Hi Creatives! 👋 

This week’s roundup is packed with seriously cool AI upgrades—from Runway’s next-level motion capture to chatty images and full-power agents. If you're ready to push your creative boundaries and streamline your process, you're in the right place.

This Week’s Highlights:

• 📖Runway’s Act‑Two

• 🎉 Unlimited AI Creations Just Became a Thing

• 🎬 Flow’s New Feature: Images that Speak!

• 🎉 Hot Launch: ChatGPT Agent is Here!

• 🌟 In the Studio: Netflix's Bold AI Move

• ✨The Emergence of AI Safety Layers & Beyond

• 📌 Creative Picks

📖Runway’s Act‑Two

Runway’s next-gen Gen‑4-based motion capture tool that, from a single driving performance video + character reference, can animate a full upper-body performance—face, head, hands, and arms—onto any character image or video

Key Capabilities

• Gesture control: Transfer body and hand movements (when using a character image)

• Environmental motion: Automatically adds subtle camera shake and background motion for realism

• Self-tuning facial expressiveness: Adjustable, with default level 3 for balanced realism

🛠️ How to Use & Tutorials

Runway’s official help article provides a clear tutorial on creating with Act‑Two:

1. Upload a performance video

2. Provide character image/video input

3. Adjust gesture and expressiveness settings

4. Render and download

Check this example from Jamie Umpherson Head of Creative @ Runway + Runway Studios

Read the full details and get early access to Act-One right here:
🔗 Runway Act-Two Official Page

🎉 Unlimited AI Creations Just Became a Thing

Freepik has just removed all usage caps for AI image generation on its Premium+ and Pro plans—meaning:

• Truly unlimited image creations using top-tier models like Mystic, Google Imagen, Flux, Seedream, Ideogram, Runway, GPT, and Classic 🌟

• Unlimited editing tools included—Retouch, Resize, Upscale, background edits, and more 🛠️

• AI video creators rejoice: MiniMax 02 video model is unlimited through July, with most other models going unlimited by month's end 🎥

• Pricing: Premium+ ≈ $24.50/month; Pro with full video features and merch license ≈ $39–$250/month (Pro varies by content features)

Why it matters:

• Creative freedom: No tracking of credits or hit-by-limit pop-ups—just pure experimentation.

• Smoother workflow: Generate, edit, and output media seamlessly in one unified space.

• Big pressure on competitors: Freepik's bold move sets a new bar—others may have to follow.

What you can do now:

• Rapidly test design ideas, moodboards, and iterative campaigns without worrying about credit burn

• Explore AI-generated video content (MiniMax is free for July)

• Dive into merch-ready designs if you’re on Pro

Bottom line:
With no more “credit countdowns,” Freepik is unlocking full creative flow. If you’re on Premium+ or Pro, it’s your moment to push boundaries—without breaking the bank.

🔗 Read full details here

🎬 Flow’s New Feature: Images that Speak!

Remember back in May when Google dropped its Flow AI video tool at I/O—turning single images into cinematic clips? Well, it just got way more magical. Now you can MAKE THEM TALK. Yep—images that SPEAK. 😲

Quick Highlights:

• Speak Your Story: Simply type dialogue into your video prompts, and Flow creates realistic voiceovers.

• Global Access: Now available in 140+ countries, opening doors for diverse creative storytelling worldwide.

• Fast & Easy: No extra audio layering needed—Flow handles visuals and voices in one go!

Great for quick social content, engaging product demos, or just experimenting with your storytelling ideas.

👉 Read full details here

🎉 Hot Launch: ChatGPT Agent is Here!

OpenAI just rolled out its new Agent Mode, combining deep research, web browsing, and code-gen into a single, powerful AI coworker. It’s like having a digital assistant with its own virtual computer. Here’s why it matters ⬇️

🌟 Meet the Agent Team

A dream team of OpenAI experts—Yash (Operator), Jing and Issa (Deep Research), and Casey (Agents)—came together to unite their skills. The result? A tool that thinks, browses, clicks, codes, and executes complex tasks seamlessly. No more fragmented workflows—Agent Mode brings everything under one roof.

🧠 From Proof-of-Concept to Power Tool

Earlier this year:

• Operator could browse & transact online.

• Deep Research mastered long-form investigations.

But users wanted both in one package. And now they’ve got it: a virtual computer equipped with:

1. Text browser for research

2. Visual browser to click and scroll

3. Terminal to run code, generate slides & spreadsheets

4. API access (Gmail, GitHub, etc.), plus an image-gen tool for visuals

👥 Who Can Use It—and How Much?

• Accessible to: Pro, Plus, and Team users (and hitting Enterprise/Education soon)

• Usage cap: Pro users get 400 agent prompts/month, Plus/Team get 40. Extra credits can be purchased.

🌍 Why Creatives Should Care

• ✨ Time saver extraordinaire: Long-form content, pitch decks, event planning, gifts, content repurposing—all made faster.

• 🎨 Focus on what you love: Let the AI handle the grind—research, spreadsheets, booking, code—while you bring imagination.

• 🤝 Collaborative superpower: Agent Mode can pause, ask questions, adapt—just like working with another human.

• Bring your vision to life: From marketing campaigns to content series, the agent does the groundwork; your creativity does the rest.

🔗 Read Full Details Here

For the official scoop and demos, check out OpenAI’s announcement: “Introducing ChatGPT Agent: bridging research and action”

🌟 In the Studio: Netflix's Bold AI Move

Netflix has officially dropped its first final footage created with generative AI! The breakthrough scene appears in the Argentine sci-fi series El Eternauta, where a Buenos Aires building dramatically collapses—brought to life 10× faster and cheaper than traditional VFX methods thanks to GenAI

Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co‑CEO, said it best: “It’s real people doing real work with better tools.” This scene wasn’t just a budget hack—it was proof that creativity and efficiency can dance together, even in budget‑tight projects.

🔍 Why This Matters for Creative Minds

Think of it like discovering a secret shortcut in a familiar city. Generative AI isn’t about replacing artists—it’s about giving them super‑charged tools. Here's how it applies to your creative journey:

• Speedy prototyping – Visualize epic shots overnight, skipping weeks of back‑and‑forth with 3D teams.

• Budget breathing room – Add flourish to indie sets—like grand collapses or futuristic landscapes—without breaking the bank.

• Creative juice boost – Pre‑viz, storyboard, moodboards—AI helps explore ideas fast and flexibly.

• Spaces open up – As crunched‑budget shows get ambitious, tiny teams can now tell bold stories that once needed blockbuster dollars.

💡 How You Can Bring This to Life

• Explore GenAI tools: Try VFX‑enabled platforms like Runway, Stable Diffusion X, or niche indie VFX apps for fast mockups.

• AI pre‑pro workflows: Use generative tools to draft scene compositions, lighting moods, and camera angles before you shoot.

• Blend AI into marketing: Voice search suggestions, AI-generated trailers, and smart thumbnails—all keep your audience engaged.

📣 Final Take

✨The Emergence of AI Safety Layers & Beyond

1. 🛡️ Safety Layers to Watch Over You

   • AI-powered safety agents built into your OS/apps can alert you to scams, phishing, voice‑cloning tricks—or even doomscrolling triggers.

   • They help you send fewer emotionally charged messages and nudge compliance in workplace settings.

2. 🤖 AI as Support, Not Surveillance

   • These models are designed to run locally, preserving your privacy while offering real‑time, empathetic intervention—like a safety net, not Big Brother.

3. 📿 Bridging AI & Religion

   • Belsky explores how AI’s ability to respond might fill a spiritual gap. It’s a shift from the silent divine to something interactive and contextual.

4. 🤝 Founders Aren’t Solo Acts

   • Behind every “visionary” founder is a founding team. Belsky honors Bryan Latten (Behance) and urges celebrating the collective—your creative collaborators—who shape every project.

🔍 Why Creatives Should Care

• Guarded creativity: Spend less time stressed or sidetracked, and more time in flow.

• Human-centered feedback: Get gentle nudges and better context before hitting ‘send’ or publishing.

• Team gratitude: Spotlight co-creators—the people who really make the magic happen.

Read the full newsletter for an immersive dive into these ideas:
“The Emergence Of ‘Safety Layers,’ Religion In The Era of AI, Angel Thesis, & Founder Truths” by Scott Belsky

📌 Creative Picks

Henry Daubrez – multi‑model AI animation workflow

Henry put together a short, stop-motion style animation featuring a talking character and full control over look and camera. He shared the results on LinkedIn and said it “worked better than expected”

How he did it (quick breakdown):

1. Backgrounds – Made painterly backdrops with a tweaked Midjourney.

2. Character – Created a character sheet in Imagen 3, then refined it in Flux Kontext (texture, lighting).

3. Lighting – Matched light between character and background using Flux.

4. Action scenes – Used Google VEO2 (“ingredients”) to set up scenes and script camera moves (using prompts like “transition to”).

5. Dialogue – Took a close-up, ran it through VEO3 for synced motion and voice. He cloned a voice via Eleven Labs Pro and refined it.

6. Final polish – Quick compositing, added stock effects, and scored it using Udio.

Tools he used:

• Midjourney, Imagen 3, Flux Kontext

• Google VEO2 & VEO3

• Eleven Labs Pro, voice modifier

• Compositing tools + stock FX + Udio

Why it’s cool:
He broke the project into clear, modular steps—like a visual toolkit. What once took weeks now comes together in just a few hours, perfect for rapid experimentation.

🔗 Check out the full LinkedIn post for more details and insights

Sebastian Grey (via DreamZero Ai)

They used Veo 3 to animate a still image of Jack “Punch” Perkins — the first Black officer and captain in Royal Navy history — into a short video clip with synced voice and ambiance

Why it stands out:
In just a few seconds, the clip brings a historical figure to life, combining visuals, dialogue, and atmosphere. It’s a fresh take on “generative cinema,” showing you don’t need a full film crew to tell powerful stories .

Likely tools used:

• Veo 3 (via Google Gemini/Flow) for photo-to-video conversion with sound.

• Possibly Canva AI’s video features, which are powered by Veo 3 for easy prompt-based creation.

Yigit Kirca - Creator at Wonder Studios

Yigit used Google DeepMind’s Veo 3 Image‑to‑Video With Audio to turn their own images into a short animated clip. The result featured consistent characters, lip syncing, sound effects, and studio-level visuals—all in one go

Tools they likely used:

• Gemini app (Pro/Ultra) or Flow to run the Veo 3 model

• Uploaded their image, typed a prompt describing visuals and sounds

• Let Veo 3 generate the video with built-in lip sync and audio

💡 Industry Insight:

This week’s toolbox brings not just bolder creation but smarter execution. With tools like Runway Act‑Two, unlimited AI from Freepik, Flow’s voice-integrated visuals, and ChatGPT Agent Mode, you can craft richer stories faster.

Just remember: designing with purpose is key. Using AI openly, responsibly, and with respect for creative rights keeps your work authentic and future-proof. Ethical innovation isn’t optional—it’s the new standard.

That is for this week, folks.