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Join Matt Panousis, the dynamic Co-founder and COO of MARZ (Monsters, Aliens, Zombies, and Robots), on an exhilarating journey through the company’s inception and evolution. Starting as a powerhouse in visual effects (VFX), they’ve boldly ventured into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the industry.
Their brainchild, Vanity AI, unleashes lightning-fast and cost-effective digital makeup and de-aging effects, setting a new standard for excellence. Not stopping there, they’ve unleashed LipDub, an ingenious AI marvel that effortlessly synchronizes lip movements with fresh audio tracks, sparking a wave of innovation.
Localization companies, dubbing studios, and video production companies producing localized content for clients are perfect partners for us. We value those with production capabilities who are already working with end users and looking to enhance their offerings. These are some of our best customers today.
Podcast Chapters
| Timestamp | Topic |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | Introduction and Background |
| 02:36 | Shifting Focus to AI and Innovation |
| 05:23 | Vanity AI: Faster and More Cost-Effective Digital Makeup |
| 07:33 | LipDub: Automated Lip Syncing for High-Quality Localized Content |
| 25:00 | The Global Demand for Localized Content |
| 30:06 | Evangelizing a New Category |
| 32:02 | Discovering New Use Cases |
| 34:40 | High Quality Automated Lip Syncing |
| 39:24 | Integrating Audio Solutions |
Our approach differs from many software companies, as we prioritize markets with diverse dialects like APAC and Europe over North America. While some content originates in North America, the most impactful localization work occurs in regions with numerous dialects. So, if you operate in APAC or Europe—or anywhere with diverse dialects—there’s significant value to be gained.
Key Takeaways
- Mars, Monsters, Aliens, Zombies, and Robots started as a visual effects company and later shifted their focus to innovating in the industry with AI technology.
- They developed Vanity AI, a product that allows for faster and more cost-effective digital makeup and de-aging effects.
- They also developed LipDub, a fully automated AI solution for syncing lip movements with new audio.
- The company aims to help industries produce high-quality localized content. LipDub is still in the process of evangelizing their solution as lip sync is a new category
- They are learning from the market and discovering new use cases beyond localization
- LipDub differentiates itself by offering high quality, automated lip syncing for difficult content
- Real-time lip syncing is a challenge due to potential quality trade-offs
- They are considering integrating audio solutions into their platform
- Their target markets are APAC and Europe, where multiple dialects are spoken
About Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ):
Latest from Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ):
1. High-Quality Visual Effects (VFX): MARZ specializes in delivering feature-film quality VFX on TV timelines, making them an ideal partner for projects requiring top-tier visual effects. They harness proprietary AI software, GPU clusters, and game engine technology to consistently execute high volumes of shots with both speed and quality. Their notable clients, including Marvel Studios, Netflix, and Prime Video, attest to their capability in producing outstanding VFX.
2. Comprehensive Post-Production Services: Beyond VFX, MARZ offers a full suite of post-production services, including dubbing, digital make-up, digital doubles, and aging/de-aging effects. Their AI-enabled technologies, such as Lip-sync Dubbing and Synthetic Voice, streamline the post-production process, ensuring quick turnaround times without compromising quality. This makes MARZ a one-stop-shop for all post-production needs.
3. Expertise Across Diverse Genres: MARZ’s experience spans a wide range of genres, including drama, sci-fi & fantasy, and mystery. Their ability to adapt and excel in different content genres ensures that they can meet the unique needs and creative visions of various projects, from anime and Bollywood films to telenovelas and beyond.
4. Proven Track Record with Leading Studios: MARZ has a proven track record of successful projects with leading studios like Disney+, Hulu, and HBO. Their consistent delivery of high-quality results has earned them nominations for prestigious awards, such as the VES and Emmy Awards. Partnering with MARZ provides assurance of professionalism and excellence, backed by industry recognition.
5. Innovative AI-Enabled Solutions: MARZ leverages cutting-edge AI-enabled solutions to enhance their VFX and post-production services. Technologies like Vanity AI for digital make-up and LipDub AI for automated lip-sync dubbing demonstrate their commitment to innovation. These advanced tools not only improve the quality of their work but also increase efficiency, making them a forward-thinking choice for any project. Technologies like Vanity AI for digital make-up and LipDub AI for automated lip-sync dubbing demonstrate their commitment to innovation. These advanced tools not only improve the quality of their work but also increase efficiency, making them a forward-thinking choice for any project.
Lip-Syncing the Future: A Conversation with Matt Panousis of MARZ
Introduction:
This is a written version of the podcast featuring Matt Panousis, hosted by Atul from Vitrina. Summarized for quick reading, this Q&A-style transcript explores the journey of MARZ (Monsters Aliens Zombies Robots), their AI products Vanity and Lipdub, and how they are reshaping the future of VFX, localization, and lip-sync automation in a rapidly globalizing video world.
- Vitrina: Matt, how did MARZ get started, and what led you from VFX into AI products like Vanity and Lipdub?
Matt Panousis:
“We started MARZ in 2018 as a VFX company for Hollywood TV. We worked on Watchmen, Wandavision, Moon Knight, and even collaborated with ILM on The Creator, which got an Oscar nomination. But by 2019, we already felt the pressure from studios to make VFX faster and more cost-effective without sacrificing quality.
We saw automation as key — not virtual production, which was the buzz then — and chose to invest in AI. Early on, image synthesis was just getting good. Our first product, Vanity AI, focuses on digital makeup and de-aging. What used to take a day or two for a 5-second shot, now takes just 25 minutes.”
- Vitrina: What was the leap from Vanity AI to Lipdub, and why lip-sync?
Matt Panousis:
“While working on Vanity, we became really good at facial graphics — the face was our research focus. Then Squid Game came out. Amazing show, but the lip-sync was jarring. Netflix invested heavily in high-quality dubs, but the visuals didn’t match. That was the spark.
We asked: could we build a fully automated product that syncs any video to any new audio? In other words, make dubbed content look real. We took two years to develop Lipdub. It’s not just lip-sync — we handle all the edge cases: head turns, motion, occlusion, lighting changes. That’s what makes it hard and why it took time.”
- Vitrina: What are some of the real-world use cases you’re seeing for Lipdub?
Matt Panousis:
“Initially, we thought only of Hollywood. But when we soft-launched, we saw demand from ad agencies, YouTubers, broadcasters, and e-learning companies. Everyone localizes video now. For example, we’ve worked on global TV ad campaigns — dynamic content with movement and scene cuts. Surprisingly, even yoga instruction and internal corporate videos use Lipdub.
And broadcasters — we’re seeing sports analysis like cricket being lip-synced into regional dialects in India. Localization is far bigger than we imagined.”
- Vitrina: You mentioned quality and automation — how are you positioning against other solutions?
Matt Panousis:
“Some competitors focus purely on quality, but they’re manual and expensive. Others are fully automated, but quality is limited to basic talking heads. We aim to sit in the sweet spot — fully automated and scalable, but capable of high-quality, dynamic content.
We built Lipdub as SaaS because we didn’t want to bottleneck growth through services. The range of use cases is too broad. On the flip side, Vanity AI is still sold as a service because it fits the traditional post-production model.”
- Vitrina: What’s the market’s understanding like? Are you still evangelizing Lipdub?
Matt Panousis:
“It’s a mix. Lip-sync wasn’t even a product category before. So we do some education, but a demo usually speaks for itself — you see the video, and you get it. The market also teaches us. Clients are now using Lipdub not just for localization, but to fix production errors without reshoots — for example, ADR fixes in Hollywood.
Lipdub saves time and money — and opens new doors like refreshing old ads or tweaking dialogue with zero reshoots.”
- Vitrina: Let’s talk about quality. How do you maintain fidelity in such heavy workflows?
Matt Panousis:
“We optimize AWS costs heavily and bake them into subscription pricing. Our heaviest step — a facial texture training phase — used to take 10 hours. We’ve reduced it to 2 hours. After that, video generation is around 10 minutes. We balance speed with Hollywood-grade output. Things like tongue rendering and beard texture — these are real priorities for us. We’re constantly refining fidelity at that granular level.”
- Vitrina: Where’s the tech headed next for Lipdub?
Matt Panousis:
“Real-time generation is one of our goals — but without compromising quality. That’s hard. For internal communications and time-sensitive content, faster turnarounds are critical. Another area is integration — customers want lip-sync and AI dubbing in one interface. We’re considering collaborations or building it ourselves.
We’re also constantly improving edge case handling — lighting shifts, obstructions, even mouth internals. Quality remains our north star.”
- Vitrina: What about language support? Is Lipdub language-agnostic?
Matt Panousis:
“Yes. It’s one of our biggest differentiators. Any audio — no matter how obscure — can be lip-synced. We’ve already seen Telugu, Bengali, French, German, and many others. The AI audio solutions still struggle with language limitations. But Lipdub can handle whatever’s thrown at it.”
- Vitrina: What trends are shaping the market for Lipdub in 2024?
Matt Panousis:
“We’re bullish. Film and TV were slow to bounce back, but localization is becoming key. Library content is booming as production budgets tighten. Everyone wants to do more with less — and reach new markets without new productions. MrBeast’s international dubbing strategy is proof. YouTube is just 1% localized today. We think that number’s going way up.”
- Vitrina: What kind of partners are you looking for, and where?
Matt Panousis:
“Localization companies, dubbing studios, ad agencies, video production companies — if you’re already making high-quality content and want to evolve your offering, we want to talk to you. A lot of our best clients are intermediaries — they use Lipdub to scale localization for their clients.
Geographically, APAC and Europe are big for us. These are regions with tons of dialects — making our tech incredibly valuable. We’ve seen success in India with region-specific broadcasts and we want to do more.”
