British writer, director and producer Dan Hartley, whose HBO/Sky feature documentary The Boy Who Lived was BAFTA and Emmy-nominated, has teamed up with Chris Bird, former MD of Amazon Prime UK, to launch CineMe, a “pioneering, visual development tool for filmmakers powered by cutting edge, proprietary AI”.
“CineMe is an AI tool to empower content creators, enabling them to build a visual world from script to screen,” a press release said.
“This transformative film production service will allow collaboration between producers, director, production designer, DP, locations, costume designer and VFX, simplifying the way ideas are shared and saving time and money for producers.”
CineMe was born out of Hartley’s “frustration with the barriers to entry faced by independent filmmakers who were looking to develop their careers and maximise their creative potential but have not historically had access to affordable visual development tools”.
Likewise, Bird “recognised the opportunity for AI to empower creators with tech and data to help speed up decisions, improve efficiency and reduce cost”.
Hartley and Bird’s collaboration draws on their collective experience across the creative and technological landscape.
This new platform uses AI and generative AI and video to support an end-to-end workflow.
CineMe will be accessible to all established filmmakers looking to simplify the production process, with the tool aiming to democratise access to a type of technology that “was previously the preserve of major studios and streamers”.
CineMe is currently in the Beta phase of its development, with a series of “confidential, high-profile productions” on board.
Key advisors and industry names from across the film, technology and investment sectors will reportedly soon be announced.
One of the founding commitments from Hartley and Bird is the formation of the CineMe Future Fund, which will provide 5% of the company to a charitable trust, with the goal of providing enterprise-grade artificial intelligence to the screen-based creative industries workforce.
Hartley, who was one of many freelancers impacted by financial insecurity in the wake of the pandemic and Hollywood strikes, hopes the Future Fund will ignite a conversation about how to support the tens of thousands of freelancers who are the most vulnerable to disruption, whilst also ensuring this technology is harnessed to make sure that the UK remains at the forefront of the global film industry.
Commenting on the launch of CineMe, Hartley said: “Over a 20-year career I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the leading luminaries in the British film industry, and I’ve seen first-hand how important it is to align teams around a creative vision.
“I see CineMe’s role as supporting the next generation of storytellers and filmmakers, by giving them access to affordable tools that will transform how they develop, produce and distribute films.
“Before CineMe you used to have to wait until you’d made a film before you could see it, now you don’t.”
Bird added: “After 15 years at Amazon, seeing first-hand how new technologies can help reduce cost, improve decision-making and increase efficiency, I’m excited to bring that ethos to the UK content creation space with CineMe.
“We sit on the precipice of significant change in our industry, and CineMe is perfectly placed to help creators bring their vision to screen more easily than has ever been possible.”
