This year, I believe we are starting a new chapter, actually an entirely new playbook, for our industry. At the Retreat last year, before the double strike descended on us, just as this wildfire of AI started, a few of us were talking about industry transformation that was on the horizon. And while many accepted that this might be coming, none of us really understood what that would look like.
What we are experiencing now, without a doubt, is the most fundamentally challenging and changing environment most of us have ever seen. We've weathered strikes before. And economic downturns before. We've even weathered a global pandemic. But this is different. What we are experiencing now is truly, fundamental transformative change.
When we talk about the strikes last year, it's easy to blame them for the production shutdowns. Especially when you think about the many tens of thousands of impacted individuals who were not party to the strikes -from editors to caterers-it's easy to blame those involved in the strikes for our troubles.
Last year's strikes brought to light something much deeper going on within our industry. They underscored rapidly changing content consumption patterns, increasingly powerful technologies, all within global economic challenges at a macro level. And, they unveiled the fragility of our livelihoods. Post-production workers, alongside our peers in production, faced significant hardships. Its sobering to call out that today, many thousands of media and entertainment professionals who last year were thriving, knee-deep in projects, as they had been for many years and sometimes decades, are today unemployed.
But, more importantly, these events once again showcased the strength of our community. Just as during the COVID shutdown, we saw our projects halted, incomes dry up, and the very fabric of daily lives unraveled. But amid this adversity, at HPA and as an industry as a whole, we re-discovered an unshakeable commitment. We mobilized, and we all did our best to offer support to those in need, proving that our community is not simply built on shared interests but on an unbreakable bond of mutual respect and compassion.
And as we navigated these tumultuous times, another wave of change was sweeping across our industry-the rapid proliferation of AI and related technologies. These tools have sparked a mix of anxiety and excitement. They hold the promise of transforming the creative, technical, and operational process, making them more efficient and opening new avenues for storytelling. Yet, they also pose questions about the future of our roles within this evolving landscape.
But I don't want to merely reflect on these challenges, rather I want to be a part of, along with everyone in the HPA community, shining a light on the path forward. It's got to be a path paved with education, with communication, and with collaboration. My personal journey over the past year included taking multiple courses and certifications about AI, Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. I encourage all to do the same, if you haven't started already. Because I've learned that the emergence of AI in our technical, operational, and creative processes is not a harbinger of obsolescence but a call to arms for us to elevate ourselves. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we continue to educate ourselves and others about these technologies, demystifying them and understanding how they can serve as allies in our quest for perfection in our work.
Much of the fear surrounding AI stems from the unknown. By embracing a culture of continuous learning and open dialogue, we can dispel many of these fears. Let us engage in conversations that explore the ethical use of AI, ensuring that these tools enhance our work, and become useful assistants, rather than diminishing our human touch. It's always been true that the future of our industry depends not on technology alone but on our ability to integrate these tools with the skill and passion that define our work.
I want to take this opportunity to announce that HPA is forming an AI Working Group. This initiative will strive to empower the community with the knowledge, tools, and ethical guidelines for AI integration into our industry workflows. More to come on the working group in the near future.
In addition, HPA members and supporters of SMPTE, The ETC and EBU felt it was important to come together to document the current state of AI and look forward to its future in our industry. There is more information about this at the SMPTE table and on the SMPTE website.
Looking ahead, I see a horizon brimming with possibilities. Together, we can usher in an era where post and production professionals are not mere survivors, but continue the long tradition of being the pioneers of change. We are at the forefront of an industry on the cusp of (I'll say it again) fundamental, transformative, change. By harnessing the power of AI in sustainable and ethical ways, along with other emerging technologies, we can continue to be a part of creating content that continues to captivate, inspire, and transcend boundaries, in new ways.
Our gathering at the HPA Tech Retreat is more than a conference; it is a conclave of the brightest minds in production and post, united by a shared vision for the future. Here, amidst the exchange of ideas and the forging of new connections, lies the potential to redefine what is possible. I urge each one of you to seize this opportunity. Engage with your peers, share your insights, and collaborate on solutions that will propel our industry forward.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you. Your resilience in the face of adversity, your willingness to adapt and grow, and your unwavering commitment to excellence are what make our industry truly remarkable.
Thank you for your dedicat
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
06/07/2026
Digital Domain Appoints Industry Veteran Patrick Davenport as Executive Vice Pre...
06/07/2026
Gravity Media USA appoints Brittney Boston as Head of Business Development
Brie Clayton July 6, 2026
0 Comments
The strategic new appointment supports...
06/07/2026
Remote Editing Without Cloud Storage in Resolve
Michael Cioni July 6, 2026
0 Comments
This is a step-by-step guide that demonstrates how to setup your...
06/07/2026
Automatic Caption Translation in Adobe Premiere Pro
Colin Smith July 6, 2026
0 Comments
Here I showcase the innovative automatic caption translation f...
06/07/2026
Flavor's First Ever Managing Director Neal Cohen Retires; Longstanding Execu...
06/07/2026
How Adam Rosenwach Pivoted from Music to Medtech Without Missing a Beat What do the rehearsal room and the boardroom have in common? More than you might think...
06/07/2026
Zhongyi Optics unveils the Dreamy Zone T1 FF Cine Lens Series on Indiegogo with ...
06/07/2026
Fresh from his World Cup heroics with Cabo Verde, Roberto Pico' Lopes will join the RT panel for Argentina v Egypt tomorrow and for the England v Norway q...
06/07/2026
Nations have long invested in domestic infrastructure to advance their economies, protect and use their data, and take advantage of technology opportunities in ...
06/07/2026
Every year, the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) reveals where thousands of AI researchers have decided to put their work.
This year's ...
06/07/2026
A death can be unsuspicious, but it has to be explained
What happened to Ke...
05/07/2026
We've gone to another level of integrating the graphics into the set architecture -Zac Fields, Fox Sports, SVP of Graphic Technology and Integration...
05/07/2026
Browser-based and desktop apps available
Digital Sunset Studios have been busy working on an interesting project: a free software tool that provides compute...
04/07/2026
When Canada qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026, OneSoccer knew this wasn'...
04/07/2026
Celebrates company's 80th anniversary
Rhodes have recently revealed that they will be producing a limited run of electric pianos in celebration of their...
04/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Empower Youth Broadcasting Program
Brie Clayton July 3, 2026
0 Comments
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and Blackmagi...
04/07/2026
iZotope Joins Boris FX
Boris Yamnitsky July 3, 2026
0 Comments
iZotope, the team behind RX and Ozone, is joining Boris FX. A letter from founder Boris...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
03/07/2026
New bundle & three Single Packs
Continuing to expand their already sizeable orchestral collection, VSL's latest release introduces three new Single Pack...
03/07/2026
Venue installs new ATC-equipped control room
LSO St Luke's, a unique music venue that also serves as the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, have rec...
03/07/2026
Caden Pearson appointed new Commissioning Editor for NITV
3 July, 2026
Media releases
National Indigenous Television (NITV) has strengthened its commitment...
03/07/2026
1 February 2023
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 1st February 2023: Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software technology for digit...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Death Star
Andy Marken July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Look, I can't get involved. I've got work to do. It's not that I like the Empire; I hate i...
03/07/2026
Berklee's New Visual Identity: Honoring Our History, Building for What's...
03/07/2026
Scripps Research scientists awarded $2M to advance global disease surveillance Two Gates Foundation grants will expand wastewater surveillance and AI-driven dis...
03/07/2026
Joan Pulupa joins Scripps Research faculty to study the organization of DNA in brain cells and its links to neurodegeneration Using smell-sensing neurons and ad...
02/07/2026
Entering her senior year, this hometown girl is paving a career in live sports production gaining experience in replay and audio and as a TD
In the live-sports...
02/07/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
02/07/2026
BLAST, a competitive entertainment company focused on esports, has announced more than $133 million in revenue for 2025, representing more than 40% year-over-ye...
02/07/2026
Riedel Communications has announced official SKAARHOJ panel support for SimplyLive production workflows, enabled through the SimplyLive 2.1 release. The integra...
02/07/2026
The Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has deployed LiveU video-over-bond...
02/07/2026
Gravity Media USA has announced the appointment of Brittney Boston as Head of Business Development, effective July 1, 2026. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Bosto...
02/07/2026
TwelveLabs, a video intelligence company, has announced $100 million in Series B funding co-led by NEA and NAVER Ventures, with participation from Amazon, Radic...
02/07/2026
The Pro Padel League (PPL) has announced a broadcast partnership with USA Sports that will air five PPL championship matches on CNBC during the 2026 season, the...
02/07/2026
LiveLike, a digital fan engagement platform, has announced eight confirmed FIFA ...
02/07/2026
Cobalt Digital has received Future's Best of Show Award, presented by AV Technology at InfoComm 2026, for its blueCORE family of standalone signal processor...
02/07/2026
Synamedia has announced the appointment of Dr. Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transition...
02/07/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) and Sony Group Corporation have announced an expanded collaboration for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), taking place in Paris, Fra...
02/07/2026
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. ( Z') has announced exclusive broadcast and digital rights for the Bundesliga in India for five years, beginning with the...
02/07/2026
An effort uniting News, Sports, Local, and Telemundo, the 50+-camera live produc...
02/07/2026
Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Ben Wang appe...
02/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
02/07/2026
A new era in unmixing and spectral editing
The latest version of Steinberg's spectral audio-editing software has just arrived, building on the strength...
This year, I believe we are starting a new chapter, actually an entirely new playbook, for our industry. At the Retreat last year, before the double strike descended on us, just as this wildfire of AI started, a few of us were talking about industry transformation that was on the horizon. And while many accepted that this might be coming, none of us really understood what that would look like.
