‘There’s Major Trouble on The Horizon,’ Tech Vet Michael Cioni Warns Hollywood

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Michael Cioni, an experienced professional in the industry and CEO of AI tool company Stada as well as founder of post-production house Light Iron, has laid out his perspective on the effects of technological advancements and the creator economy, offering a daring solution for how he thinks the troubled Hollywood industry could not only survive but flourish. In simpler terms, he’s warning about potential challenges ahead in Hollywood due to advancing tech and the creator economy, but he also suggests a courageous way for the industry to adapt and succeed.

At the HPA Tech Retreat last week, Cioni encouraged the broader media and entertainment sector, which he referred to as “Hollywood,” to rethink established practices and serve as a conduit to the creator economy. He cautioned that if we hold on to the hope of returning our industry to its 2019 state, we risk losing everything. Instead, he emphasized that the successful Hollywood isn’t about mere survival but thriving. He stressed that this will require embracing change and accepting that it will lead to a significantly different landscape.

To those studio technology heads present, Cioni emphasized that you hold significant influence over transformation as you wield immense power within the industry, given your control over such a large portion of it.

The strength of the studio lies in presenting, promoting, and distributing content. This is where it should channel its energy, according to him. Instead, what we require from you is not to provide script suggestions or make decisions about cuts; those responsibilities no longer lie with you.

He additionally encouraged the community to dismantle “obstacles” like technical norms and procedures that, in his opinion, no longer fulfill their function; and he urged manufacturers who create specialized production tools to take into account the broader community of content creators who have been progressively adopting affordable technology such as cameras, even those incorporated within iPhones.

Though the conversation didn’t delve into the realm of artificial intelligence directly, he referred to instances like CapCut – a video editing app with AI assistance and boasting 300 million monthly active users. He asserted that regardless of whether they are using smartphones or professional software like Media Composer, these 300 million editors will have an impact. Further, he questioned the significance of producing high-quality content compared to its widespread creation.

On distribution, he pointed to the phenomenal rise of YouTube as “new television.”

Cioni cautioned that we might lose out in the creator economy, as they’re eager to experiment with everything. They don’t have any reservations, and they won’t be constrained by established norms or guidelines when it comes to choosing equipment.”

Or, more informally:

“Cioni warned that we could lose to the creator economy because they’re always ready to try new things. They don’t care about rules or what’s considered ‘approved’ gear – they just go with whatever works best for them.

He pointed out that the rapid pace of the creator economy could be even quicker if it weren’t bound by Hollywood’s conventional rules and regulations. In other words, he suggested we should loosen up these standards and guidelines because they have become too restrictive.

He stated that without Hollywood’s established guidelines, the creator economy could progress at a swifter pace. He advocated for a more relaxed approach to these guidelines, arguing that they have become overly strict.

During his speech, Cioni encouraged specialized tool manufacturers to shift towards the creator economy, and suppliers to focus more on ‘creativity’ instead of just technology. He stated that it’s impossible to outrun the technology of the creator economy, a point he made during his speech which is now available for viewing on YouTube.

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2025-02-28 03:21