‘Critterz’ First Look: New Tech Behind AI Animated Feature Unveiled as Vertigo and Federation Form New AI Production Company (EXCLUSIVE)

The first look from “Critterz,” the AI-created animated feature first announced last year, has been unveiled, showcasing the titular critterz in all their digitally-crafted fluffy cuddliness.

The film — created by OpenAI‘s Chad Nelson, from the writers of “Paddington in Peru” — is launching in the Cannes market by AGC Studios.

As well as the still, Vertigo Films, which produced the feature, together with its founding partner Federation Studios, have unveiled their new AI-native production company amersia, alongside the launch and release of its first technology product Woven, which was used to create “Critterz.”

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“Every major shift in entertainment has come when creatives gained access to new tools — from sound to CGI,” said James Richardson, CEO of amersia. “AI is the next inflection point. We built amersia from the ground up to give artists the power to create at a scale and level of cinematic ambition that simply wasn’t possible before. ‘Critterz’ is the first proof of that shift. The most extraordinary films and brand storytelling of the next decade will be born from this technology.”

“Critterz” director Nik Kleverov, who previous work has included title sequences (“Narcos”) and the first AI-generated commercial ever made (for Toys”R”Us) at Native Foreign, the studio he co-founded that produced the original “Critterz” short, will lead amersia’s AI-native creative strategy.

“Woven is built around human-led creativity,” said Kleverov. “AI should remove friction, not replace judgment. By automating the repetitive parts of production, we give artists more time to focus on the creative decisions that actually matter.”

“Critterz,” which marks amersia’s first movie, was created by Nelson, a producer and creative technologist at OpenAI. It originated within the OpenAI ecosystem and serves as an early proof point for amersia’s AI-native production powered by Woven. The technology was originally developed as amersia’s internal production system for “Critterz” and is now piloting with select media enterprise partners. A broader roll-out is planned in the coming months.

amersia was founded by Richardson and Allan Niblo, co-founders of Vertigo Films, who together produced and distributed over 100 films and premium television series before Vertigo became part of Federation Studios. Federation is a founding partner in amersia.