Fable Studio is a startup media company founded in January 2018 by Edward Saatchi and Pete Billington. It specializes in virtual reality media, and is using generative AI to develop a simuated reality titled the Simulation, and a streaming platform called Showrunner that can generate custom episodes.
History
editWolves in the Walls'
editIn January 2018, Fable Studio launched, with Wolves in the Walls as its premiere VR title.[1] The property was based on the Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean children's book of the same name.[2] In August 2019, Wolves in the Walls won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding innovation in interactive media.[3]
The Simulation and Showrunner
editIm May 2023, Fable Studio announced an AI project titled "The Simulation", which plans to create a simulated reality of AI-powered characters with the eventual goal of creating an artificial general intelligence.[4] The Simulation's official website is entirely fabricated.[5][6]
In July 2023 as part of The Simulation project, Fable Studio released a paper describing their tool named SHOW-1, also known as AI Showrunner, which uses a complex network of AI agents to create full animated TV episodes; they showcased the technology by creating several unauthorized episodes of South Park, inspired by an episode of that show about characters using ChatGPT.[7][8][9][10] Saatchi described the potential to create a "generative TV" service where fans can create and share their own episodes, or to allow writers or directors to realize their own original projects.[7] SHOW-1 was heavily criticized by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, who were on strike at the time over the risk of their careers getting automated. Film, TV, and comic-book writer Christos Gage described the SHOW-1–generated episodes as "soulless and unfunny".[11] Devin Coldewey of TechCrunch, in contrast, said of one of the episodes, "Although I wouldn’t say the episode is funny, it does have a beginning, a middle and an end, and distinct characters (including lots of fake celebrity cameos, including fake Meryl Streep)."[5]
In June 2024, Fable Studio announced a streaming service, also titled Showrunner, that will allow users to create and share their own episodes using AI in a similar format as the South Park demos. Ten original series were announced for the platform, including Exit Valley, a Silicon Valley satire modeled after South Park; Ikiru Shinu, a post-apocalyptic horror anime; and Sim Francisco, an anthology series set in a shared universe of some of the other shows.[12][13]
References
edit- ^ Damiani, Jesse. "Fable's 'Wolves in the Walls' Launched Lucy As A Virtual Being -- And The Implications Are Massive". Forbes. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "Wolves in the Walls is the Future of VR Filmmaking". Nerdist. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Roettgers, Janko (23 August 2019). "Neil Gaiman VR Experience 'Wolves in the Walls' Wins Primetime Emmy". Variety. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Kelly, Erron (30 May 2023). "The Simulation by Fable makes everyone Robert Ford". VentureBeat. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ a b Coldewey, Devin (18 July 2023). "Maybe showing off an AI-generated fake TV episode during a writers' strike is a bad idea". TechCrunch. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Kemper, Jonathan (22 July 2023). "AI-generated South Park episode may be a hoax". THE DECODER. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ a b Takahashi, Dean (18 July 2023). "Fable unveils Showrunner AI to create South Park-like TV shows with you as the star". VentureBeat.
- ^ Hardawar, Devindra (18 July 2023). "AI put me in a 'South Park' episode". Engadget. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Fried, Ina (20 July 2023). "AI grabs "South Park" director's chair". Axios. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Farah, Hibaq; reporter, Hibaq Farah UK technology (20 July 2023). "AI tool creates South Park episodes with user in starring role". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ Brunner, Raven (20 July 2023). "Unauthorized AI-Generated 'South Park' Episode Leaves WGA and SAG Strikers Enraged: "Straight To Hell" | Decider". Decider. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ a b Cho, Winston (30 May 2024). "Hollywood Nightmare? New Streaming Service Lets Viewers Create Their Own Shows Using AI". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ Heritage, Stuart (31 May 2024). "A new AI service allows viewers to create TV shows. Are we doomed?". The Guardian.