International
Ben Affleck named Entertainer of the Year
MUMBAI: Ben Affleck has been named Entertainer of the Year by Entertainment Weekly. The actor-and-director succeeds Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who received the honour last year.
Affleck was bestowed with the accolade as he has finally reached the "pinnacle" of his career.Appearing on US morning show Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly editor Jess Cagle explained, "We‘ve watched him grow up. He has really reached his pinnacle."
The 40-year-old Affleck, who burst onto the acting scene 15 years ago in Good Will Hunting, is delighted with the honour, particularly because he wants to make his family, wife Jennifer Garner, daughters Violet and Seraphina and nine-month-old Samuel proud.
Affleck said in a statement, "Being at a place in my life and my career where I know what I‘m trying to do, it‘s different than being 26. When you‘re younger and have the early success that I had – it sounds like the worst Hallmark cliche – but I didn‘t have anyone to share it with.
I don‘t mean I wanted someone to sit by the fire with. But when you have a family and children, you kind of see yourself reflected in them. I want to make the kinds of movies that my kids are proud of. I have higher standards, in a way, for them."
Fellow Hollywood star George Clooney, 51, praised Affleck for re-emerging on the Hollywood A-list after several rocky years, which included starring in numerous widely panned films and a high profile engagement to singer-and-actress Jennifer Lopez that was eventually called off.
George Clooney said, "Hollywood loves a comeback, and he‘s an unbelievable comeback kid."
Ben Affleck has transitioned from in front of the screen to behind it, helming critically-acclaimed films such as Gone Baby Gone, The Town and this year‘s Argo, which is being tipped for Oscar contention.
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.
