THE PRODUCTION PULSE - July 2025
Cut through the noise for a clear view of the most impactful shifts shaping the film, TV, and commercial production landscape. This newsletter brings you the essential insights you need, from the explosive growth of short-form video to the evolving role of AI and the new dynamics of global partnerships. Dive in to see how these trends are redefining creativity and business success, and how we can help you stay ahead.
It is not all A.I. The comedy that transcends borders in these Aldi supermarket commercials is a defiant reminder that the secret sauce of humanity is essential to filmmakers. “That’s our connection point, our nerve ending,” revealed Wicked director Jon Chu during a recent panel at Cannes Lions.
“I know everyone is talking about AI,” added VML Global CCO Debbi Vandeven at the Defying Gravity session. “But no matter what we do, we must remember a person is at the center of what we are creating.”
“The human touch is our superpower,“ shared the VP of Marketing Communications at Apple, Tor Myhren, during the same panel at Lions. “The best marketing makes people feel, laugh, cry, wonder, or fall in love with a person or an idea or a brand. We all want to feel. And there’s no technology or algorithm, or artificial intelligence at work in the world more capable of making us feel than the human mind.”
Human stories are central to the authenticity PSN empowers filmmakers to capture worldwide. This month we welcome a talented team of producers in Japan as our newest PSN Partners. With film & TV credits that include the HBO Max series Tokyo Vice, and commercial film service for brands including Nissan and Samsung, they’re ready to deliver the real deal.
PSN Liaisons have been out and about with the content creators at UK and US events.
Read on for my curated selection of industry news and new PSN Partner work filmed on location worldwide.
We’re here, which is most everywhere, to facilitate your next shoot abroad.
FILM AND TELEVISION
Short-form Swiping Dominates Viewer Screen Time
“Over 60% of the global online population now watches ‘swiping’ short-form video content on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels every day. These usage rates exceed broadcast TV channels (47%), influencer videos (47%), long-form streaming services (46%), music subscriptions (40%), and gaming (34%).” (Ampere Analysis)
Changes To The “Special” UK – US Screen Industry Relationship
“Risk aversion in the US is being driven by the adoption of advertising on streaming platforms (all major global streamers now have ad tiers, except for Apple TV+), and thus heightened pressure on content spend, which propels broadcasters and streamers to “go with a safer bet.” (ScreenDaily)
Cross Carriage Deal Disruption In Europe
“This year’s early summer has been rocked by successive news of “one-of-a-kind” carriage deals between major TV networks in Europe and streaming services, starting with Netflix and France’s TF1 and followed by Prime Video and broadcaster France Televisions and this week’s Disney+ and ITV pact in the U.K.” (Variety)
Enhanced France-UK Screen Industry Cooperation In Accord
“We share mutual values and a commitment to cultural diversity, including an appreciation for creativity and storytelling. Co-production is one of the most meaningful ways we can continue this shared exchange, and this initiative of knowledge building and collaboration has been built in that spirit.” (TLG)
Explosive Growth in Viewership of Women’s Sports Rewrites the Rulebook
“Women are increasingly equal earners and decision-makers in their households, and they’re showing up for women’s sports in record numbers. At the same time, streaming platforms have shattered the limitations of traditional broadcast, making it easier than ever to showcase thousands of hours of women’s sports and give audiences what they want.” (TVBEurope)
Netflix To Stream NASA+ Space Programming
“NASA’s work in science and exploration will become even more accessible, allowing the agency to increase engagement with and inspire a global audience in a modern media landscape.” (NASA)
Google Launches Entertainment Division
“The initiative is built to identify, develop, and co-finance scripted and unscripted content that presents a more optimistic, culturally resonant view of emerging technologies like AI and spatial computing.” (Collider)
Motives Behind The Late Show Cancellation
“It was an “agonizing decision,” as the executives admitted in a statement. But CBS insiders insist, even when speaking frankly on condition of anonymity, that the move was financially driven, not politically motivated.” (CNN)
Apple and HBO Max Lead Emmy Nominations
“Emmy voters sure know how to take a bite of the Apple. As the Television Academy unveiled nominations for the 77th Emmy Awards on Tuesday, Apple TV+’s hits Severance and The Studio led the tallies” (Variety)
Location Professionals In Film Nominated for LMGI Awards
“Sinners, Conclave, The Day of the Jackal and The Studio are among the movies and television shows nominated for the Location Managers Guild International awards.” (Variety)
INCENTIVES
Spotlight On Hollywood Where State Incentive Boost Takes Hold
“The update is expected to increase film-related employment in California by 50%. Nearly 70% of projects denied credits in previous years ultimately filmed outside California. State leaders hope to not only retain homegrown productions but also bring back those that have left.” (TLG)
Italy Imposes Requisites To Make Film Incentive “Scam-proof”
“Measures were deemed necessary following the “Francis Kaufmann affair”, revolving around a Californian director accused of a double homicide in Rome, who had obtained tax credit amounting to 863,000 euros for an international production by using a false identity, by way of the Italian firm Coevolutions, for a film which was never going to be made.” (Cineuropa)
Reforms And Incentive Boost Encourage Czech Producers
“The new structure is more inclusive and creates a more sustainable environment for audiovisual creators of all formats.” (ScreenDaily)
Ireland and Northern Ireland Seek Shared Fund To Streamline Production
“We’ve been lobbying for the creation of a new screen industry shared island fund, because it’s a very turbulent world out there. We really need to see an alignment between the two funds on the island.” (ScreenGlobalProduction)
The Moment For Ireland’s Film & TV Industry To Shine
“Our ambition for Ireland is that it’s a home for screen storytelling at the highest levels, and a leading European hub for film-making. But most of all, we see it as a home for the film-makers and story makers themselves.” (BBC)
ADVERTISING
AI Content Undermines Reader Trust, Survey Finds
“When people thought something was AI-generated, they rated that content much worse across metrics like trust and authenticity, regardless of whether it was really AI generated or not. That also impacted the ads they saw next to the content, deemed as less trustworthy.” (AdWeek)
More Advertisers To Use GenAI For Digital Video Ad Creation
“Small- and mid-tier brands are expected to adapt to the tech quicker. Companies spending less than $10 million annually, expect 45% of their ads to be created with GenAI by 2026, while 36% of those who spend $50+ million annually said the same.” (Marketing Brew)
Short-Form Content Transforms Production
“Hero films still serve a valuable role in building emotional connection and brand equity. But lo-fi, reactive content is what performs in-feed, in real time. The best brands invest in both, keeping a unified voice across different formats.” (LBB)
Indie Agency Insights From Cannes Lions 2025
“What can a creative agency do, that an influencer can’t? Thanks to modern production technology – not much. If you can’t develop and sell your own creative IP, learn from the influencers. If you can’t do what they do – at least, follow YouTube, work with them and take a cut.” (thenetworkone)
Ditch The Pitch For Sustainable Production Workflow
“It makes more sense to me, if it’s a tricky budget, to choose one director and develop the project from there. They can make the budget work for the creative from the start.” (LBB)
Tech-led Streamer Ad Placement Strategy Bucks Legacy Studio Approach
“For the tech-led streamers, especially Netflix, a viewer’s engagement and experience with the platform is more important than playing by the broadcast advertising rulebook. Tech-led streamers want the viewers to stick around for another episode thus “front loading” ads in episodes when a viewer has committed to watching, and decreasing ads towards the end.” (Ampere Analysis)
CRAFT
Let Gen AI Coexist With Live Action
If a brand pours resources into an AI-led campaign that doesn’t deliver on quality, coherence or emotional connection, it can feel like a gimmick or, worse, a misstep. There will always be a depth, a relatability, something unexpected that comes from real people captured on film. (Shots)
A Covert Operation Where AI Authenticity Soars
“AI can be an especially powerful tool for creating films in situations when live-action production isn’t an option. Infused with a cinematic, spy-thriller flair, the film’s dark and realistic visuals add a visceral, human weight to a story we might otherwise only hear about through news headlines.” (Shots)
Tech Taps In To The Enduring Appeal of Stop Motion
“More and more we see CGI mimicking the fundamental qualities of stop-motion. In the way that Toy Story was perceived as a threat to stop-motion when I began, we are now looking at AI as the new perceived threat in the animation world. Will stop-motion defy this new digital development?” (Shots)
Cross-Border Content Creation Makes Better Editors
“Different cities, different languages, but the same creative pulse. When you combine that kind of cultural richness with trust, speed and shared vision, you get something powerful. We all spoke the same language in the end: storytelling.” (LBB)
Being Human
Denmark Pioneers EU Legislation To Protect Against Deepfakes
“We are now sending an unequivocal signal to all citizens that you have the right to your own body, your own voice and your own facial features.” (EuroNews)
Study Reveals Irregular Income Of Spain Screenwriters
“The highest percentage of high salaries is found in series, where 29.6% of screenwriters earn more than €60,000 per year. Copyright income plays a minor role for most screenwriters, with 66.3% earning a maximum of €3,000 net per year.” (Cineuropa)
UK Industry Mental Health Risks Increase For Working Class
“Working-class backgrounds were more likely to rate their mental health as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ compared to those from intermediate or professional backgrounds. They were also more likely to report feelings of loneliness in the workplace and to have experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination.” (Film+TV Charity)
“Ethical, Sustainable, Inclusive AI” Roadmap In BFI Report
“The report’s recommendations provide a roadmap to how we can ensure that the U.K.’s world-leading film, TV, video games and VFX industries continue to thrive by making best use of AI technologies to bring their creativity, innovations and storytelling to screens around the globe.” (THR)
Just The FAQs
- How can the film industry ensure authenticity and humanity in an age of AI? Industry leaders cited in this newsletter emphasize that “the secret sauce of humanity is essential to filmmakers” and “the human touch is our superpower”. They highlight that AI-generated content can undermine trust and authenticity, regardless of whether it’s truly AI-created or not. At the same time, experts note that AI can be a powerful tool for creating films when live-action production isn’t an option.
- How does PSN achieve authenticity for brands? Content capture or live action filming on location is fundamental. The Network’s worldwide reach is without parallel. PSN has executed more than 500 film and photo shoots in more than 50 countries.
- How are brands and production companies adapting to the rise of short-form video content? Our curated insights reveal that over 60% of the global online population watches “swiping” short-form video daily, exceeding viewership of traditional TV and long-form streaming. They suggest that the best brands invest in both “hero films” for emotional connection and “lo-fi, reactive content” that performs well in feeds.
- What are the new business models and opportunities emerging for the screen industry? This newsletter highlights the growth in viewership of women’s sports, which has been aided by streaming platforms that have “shattered the limitations of traditional broadcast”. There is also a notable rise in cinema advertising as a way for brands to tap into “mass cultural moments”.
- What are the key financial and legal developments affecting production? Our newsletter mentions that states like California are boosting film incentives to retain and attract productions. It also notes that Italy is imposing requisites to make its film incentives “scam-proof” after a director obtained tax credit for a film that was never made. And there is a new law in Denmark to protect citizens from deepfakes, giving people the right to their own body, voice, and facial features.
Thanks for tuning in this month. As our planet keeps spinning, we’ll keep working worldwide to support your shoots. Let’s make it together soon.
From the northern hemisphere, we send you warm summer wishes.
Michael
