In this episode of Denoised, hosts Addy Ghani and Joey Daoud tackle several significant developments impacting film production and creative technology. The conversation covers Trump's surprising proposal for tariffs on foreign-made films, ILM's public acknowledgment of AI experimentation for Star Wars, LA's efforts to streamline film production, and Anthropic's new integration capabilities for Claude. Each topic explores the practical implications for industry professionals navigating today's rapidly evolving media landscape.

Trump Proposes 100% Tariffs on Foreign-Filmed Productions

The episode kicks off with a discussion about former President Trump's unexpected announcement regarding a potential 100% tariff on films made outside the United States. As Daoud explains, Trump posted on Truth Social that he is "authorizing the Department of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% tariff on any and all movies coming into our country that are produced in foreign lands."

The hosts identify several practical challenges with implementing such a policy:

• Most foreign-filmed productions are made by American companies like Netflix and Disney

• The entertainment industry is one of America's largest exports

• The logistics of enforcement would be complex and potentially costly

• The definition of what constitutes a "foreign-made" film remains unclear

• Many productions film internationally for narrative purposes (like Mission Impossible's global settings)

"The ironic thing here, and the same thing with other tariffs, is to just enforce and structure all this legally and go execute it, you need to hire a ton of people, which itself is gonna cost a lot of money," notes Ghani.

The hosts consider alternative approaches to encourage domestic production:

• Federal tax incentives that match or exceed international offerings

• Grants similar to what existed through the NEA

• Creating a more competitive filming environment in the US

Both hosts acknowledge the importance of supporting American film production while questioning if tariffs are the most effective approach. They note that the White House has since clarified that no final decisions have been made regarding the policy.

Key takeaways:

• Trump's proposal would place a 100% tariff on films produced outside the US

• The practical implementation faces numerous logistical challenges

• Alternative solutions like federal tax incentives might be more effective

• The White House has indicated the policy is still under consideration

Los Angeles Film Production: Streamlining Local Filmmaking

The conversation shifts to more local concerns, specifically the challenges facing film production in Los Angeles. The hosts discuss recent developments with #StayinLA, an organization working to keep productions in the city amid significant declines in local filming.

FilmLA, the city's film permit agency, reported approximately a 37% year-over-year drop in production days in Los Angeles. In response, local officials have passed measures aimed at streamlining LA production by reducing bureaucratic complexity.

Daoud shares his personal experience with LA's permitting process: "In a few very small productions that I produced here... these were like 10, 15 person crews, like pretty small, very low footprint. The LA Permitting office just has not really kept up with the realities of smaller crews and just the different levels of how you can shoot something."

The hosts discuss several factors contributing to production leaving LA:

• Excessive regulations and bureaucratic complexity

• High permit costs (around $1,000 even for small productions)

• Outdated permitting processes designed for large-scale productions

• More competitive tax incentives in other locations

While California has increased its tax incentive budget to nearly $800 million, the hosts acknowledge this still falls short of what other locations offer, especially those without caps.

"I think the bleeding, if you will, of films going out of LA will not stop. We'll only be able to slow it down. What'll really bring it back is not the money. It'll be about innovation and talent," says Ghani.

Key takeaways:

• LA has experienced a 37% decrease in film production

• City officials are working to streamline permitting processes

• Current permit structures are outdated for modern production methods

• Innovation and specialized talent may ultimately be LA's competitive advantage

Star Wars Team Showcases AI Experiments at TED Talk

The conversation moves to a recent TED Talk by Rob Bredow from Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Lucasfilm, who demonstrated AI-generated content in the Star Wars universe. The presentation featured AI-created alien creatures viewed through the iconic Star Wars binocular HUD interface.

While both hosts found the demonstration technically proficient, they felt it was somewhat underwhelming given ILM's reputation for cutting-edge visual effects:

"It felt like somebody who is messing around with AI the very first time and puts up stuff on LinkedIn, it's just like that basic," notes Ghani.

The hosts speculate about what might be happening behind the scenes at ILM:

• The publicly shown examples likely represent only a small portion of their AI work

• The quality of the images was notably sharp and error-free

• ILM is likely integrating AI tools into specific parts of their existing VFX pipeline

• The company appears to be using AI to solve specific problems rather than replacing traditional methods

"I think that probably is the biggest thing from this talk is like a historic company like ILM talking about like, yes, we're trying to figure out how we can use AI in the workflow," Daoud observes.

The hosts reference an earlier part of the presentation where Bredow showed how ILM combines multiple visual effects technologies—LED walls, miniatures, stop motion, CG—into single shots. They predict AI will simply become another tool in this already complex toolkit.

Key takeaways:

• ILM demonstrated AI-generated Star Wars creatures at a TED Talk

• The examples shown were technically proficient but conservative

• ILM is likely integrating AI into specific parts of their VFX pipeline

• The company combines multiple visual effects techniques in their work

Claude's New Integrations Feature

The final segment covers Anthropic's announcement of a new integrations feature for Claude, their AI assistant. This functionality enables direct connections between Claude and various applications.

The hosts explain how this differs from the previously announced Model Context Protocol (MCP):

• Integrations require companies to build structured connections to Claude

• MCP uses a virtual computer approach where Claude interacts with websites like a user

• Integrations function more like an API, allowing direct data exchange

"I think this is like one of the missing pieces, but a step in the right direction to have all of these AI models, which are all getting very good and smart and understanding things, but actually having them connect to apps and programs that we use every day," says Daoud.

The hosts discuss practical applications for these integrations:

• Directly connecting to Google Docs to access and manipulate documents

• Assisting with Excel formula creation and spreadsheet formatting

• Performing specialized functions within creative tools like Blender

They emphasize that the true value of AI will come from its integration into existing workflows rather than as standalone technology: "The AI revolution is not gonna be like its own path. It'll be very recognizable and very familiar because it'll be in the applications and in the tools that we use every day," Ghani explains.

Key takeaways:

• Claude's new integrations feature allows direct connections to applications

• This differs from MCP by requiring structured API-like connections

• The functionality enables AI to work directly within existing tools

• This represents a step toward more useful AI that can take actions within applications

Conclusion

This episode of Denoised highlights the complex landscape facing media and entertainment professionals. From potential policy shifts that could dramatically alter international production to evolving AI tools that are gradually being incorporated into established workflows, the industry continues to adapt to both external pressures and technological advancements.

The discussions around LA production challenges and solutions demonstrate the ongoing tension between economic realities and creative necessities. Meanwhile, established companies like ILM are cautiously exploring how AI might complement their existing techniques without completely disrupting proven workflows.