What are YOU planning to do in 2026? What have YOU done in 2025? HOW WILL YOU MAKE 2026 A YEAR OF SUCCESS?
For me:
1. I and my partner Diamond Monique Washington have advanced Stage And Screen Innovations PUNC program - we have put 6 early career producers through hands-on production in a commercial production (now in post). All these people are working in the industry right now, from independent production to staff at TMZ - and they all have valuable inside skills because of their experience in the ongoing PUNC program. We are very pleased - Stage And Screen Innovations is a 501(c)(3) and our way of paying things forward in the industry we love. Interested in being involved or supporting it? contact me!
2. Our company Diamond Shadow Productions is now forming a startup which integrates AI into the conventional 3D/2D/cgi VFX pipeline, but also is working to develop the next generation of VFX technology based in quantum computing (QC). AI is here to stay but is expected to stabilize in 2026 or 2027. However in the last year QC has gone from a science fiction concept to working prototypes that solve problems in seconds that our supercomputers require tens of thousands of years to work on. The smart money is going to QC already, and we are literally the ONLY entity working in this specific space.
3. The Independent Producers Guild, already with an international membership, will assert itself throughout the year. We are the ONLY professional organization which has established best practices for independent film, and our members handbook is being expanded now into its 2nd edition with production checklists, contract templates and expanded guidelines (including ethical gudelines) that address AI, safety and more. We are launching Guild certified programs for producers and directors. By year and people will ask if your production is an IPG production. By end of 2027, the IPG logo in your credits will mean you know what you are doing.
4. Dark Veil, Uncharted Freedom, Nightcrossings, Slayer - these and other projects are already moving forward in film form, and we are exploring connections in gaming as well.
2025 WILL BE A YEAR OF CONTINUED DISRUPTION, IMO - Not just due to, AI, but to the rapidly evolving economy, the convergence of the MPA cartel to monopoly, the concrete monopoly of the Google search engine and the new phenomenon of the Zero Click Search, and as I alluded to above, the beginning of the quantum computing revolution. But that doesn't mean 2026 will be a "bad" year - it means there is an amazing scope of opportunity coming our way.
HOW WILL YOU MAKE YOUR OWN YEAR OF SUCCESS?
For a summary of the IPG's year and a look forward, see the latest newsletter here: https://ipg-news.beehiiv.com/p/2025-year-end-reachout
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Congratulations to you, Diamond, and everyone involved with IPG on the accomplishments this year, Shadow Dragu-Mihai! Hope you all accomplish more next year!
I had ghostwriting jobs and pitch deck jobs this year, I did a lot of networking and pitching, and I worked on a lot of spec scripts (outlining, writing, and rewriting). I also learned more about screenwriting and other areas of the industry. I'm figuring out my goals for 2026.
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That's awesome Shadow Dragu-Mihai. Any plans of going into animation?
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This is so amazing to hear. Programs like PUNC making a tangible impact — not just in theory, but through real production experience — are exactly what the industry needs. Huge respect to you and Diamond for paying it forward and building something that lasts. I would also be very interested in learning more about PUNC programs.
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I will be filming some scenes from various scripts to use as pitch previews for Angel Studios.
Also will continue trying to get my story “Roughneck” to actors and producers. I believe with the success of Landman there is a chance that my true life story Roughneck may have more luck getting made. Oil and gas is a crazy world and I lived in that world so I have an authentic story.
Also continue to work on scripts that are very relevant because they involve the future far beyond AI and Robotics revolution. Ideas I’ve never seen explored before
Hope everyone has a great Christmas this year.
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Matthew Wach Thanks very much. PUNC ("Producing Unique New Creators" is detailed on the website at stagescreen.org. It's for early career producers who are serious about their careers. Leonardo Ramirez 2, we are considering animation on couple projects, but with actual voice actors. Mostly, we are integrating AI into the CGI flow where it makes sense - which is in ideation and sometimes digital matte painting, where we can create the source material (for copyright and to avoid the common experience of people having seen the imagery, we cannot use it without providing our original image/video).
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Shadow Dragu-Mihai I’d be curious to see what that looks like if permitted. And if you ever need a voice actor, I’m here. I’m just starting out in that arena but nonetheless, my site has a reel.
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Leonardo Ramirez See the AI/animation, you mean?
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Yes, Shadow Dragu-Mihai. That's what I meant. Would love to see that.
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Leonardo Ramirez Well that will be a while, as it's integrating into films we are doing in 2026. As well, it's mostly ideation and anything created must be referenced directly to originally created assets (ie. actual footage we shoot or actual 3D or 2D models we create) - for both copyright issues as well as ensuring that the AI hasn't given the same or too similar renders to someone else (and it does so repeatedly, so AI storytellers beware...)
Makes sense Shadow Dragu-Mihai. Thanks for the clarification.