Top 5 in Tech: Qwen AI Image Editor, Vu’s AI Holodeck, MicroCo Bringing Vertical Dramas to US

VP Land Staff

VP Land is a newsletter & YouTube channel covering the latest updates in creative technology for M&E professionals.

Here's a quick roundup of the most significant developments in media and entertainment technology this week:

🌄 Alibaba’s Qwen-Image-Edit: Open-Source AI Rivals Flux Kontext

Alibaba released Qwen-Image-Edit, an free, open-source AI model that can run locally and rivals other natural language image models like Flux Kontext. It handles everything from object removal to pixel-level tweaks and multilingual text editing, outperforming prior systems on benchmarks while accepting natural language instructions.

🔲 Exclusive: Vu’s Showcases New Virtual Production and AI-Centric Products

We got an exclusive first look at how Vu is re-thinking what virtual production and content creation in an AI future will look like. Updates to their Vu Studio software include a simple touch screen interface to control 3D scenes in Unreal Engine, image-based lighting control, and instant AI background generation through simple text-to-speech. They’re also launching new hardware products to utilize their software on any display: the Vu Core, a media server in a box, and a web-only version of Vu Studio for streaming to any display.

🎞 MicroCo to Produce Microdramas in US, Use AI to Cut Production Costs

Media exec Lloyd Braun has launched MicroCo to produce vertical microdramas, using AI to slash production costs by up to 90% across a variety of mediums, including live action and animation. With episodes running 1–3 minutes across long seasons and distributed through freemium models, the company aims to tap into a global market projected to hit $10B by 2030.

🕹️Runway Adds Google’s Veo 3, Launches Game Worlds Beta

Runway is bringing in third-party models for the first time, including Google’s Veo 3, to power high-quality video generation. It also launched Game Worlds in open beta, a generative experience that builds interactive environments with evolving stories, characters, and media. Each playthrough is personalized, reacting to user choices so every run feels completely different.

🦾 MRMC’s Cinebot Nano Brings Motion Control to Indie Filmmakers

Mark Roberts Motion Control launched the Cinebot Nano, a compact motion control robot built specifically for solo creators and small teams. Packed into three airline-friendly cases, it delivers professional nine-axis camera movement without the usual cost, crew, or complexity. Starting at £20,000, it supports rigs up to 7kg, operates in tight spaces or on vehicles, and brings high-end cinematic motion control into the hands of smaller productions.

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