The creative agency SpecialGuestX is known for boundary-pushing experiments. In the midst of ongoing industry discussions about how AI will impact filmmaking, Executive Creative Technologist Miguel Espada and his team pondered how they could turn AI into an active creative partner on set versus something handled solely in post.
They ultimately achieved just that with 1stAveMachine, creating a working prototype of a professional film camera that applies AI filters almost in real time, allowing directors to transition back and forth between reality and richly embellished scenes with the twist of a dial.
“We always want to balance the analog and the digital,” Espada says. “If we bring these two worlds together, we can create incredible things.”
The CMR M-1, the winner of the 2025 Innovation by Design Awards experimental category, draws inspiration from the 1924 Ciné-Kodak, which democratized film and led to the first home movies. Kodak’s slogan back then: “You press the button, we do the rest.” And, well, that’s not unlike how the CMR M-1 works.
Users drop in a physical card loaded with a preset AI filter (or one of a filmmaker’s own devising) and start filming, and new worlds—from Stable Diffusion–generated jungles to Gatsby-esque scenes rife with tuxedos and gold—spring to life. (Each minute of film takes roughly a minute to process in the cloud.)
Ultimately, Estrada says the experiment showcases how blending physical components with emerging tech makes working with AI more human and relatable.
“Technology is nothing without humanity,” he says.
Currently the experiment is just that—an experiment, with no commercial ambitions. But who knows: “We’ll fix it in post” might become a thing of the past as a consequence of such projects in the future.
This story is part of Fast Company’s 2025 Innovation by Design Awards. Explore the full list of companies creating products, reimagining spaces, and working to design a better world. Read more about the methodology behind the selection process.