It's been a quiet sports week. I was hoping to see more consumer innovation emerging from the NFL Combine. They really need to capitalize more on the content from the 40 Yard Dash. Dudes are flying these days (s/o Xavier Worthy)! 🐂

This week's report is all about the power of AI in video production. From converting images to videos to turning audio into images and then videos, and even transforming text directly into videos – we've got it covered.

In addition, Samsung just launched a new campaign on Fortnite. This project underscores Samsung's ongoing efforts to connect with gamers and bolster its brand presence within the gaming industry.

In the Playable Media Report this week

• Alibaba debuts EMO

• More content from Sora, by Open AI

• Samsung Electronics Re-Launches Experience on Fortnite

Let's get it...

Alibaba generates talking heads from a single photo, with emotion and movement

Alibaba Group has released new research introducing Emote Portrait Alive, or "EMO" among users, an artificial intelligence system designed to produce expressive portrait videos from a single reference image and vocal audio input.

This groundbreaking technology directly translates audio into video frames, enabling the creation of animated videos where the subject appears to speak or sing realistically. EMO operates through two main stages: Frames Encoding, which extracts features from reference images and motion frames, and the Diffusion Process, which handles audio input and generates animations complete with facial expressions and head poses.

EMO is capable of animating portraits in response to spoken or sung audio inputs in various languages and styles. It ensures synchronization with fast-paced rhythms, offering a versatile tool for crafting lifelike animated videos.

Why you should care?

Many have anticipated this development, and its arrival is indeed exciting.

EMO marks a significant advancement in animation technology, providing a fresh approach to animate still images realistically and captivatingly. Its importance lies in its potential to revolutionize content creation by making anything transformable into video content.

Anything that simplifies the process of creating video content is a win for those involved in the #content game. Video consistently outperforms images (and text) in terms of engagement metrics across social media platforms, so tools enabling anything to become video content are highly beneficial.

Naturally, there are numerous commercial applications across various sectors such as entertainment, digital art, online education, remote communication, personalized greetings, and social media content creation, among others. One immediately thinks of celebrities utilizing their likeness to directly engage with fans or families employing the technology to connect with loved ones from afar.

Imagine preserving the timeless wisdom of your grandfather indefinitely, while also having the ability to adapt his teachings to fit the context of 2031.

OpenAI's Sora: Transforming Text into Video

Sora, a text-to-video generator developed by OpenAI, will revolutionize content creation. This innovative tool can produce videos up to 60 seconds long, with the option to extend them by requesting additional clips in sequence.

Sora functions by translating text instructions into vivid and realistic video scenes, showcasing AI's potential to convert textual input into compelling visual content. While Sora is not yet available to everyone like EMO...

From the provided examples, it's evident that Sora represents another significant leap in AI-driven content creation, offering new tools and possibilities for creators.

Why does this matter?

Recall the astonishment caused by genAI's image generation capabilities last year?! Now, we're entering the era of video.

All the points previously mentioned about the transition from image to video remain valid, but there seems to be even more room for creativity and originality. Take, for instance, the prompt "Historical footage of California during the gold rush," which I find fascinating. The ability to create video content from a time and place where video didn't previously exist is truly remarkable.

What's on the horizon for next year? It's likely to be 3D content generated from text, which is already showing promising developments in asset animation and resource creation.

Samsung Electronics Re-Launches Experience on Fortnite

Samsung Electronics' latest venture into Fortnite centers on the introduction of the Odyssey Universe, a fresh in-game experience built on 2023’s campaign inspired by the Odyssey Monitor lineup.

This campaign, running until mid-March, spans across various platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Instagram, and X, aiming to engage gamers through innovative experiences. The Ultra Arcade in Fortnite showcases Samsung's commitment to leveraging the gaming community to promote its monitors and hardware products.

Additionally, Samsung's past campaigns with Fortnite have been successful, such as the "Samsung x Fortnite: Galaxy Skin" campaign that garnered significant social media impressions and the collaboration with 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' for a unique metaverse experience on Fortnite. This new campaign in the UK has been developed in partnership with Publicis Sport & Entertainment and Livewire.

Why does this matter?

Samsung's strategic involvement in Fortnite signifies a departure from the usual brand engagements observed on platforms like Fortnite and Roblox, particularly among consumer electronics brands. This move by Samsung underscores their belief in the synergy between their products and the gaming community, leveraging Fortnite's vast audience to promote and sell monitors and hardware.

The success of this strategy is evident in the impressive engagement metrics: the games within the Odyssey Universe map garnered over 200,000 plays within two weeks of launch, while the campaign teaser amassed a remarkable 3 million organic views on TikTok.

Epic Games' recognition of one of the maps as 'Epic's Picks' further validates the impact and quality of Samsung's collaboration with Fortnite. Notably, each game within the Ultra Arcade was co-developed with popular streamers Aimsey, Yogscast, and Slogo & Jelly, enhancing the appeal and authenticity of the gaming experience. This strategic partnership not only showcases Samsung's innovative approach to marketing but also highlights its commitment to engaging with the gaming community in a meaningful and immersive way, ultimately strengthening its brand presence within the gaming industry.

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