Chris Bird, Former Prime Video UK Chief, Teams Up with Director Dan Hartley for Exciting New AI Projects
Former Prime Video UK Chief Launches AI Ventures to Support Content Creators
Chris Bird, the former managing director of Prime Video UK, has embarked on two new ventures designed to empower content creators. He has joined forces with documentary director Dan Hartley to co-found HawksHead AI and CineMe AI.
HawksHead AI is a predictive data analytics platform that aims to help creators assess the potential performance of their projects at early development stages, using scripts or synopses as starting points. This platform utilizes proprietary AI tools and specialized databases to deliver insightful analyses on how content may resonate with specific audience demographics.
“Using HawksHead AI, we’re leveling the playing field – putting that same power into the hands of British filmmakers at the point where it matters most: before a single frame is shot,” Bird explained. He expressed a hope that the insights gained from this platform would facilitate securing investments or commissions from broadcasters and streaming services.
CineMe AI, co-developed by Bird and Hartley, is being marketed as an accessible visual development tool for filmmakers. It is designed to generate visual storyboards from scripts, providing photo-realistic images in seconds. The founders contend that this innovation streamlines collaboration among producers, directors, and creative teams, ultimately saving significant time and resources.
“This tool is aimed at everyone from established Hollywood producers to independent creators,” Bird noted. Generative AI capabilities for complex visual effects, such as large-scale set pieces, will be introduced over time.
Hartley shared the rationale behind CineMe, stating, “There’s an absence of accessible, affordable visual development tools outside of the studio system. We’re changing that for both established filmmakers and the next generation of creators across various media.”
CineMe is currently in beta testing, with several high-profile productions already participating. Further announcements regarding industry advisors involved in the project are expected soon.
Additionally, Bird and Hartley have initiated the CineMe Future Fund, pledging 5% of company profits to a charitable trust aimed at supporting creatives within the screen-based industries. This initiative is particularly significant in the wake of recent disruptions, as Hartley aims to address the financial instability that freelancers have faced.
Reflecting on his two-decade career in the British film industry, Hartley emphasized the importance of collaboration in creative processes, stating, “I see CineMe’s role as supporting the next generation of storytellers and filmmakers.”
Bird added, “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.”
With both HawksHead AI and CineMe AI, Bird and Hartley are poised to reshape how content creators navigate the evolving landscape of the film and media industries.
