VentureBeat reports: "In a newly published preprint paper on Arxiv.org (“Vid2Game: Controllable Characters Extracted from Real-World Videos“), scientists at Facebook AI Research describe a...

Variety reports: "The global recorded music market grew by 9.7% in 2018 — its fourth consecutive year of growth — to $19.1 billion, according...

[Editor’s Note: This is a guest article written by Vindicia. Vindicia brings enterprise-class innovation to consumer-facing subscription billing to help digital companies acquire and retain more customers by making payments seamless, secure and easy.] Digital content and services are everywhere today, and many are available on a subscription or recurring basis. The burning question remains: how to develop a consistent stream of customers, reduce churn and keep acquisition costs to a minimum?

Since the transition to a file-based workflow in media production began, companies have relied on FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to transfer files over the Internet. But this 45-year-old protocol was designed decades ago, in the days when small groups of Internet pioneers moved relatively small files between themselves.

The market for streaming video on demand (SVOD) is growing fast. A new report from Research and Markets predicted 306 million homes will use SVOD by 2020, up from an anticipated 161 million by the end of 2015. Moreover, by 2020, global SVOD revenue will reach $26,794 million, which is more than twice the total revenue expected in 2015. Many companies will successfully take advantage of this growing market, but others won’t make the cut. What makes a SVOD business successful?

BentPixels reports "We are starting to see major subsets form with in the space. Digital Entertainment is now showcased in various independent verticals. High-quality narrative content, made exclusively for an online audience, has grown as led by innovators such as New Form Digital and Bento Box. Creator-based content models are maturing and evolving, as represented by leading MCNs (StyleHaul, Fullscreen, Big Frame). A recent newcomer, Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality content, seems to be here to stay with its own emerging vertical powered by technology advancement from Nokia (OZO) and creative minds at River Studios, among others."

Perhaps the biggest indication that we are in a truly exciting and transformational time was the final session of the day with Disney’s Chief Strategy Honcho Kevin Mayer, arguably one of the most powerful executives in digital entertainment today. During his tenure, Mayer has overseen Disney’s strategic acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, Club Penguin and Maker Studios and oversees the Disney Accelerator, a program designed to accelerate the growth of startup companies from around the world.

12 Innovative Startups to Be Selected to Compete for Cash and Prizes at Leading Industry Event on the Future of Digital Innovation

DEW Returns to L.A. with Focus on Visions of the Future of Entertainment and Tech; Launches New Innovation Stage and Technology Lounge