International
Rowling working on Potter encyclopedia
MUMBAI: Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is working on a Harry Potter encyclopedia. She will donate the royalties to charity, it is understood.
On her revamped website, Rowling addressed the question of a Harry Potter encyclopedia in a ‘frequently asked questions and rumours‘ section. "For a long time I have been promising an encyclopedia of Harry‘s world and I have started work on this now," said the 46-year-old author. Some of it forms the new content in Pottermore.
Pottermore, a free website allowing visitors to navigate the stories and discover new content not in the original books, is one of several Potter spin-offs following the completion of the seven-novel series.
The novels have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and spawned a hit eight-movie film franchise that has helped turn Rowling into the world‘s most successful author.
It may be recalled that four years ago the British writer took an independent US publisher to Court to bring an end to its plans for a reference book on the world of the fictional boy wizard saying that it constituted a ‘rip-off‘ of her work.
Earlier this month, Rowling announced the title of her first book for adults would be The Casual Vacancy. It goes on sale on 27 September.
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.
