvement in profitability. We are building a disciplined, growth-oriented food platform and strategically allocating capital to Bitcoin assets with a long-term view, aligning with our core beliefs. We believe that this dual-track model of 'Steady Consumer Business + Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' will help DDC create lasting long-term value for shareholders."


Adjusted EBITDA Definition
For the full year 2025, the company defines "Adjusted EBITDA" (a non-GAAP financial measure) as: Net income / (loss) excluding the following items:· Interest expense· Taxes· Foreign exchange gains/losses· Long-lived asset impairment· Depreciation and amortization· Non-cash fair value changes related to financial instruments (including Bitcoin holdings)· Stock-based compensation


About DDC Enterprise Limited


DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE: DDC) is actively implementing its corporate Bitcoin Treasury strategy while continuing to strengthen its position as a leading global Asian food platform.


The company has established Bitcoin as a core reserve asset and is executing a prudent, long-oriented accumulation strategy. While expanding its portfolio of food brands, DDC is gradually becoming one of the public company pioneers in integrating Bitcoin into its corporate financial architecture.


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