International
3D films grow in popularity in 2009
MUMBAI: Though James Cameron‘s science fiction epic Avatar may be the stand out 3D film in 2009, this year has seen a continued rise of 3D‘s popularity.
Nielsen EDI‘s latest report on 3D releases in the UK highlights the growth of the sector in terms of outright grosses, 3D percentage gross and the number of releases.
Warner Bros‘ Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince stands at number one as the highest-grossing 3D release on ?50.6m to date in the UK, although the wizard‘s adventure 3D element was confining to the opening sequence of the IMAX version that generated ?1.6m or 3.2 per cent of the total gross.
A clearer illustration of the 3D spread is provided by the animations that were released this year. Back in March DreamWork‘s Monsters Vs. Aliens took ?21.3m with 44 per cent coming from 3D screens followed by Fox International‘s Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs ,the opening of which grossed ?34.9m. Released on 9 October, Walt Disney/Pixar‘s Up continued the trend with 3D screen providing 60.5 per cent of the film‘s current ?34.2m tally.
The widest point of release for 3D films noticeably increased in the second half of the year in the run up to the Avatar launch. Ice Age 3‘s 3D screen count stood at 240 on release, followed by Pixar‘s 1995 classic Toy Story with 251screens ( 3D screens), Up with 266 screens and Disney‘s A Christmas Carol with 281 screens, the largest 3D release to date.
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.
