Ben Affleck says he writes Python, understands CNNs, and got private looks at video models

CSProfKGD · x · 2026-10-07

In an interview, Ben Affleck revealed he has been into computers since childhood, writes Python scripts, understands convolutional neural networks (precursors to transformers, used for edge detection in VFX), and has worked extensively with GPUs as filmmaking went digital.
He also used his celebrity status to get private looks at Google and OpenAI's video models.
Commenters note his intuition comes from real digital filmmaking and VFX experience — a far better starting point for understanding generative video than treating it as magic text-to-video boxes. Generative video will collide with film workflows far beyond replacing a few VFX shots, and people who grasp both creative process and underlying systems will have unusually good taste about where the models are useful.
Punchline: the strongest model-access strategy is still "be Ben Affleck."

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