International
20th Century Props to go under hammer
MUMBAI: After four decades of being in Hollywood, 20th Century Props is reported to be going out of business putting more than 93,000 items, from the rattan furniture used on The Golden Girls to Howard Hughes‘ desk from The Aviator, under the hammer next week.
The outfit was unable to stay in business, as more and more production has left California for cheaper destinations, while the networks have scaled back on drama series in favor of more cost-effective unscripted options. 20th Century Props‘ some 93,752 pieces, insured for about $8 million, will be offered through an auction that runs July 28 to August 1, beginning each day at 9:30 a.m. PST.
The pieces will be auctioned by Great American Group from 20th Century Props‘ 118,000 square-foot warehouse and live via webcast at www.greatamerican.com with simultaneous bidding.
“This is a time to honour and recognise 20th Century Props led by Mr. Harvey Schwartz,” observed Mark Weitz of Great American Group. “We expect interest from around the world as this is an historic collection of Hollywood memorabilia.”
International
Utopai Studios unveils 4K three-minute video generation for PAI platform
New Story Agent and editing tools aim to streamline AI-led filmmaking workflows
MUMBAI: Utopai Studios has announced a major upgrade to its PAI storytelling AI platform, introducing what it claims is an industry-first capability to generate three-minute videos in 4K resolution, alongside enhancements to its Story Agent feature.
The update, rolling out from April 15, expands the platform’s capabilities across the filmmaking process, from early concept development to post-production. The company said the new features are designed to help filmmakers maintain continuity across characters, scenes and visual styles, a key challenge in AI-driven storytelling.
At the heart of the release is a next-generation model that enables more structured narrative development, allowing creators to move more seamlessly from idea to execution. With tools such as multi-shot sequencing and multi-turn editing, the platform aims to give both studios and independent creators greater control over complex storytelling workflows.
Commenting on the launch, Utopai Studios co-founder and CTO Jie Yang said, “The next phase of AI in media will not be defined by isolated tools, but by systems that can carry story, continuity and collaboration across the full creative process.” He added that the update is a step towards enabling more practical, end-to-end narrative development at a professional level.
Echoing this, Utopai Studios co-founder and chief scientific officer Zijian He said, “Generative video is opening the door to a new production model, where creative ambition is less constrained by traditional cost and complexity.” He noted that the platform combines multimodal models with iterative editing to give creators more speed, control and consistency.
The company said PAI is already being used in professional film and television productions, particularly in Hollywood, for tasks such as pre-visualisation, scene design and post-production refinements. The latest update adds features including improved voice options, character consistency, unlimited editing and more flexible asset management.
Utopai also emphasised that its models are not trained on copyrighted material, positioning the platform as a cleaner alternative for creators and rights holders navigating the evolving AI landscape.
As AI continues to reshape content creation, Utopai’s latest push signals a shift from standalone tools to integrated systems, aiming to make high-quality filmmaking faster, more flexible and increasingly accessible.
