Cameron sits down with Alfred Cervantes, Executive Director of the Houston Film Commission, to talk about what a film commission actually does and how Houston is positioning itself within Texas' new incentive era.

Alfred is a native Houstonian who has worked in the Texas film industry since 1992. Before joining the Houston Film Commission, he worked as crew on productions including The Chase, Jason's Lyric, Reality Bites, Apollo 13, and Powder, giving him a ground-level understanding of what productions actually need when they arrive in a new market. That on-set background informs everything about how he runs the commission today.

In the conversation, Alfred explains how film commissions help productions navigate the practical realities of filmmaking: locations, permits, crew, vendors, municipal coordination, and the countless logistical challenges that determine whether a project succeeds. He also addresses what producers most often misunderstand about what a film commission can and can't do, and why building a relationship with the commission early in the process makes a meaningful difference.

The conversation explores the early impact of Texas Senate Bill 22, how Houston's local incentive stacks on top of the state program, and why affordability, infrastructure, and crew depth continue to attract both independent features and larger productions. Alfred also discusses Houston's diverse location palette, from urban downtown corridors to rural landscapes, and why the city's growing crew base is creating new opportunities for filmmakers who haven't previously considered Texas.

If you're thinking about filming in Houston or just want to understand what a film commission can do for your production, this episode's for you.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the views of Wrapbook, its employees, or affiliates.

Cameron sits down with PJ Accetturo, founder and CEO of Genre.ai, to talk about what happens when generative AI moves beyond experimentation and becomes a real production business.

Known online as the "viral AI madman," PJ built his reputation with the Kalshi commercial that aired during the NBA Finals, one of the first AI-generated ads to run on broadcast television at scale. Since then, he has led AI-native campaigns for Nike, LVMH, Qatar Airways, Oracle, Popeyes, Ramp, Google, and more, generating hundreds of millions of views across platforms. Through Genre.ai, he has built one of the most active AI-native production studios working in commercial production today.

But instead of focusing on prompts and workflows, this conversation digs into the questions that rarely get asked: pricing, margins, creative constraints, failed campaigns, staffing, and what AI actually means for the economics of production. PJ explains how AI-native productions are structured today, why some projects still work better as traditional shoots, and how agencies, production companies, and filmmakers are adapting as the technology rapidly improves. The discussion also explores the changing relationship between AI and traditional craft, from commercials and VFX workflows to narrative filmmaking, virtual production, performance capture, and the emerging hybrid models being tested across the industry.

The conversation also touches on the Wonder Project's hybrid approach to narrative production, blending volume stages, performance capture, and AI-generated wide shots as a model for what ambitious mid-budget storytelling could look like going forward.

Perhaps most notably, PJ reflects on how his own thinking has evolved. A year ago he was telling Hollywood it was doomed. Today his message is different: the tools are coming regardless, the talent is there to adapt, and what's ahead may look less like a reckoning and more like a golden age of creativity.

For producers, creative directors, and anyone trying to understand where AI fits in the production landscape, this is one of the more grounded and honest conversations on the topic you'll find.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely their own and do not reflect the views of Wrapbook, its employees, or affiliates.