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Hollywood Makeup Pioneer Rick Baker Shares His Thoughts on AI, CGI and Stories About Eddie Murphy
Seven-time Oscar-winning make-up artist Rick Baker has received Locarno Film Festival’s Vision Award, recognising his influence on practical screen transformation and creature design. In an interview following the honour, he said artificial intelligence and computer-generated imagery should complement, rather than replace, practical make-up effects. Baker said he initially faced claims that practical artists would become…
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Neil Marshall & Charlotte Kirk Reteam On Thriller ‘The Spiral Down’
Actress Charlotte Kirk and writer Neil Marshall are reuniting for psychological thriller The Spiral Down, their fifth collaboration. The film will be directed by Aaron Mirtes and is due to begin filming in Kentucky next month, adding another project to the pair’s recent run of genre films. Kirk will play Mary Doyle, initially portrayed as…
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State school run by Britain’s strictest head gets 70% A/A* grades despite Lucy Powell claiming disadvantaged students are being ‘let down’ by focus on academic subjects
A state school led by a headteacher described as “Britain’s strictest” reportedly achieved 70% A or A* grades. The result is presented as challenging claims by Education Secretary Lucy Powell that disadvantaged pupils may be poorly served by an emphasis on academic subjects. The article links the school’s outcome to the wider debate over education…
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Heart-pounding moment accused Woolworths attacker is brought down by hero shopper at the checkout
A shopper intervened at a Woolworths checkout to restrain a man accused of attacking another person, in an incident captured on video. The intervention is significant because it appears to have stopped the confrontation before it could escalate further. The report identifies the incident as taking place at a Woolworths store in Banyo, Australia. The…
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Agent 64: Spies Never Die review – licence to kill time like the 90s never ended
Agent 64: Spies Never Die is a deliberately retro first-person shooter that closely imitates the look, feel and design of GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. The reviewer finds its nostalgia appealing, particularly in its fast-paced action and split-screen multiplayer, but says its outdated controls and level design can make it frustrating. Developed largely by one…
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Flock CEO: ‘We got this one wrong’
Flock, a US surveillance technology company, is introducing tighter safeguards after reports that police officers misused its licence-plate tracking data to stalk and harass former partners. Its chief executive, Garrett Langley, acknowledged that the company had been wrong to leave such controls optional, marking a shift towards taking greater responsibility for how law enforcement uses…
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Kobalt Signs Licensing Deal With Spotify for AI Fan Remixing Tool
Kobalt has signed a licensing agreement with Spotify for an upcoming AI tool that will let fans create covers and remixes using participating songwriters’ work. The deal matters because it provides a framework for consent, credit and payment as streaming platforms introduce generative AI features, while directing listeners back to original songs. The tool will…
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Congress breaks for summer recess with little to show
As Congress enters its August recess, lawmakers are racing to reconcile different continuing appropriations resolutions to prevent a government shutdown before the Oct. 1 fiscal deadline and subsequent midterm elections.
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After this week’s Elder Scrolls 6 tease, fans think they’ve figured out its full name – and it was hidden in Starfield all along
Fans believe The Elder Scrolls 6 may be titled The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel after Xbox CEO Asha Sharma referred to an eight-character subtitle during a recent playthrough. The theory matters because Sentinel, a city in Hammerfell, would support long-running speculation that the sequel is set in that region, although Bethesda has not confirmed the…
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Victoria’s Secret might’ve rejected Rachel Pizzolato, but she’s not giving up, ‘Big Dad Energy’ & dorm update
Rachel Pizzolato says Victoria's Secret rejected her but vows to never give up on her dream to be an Angel as the brand's stock surges 74% this year.