A new consortium plans to create an Artificial Intelligence prototype and publish new research into how AI could support under-represented content creators and established producers to enhance storytelling in film and television.
The Charismatic consortium has received £1.04 million from the government’s Innovate UK programme. It will now research opportunities for the creative industries to better leverage the potential of AI technologies and generate new material such as storyboards, scenes and settings.
The project is led by Charismatic.ai, Channel 4, UAL Creative Computing Institute, Falmouth University, Aardman Animations, Sound Reactions and digital ethicist Lisa Talia Moretti – and is being backed by Innovate UK to ensure AI is at the heart of the economy.
“Charismatic is a much-needed project to ensure that diverse, new and existing creators have access to the best tools and technologies in this new AI-focused content era,” said Guy Gadney, CEO of Charismatic.ai. “It is about how humanity can create new forms of storytelling in ways that were not previously possible, rather than recreating what already exists. This is the perfect group to make sure that creative industries become valuable key players in the exciting and rapidly changing technology environment.”
A key element of the consortium’s work is to develop business models that enable creators to be remunerated for their ideas, and specifically to support creators disadvantaged through lack of access to funds or the industry to compete with better funded organisations.
Grace Boswood, Technology & Distribution Director, Channel 4, said: “Channel 4 has a strong commitment to representing unheard voices – from diverse communities and emerging writers and producers. We’re thrilled to be partnering on the Charismatic project, looking to understand how we make cutting-edge transformative tech like AI accessible to all creators, irrespective of experience or budget. Our mission with the Charismatic project is to empower creators with AI, not replace them.”
The Charismatic.ai team already has extensive experience in interactive storytelling, such as adapting John Wyndham’s classic novel The Kraken Wakes into video game form, developing writer-centric AI tools, running writers rooms and adapting graphic novels into interactive immersive stories.
