TV maker TCL has formed its own content production company, TCLtv+ Studios, aiming to produce movies with the help of AI. You can watch the first sci-fi short story below.
TCLtv+ Studios will produce original content for the company's own free ad-supported streaming service, TCLtv+, which is available as an app on TCL Google TVs.
The initiative was announced earlier this year, when TCL said that its first production hub includes a global team of animators, VFX experts, and AI engineers. Former director of original drama at Netflix and senior vice president of original co-productions at NBCUniversal, Chris Regina, was hired by TCL as chief content officer last year.
First two AI-generated movies
The first announced project was Next Stop Paris, a short romance movie "featuring professional voice actors and an original script, but brought to life with the latest AI animation technology."
However, the first movie to debut from TCLtv+ Studios is a sci-fi short story called Message in a Bot that "explores what happens when an alien craft crash lands on Earth containing advanced technology and instructions," with a twist at the end.
'Message in a Bot' is the first AI-generated short film to be released by TCLtv+ Studios. Photo: TCL
You can watch the full Message in a Bot short movie below before it debuts on the TCLtv+ app on July 18. You can also watch the trailer for Next Stop Paris, which will debut later this summer.
- "With our bullish approach to AI in all its applications, TCL is surpassing the legacy business practices of film and television, reinforcing innovation that drives growth across every aspect of our business," said Haohong Wang, general manager of TCL Research America.
What's next?
How far can TCL take AI-generated movies? It is anyone's guess at this point, but it is clear from especially Next Stop Paris that there is still a lot of work to be done in this area.
Hollywood is also experimenting with generative AI and AI-based tools in filmmaking but is meeting resistance from viewers. Jeffrey Katzenberg, the co-founder of DreamWorks, predicts that AI will replace 90% of animation jobs over the next three years.
The next 10 years could be transformative for Hollywood if AI-based filmmaking tools take off, but as the saying goes, the last few percent are the hardest.
TCLtv+ Studios' first two AI-generated movies
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