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The AI tools my team used to create this animation are brand new; we’re trying them out as they hit the market. Here, I’m taking you behind the scenes on our experimental process for using AI to animate real people — and revealing a few lessons we learned along the way.  Step 1: Creative Direction  We knew we wanted to use AI tools to animate Pete Studer and Lori Messina, but before proceeding we needed to decide on an animation style, as the style would dictate our next steps. For example, did we want our characters to be 2D cartoons, 3D cartoons, or have more of an illustrated style? Did we want to show the characters from the shoulders up, or did we want to animate them moving around within scenes?  In addition to the animation style, we needed to set the scene. thINK Board President Pete Studer is an avid duck hunter, so we set the video during hunting season to help thINK members get to know him more personally. Immediate Past President Lori Messina is, as many of you know, …

Download the thINK Forward 2025 First Edition! …

I want you to consider something that might feel untrue. It’s a pricing paradox. When a customer pushes back on price—when they ask you to “sharpen your pencil,” when they demand you match a competitor’s rate, when they claim their budget won’t stretch that far—it might feel like resistance. But in reality? It’s a buying signal. Think about it. Whether your customer is a business, a non-profit organization, a government agency, an educational institution, or any other kind of organization, they all have one thing in common:  There is a human being (or collection of humans!) making the buying decision for production inkjet printing services.  All of your customers are human beings.  And like all human beings, they are notoriously self-interested.  They don’t want to waste their time.  So why would they bother beating you up on price if they had no interest in buying from you?  The answer is:  they wouldn’t. If a prospect had no interest in your production inkjet printing services, they …

Three new vertical market kits to help you break into new markets, a recap of the recent MTAC meeting, and guidance on creating an AI policy for your organization! All in our February E-Newsletter. …

Merlin Printing, Inc., a leading Amityville, NY-based full-service printing company with a proud 60-year history, announces a strategic investment in its future: the acquisition of the powerful Canon varioPRINT iX3200 sheetfed inkjet press. This addition underscores Merlin's commitment to providing exceptional printing solutions and helping businesses of all sizes achieve their goals. Since its inception, Merlin Printing has embraced innovation. From its early days, the company consistently adapted to meet evolving customer needs. Their motto, “Our Business is to Help You Grow Your Business,” exemplifies this dedication to the success of their customers. The varioPRINT iX3200 significantly expands Merlin's capabilities, enabling them to offer a wider range of high-quality print solutions, including:   Targeted Direct Mail: Personalized messaging and data-driven insights for maximized ROI. Streamlined Transactional Printing: Timely and accurate statements, invoices, and customized …