International
MPI Media Group acquires North American rights of A Bag of Hammers
MUMBAI: MPI Media Group has acquired the North American rights of a new offbeat comedy-drama, A Bag Of Hammers, a co-production of Manor Film, Two Ships and Locomotive.
The distribution deal was negotiated by, of MPI Media Group executive vice president, Greg Newman and Josh Braun of Submarine. “We consider ourselves very lucky to have found A Bag of Hammers,” stated Newman. “Brian Crano and his remarkable cast have crafted a unique film whose mixture of comedy and poignancy will move all who see it,” he added.
A Bag Of Hammers stars Jake Sandvig and Jason Ritter as Alan and Ben, slacker buddies who run a valet-parking scam to steal cars. Their lucrative operation, however, is threatened when a stressed-out single mom moves in next door with her street-smart young son. When Alan’s sister notices that the boy is being neglected, she calls child protective services which sets off a chain of startling events that will change everyone’s lives.
The cast also includes Todd Louiso and Gabriel Macht. The film has been written by director Crano and Sandvig.
Founded in 1976, Chicago-based MPI Media Group remains one of the largest independent entertainment companies producing and distributing a compelling slate of the world’s most respected cinema, documentaries, performances and television programmes.
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.
