Samsung made an ad for filmmakers, and the filmmaker in it doesn't exist.
The piece
Samsung made an ad for filmmakers, and the filmmaker in it doesn't exist. It's for their new P-nine portable drive, pitched at pros shooting twelve-K. [AD AUDIO] Lost footage? … Nightmare.
And in tiny print, the whole launch film says it was made with generative AI. If product shoots and commercial days are what carry you between the bigger jobs,
stay with me. Cine D pointed out what this ad is selling: a cinematographer on location, filling a drive with twelve-K raw. Cine D pointed out what this ad is selling: a cinematographer on location, filling a drive with twelve-K raw.
Cine D pointed out what this ad is selling: a cinematographer on location, filling a drive with twelve-K raw. Cine D pointed out what this ad is selling: a cinematographer on location, filling a drive with twelve-K raw. Cine D pointed out what this ad is selling: a cinematographer on location, filling a drive with twelve-K raw.
And the ad itself was made without a cinematographer, a location, or a camera. Samsung knows how to do it the other way. In twenty twenty-three they hired Ridley Scott and a real crew to shoot a short on their phone. And Cine D makes a second point that stings more. SSD prices have doubled or tripled since late last year, because AI data centers are soaking up the memory.
The same technology that made the ad made the drive expensive. On Samsung's own upload, the four most-liked comments all say the same two words: AI slop. On Samsung's own upload, the four most-liked comments all say the same two words: AI slop.
On Samsung's own upload, the four most-liked comments all say the same two words: AI slop. One filmmaker wrote, 'I'll never buy a Samsung product as a filmmaker anymore.' To be fair, Samsung labeled it.
And one commenter loved it: 'Really shows how amazing and empowering AI is for creative work.' Thirty years around cameras and crews, and this one stung more than I expected. The drive is for us. The ad says it doesn't need us.
But look at what the ad couldn't do. It can't prove the drive holds up on a real shoot, because nobody shot anything. So next time you pitch a brand, don't pitch a look. Pitch a test. 'I'll put your product on a real shoot, and put my name on the result.'
The top comment under one filmmaker's reaction said it best: now more than ever, it's great to stand out as a filmmaker. Like this if you'd rather see gear tested by somebody who actually shot with it.
Source: Samsung (P9 launch film), CineD (Sept 3), comments from Samsung's upload and Justin Phillip's reaction. Quoted verbatim; counts as of Sept 14.