OpenAI-backed AI film ‘Critterz’ enters production, set to debut at Cannes

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is reportedly lending its tools and computing sources to produce a feature-length animated movie made by artificial intelligence (AI). According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the movie is called ‘Critterz’ and is the brain child of Chad Nelson, a creative specialist at OpenAI. It is about forest creatures who go on an adventure after their village is disrupted by a stranger. As per the WSJ report, the movie is being produced in collaboration with London-based

Vertigo Films

and California-based studio Native Foreign which specializes in AI-enchanced content.

OpenAI-backed AI movie to debut at Cannes

As per the report, the movie has a budget of less than $30 million, far less than what animated films typically cost. It is likely to make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival.“OpenAI can say what its tools do all day long, but it’s much more impactful if someone does it,” Nelson said. “That’s a much better case study than me building a demo.”

James Richardson, co-founder of London-based Vertigo Films said that the team is aiming to make the movie in about nine months instead of the three years it would typically take.

Critterz enters production

The script for Critterz was written by some of the same writers behind Paddington in Peru. Production has already begun, and casting for voice roles will be decided in the coming weeks.The project, as mentioned above, is funded by Vertigo’s parent company, Paris-based Federation Studios. Around 30 people are working on the film, and the studios are creating a profit-sharing model so they can share in any earnings, according to Nelson.OpenAI hopes that if Critterz succeeds, it will prove AI can create content strong enough for the big screen and speed up Hollywood’s adoption of the technology. “The film reflects the kind of creativity and exploration we love to encourage,” an OpenAI spokesman said.