Mike Staniforth

Blog | AI Production & Cinematography

Writing from Mike Staniforth on Vertical Haus, cinematography, revenue systems, creative technology, web launches, and production craft.

Crowd gathered outside Stage 15 during AI On The Lot in Los Angeles

2026-06-08 / 12 min read

The New AI Question Is Control, Not Whether It Was Used

A film and advertising analysis of the June 2026 shift from AI novelty to control, disclosure, ROI, and accountable creative systems, connecting Scorsese storyboards, Tribeca's AI-generated feature, AI On The Lot, Cannes Lions, Siri, and Anthropic's IPO filing.

Black and white Martin Scorsese arms-raised meme image adapted with the words Absolute AI

2026-06-04 / 13 min read

Scorsese, AI Storyboards, and the Difference Between a Tool and an Author

A first-person film-industry analysis of Martin Scorsese using Black Forest Labs' FLUX for storyboarding, the fallout from storyboard artists and film fans, and what James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, and Roger Deakins reveal about why serious filmmakers are treating AI as a question of authorship, taste, and responsibility.

Golden light across Epsom Downs Racecourse

2026-06-03 / 13 min read

The Camera Is Not the Campaign

How the jump from cinematographer to campaign owner changes the meaning of creative responsibility, using the DerbyFest Epsom Racecourse experiment to explore paid social, cutdowns, creative testing, media spend, landing pages, analytics, and the unsung roles behind online campaign success.

Animation studio desk with storyboards and AI-assisted production monitors at night

2026-06-01 / 11 min read

Amazon Just Made AI Animation Impossible to Ignore

Amazon MGM Studios and AWS greenlit AI-assisted animated series through the GenAI Creators' Fund. The backlash, creator fallout, Jorge Gutierrez dropping out, and why the idea is both useful and dangerous.

Audience at the Cannes AI for Talent Summit during Marché du Film

2026-05-26 / 10 min read

Cannes Became the AI Film Industry Stress Test

A Cannes 2026 analysis of AI filmmaking, authorship, rights, labour anxiety, Steven Soderbergh's John Lennon documentary, Hell Grind, and the market shift behind production workflows.

Nirvana In Utero vinyl record photographed as part of the Vinylvana Studio creative outlet

2026-05-25 / 16 min read

Creativity After the Call Sheet Goes Quiet

A personal essay on creative identity, mental health in film and TV, work droughts, cinematography, Vinylvana Studio, and finding creative outlets outside paid work.