OpenAI-backed AI film ‘Critterz’ heads into production, targets Cannes premiere
The film is funded by Vertigo’s parent company, Paris-based Federation Studios, with around 30 people currently working on the project.
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OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is backing the production of a feature-length animated film created with the help of artificial intelligence. Titled Critterz, the film is the brainchild of Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI, and tells the story of forest creatures embarking on an adventure after their village is disturbed by a mysterious outsider, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The project is being developed in collaboration with London-based Vertigo Films and California studio Native Foreign, which specialises in AI-enhanced content. With a budget of under $30 million — significantly lower than most animated films — Critterz is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
Nelson said, that OpenAI can say what its tools do all day long, but it’s much more impactful if someone does it and it is much better case study than me building a demo.
James Richardson, co-founder of Vertigo Films, added that the team aims to complete production in around nine months, far quicker than the three years typically required for such projects. The script has been written by some of the same writers behind Paddington in Peru, while casting for voice roles is expected in the coming weeks.
The film is funded by Vertigo’s parent company, Paris-based Federation Studios, with around 30 people currently working on the project. A profit-sharing model is also being developed to allow contributors to share in potential earnings.
For OpenAI, the project represents more than just a film. If Critterz succeeds, it could provide a showcase of how AI can create high-quality content for the big screen and accelerate Hollywood’s adoption of AI-driven production tools.
