International
Avatar transformed 3D cinema exhibition
MUMBAI: More than the year-end boost James Cameron’s Avatar gave to the exhibition sector, its effect on the embrace of 3D was even more dramatic.
That was a clear sentiment among a group of exhibitors talking of exhibition trends and challenges at ShoWest’s opening-day offerings.
Said Dallas-based Rave circuit’s CEO Tom Stephenson, “For each new technology, there is a transforming event and for 3D it was Avatar.”
The panelists said a 3D footprint in many foreign territories that‘s even smaller than in the US has them dreaming of times when the fledgling format can throw off truly extra-dimensional revenue.
With just 10 per cent or less of the screens in markets such as Latin America, Russia and even the U.K. equipped for digital projection, exhibitors there have added 3D capabilities in virtually all existing digital auditoriums.
” Avatar is still doing superb business for us, but we‘re going to have to let those screens go to dragon-lovers,” said Paul Heth, chief of the Rising Star circuit in Russia that‘s to open 3D animated feature How to Train Your Dragon.
Treading into the controversial topic of tighter theatrical windows for select films, some of the panelists talked about the inevitability of the shortening windows.
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.
