Chernin’s North Road backs AI start-up led by Fullscreen CEO George Strompolos
Promise founders (L-R) Jamie Byrne, George Strompolos and Dave Clark
Peter Chernin’s international studio The North Road Company and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz have backed a new AI start-up led by Fullscreen CEO and founder George Strompolos, former YouTube director Jamie Byrne and AI filmmaker Dave Clark.
The new LA-based company, Promise Advanced Imagination, said it will produce films and series and “explore new formats in collaboration with leading gen AI artists and storytellers” by using a “reimagined production process” enabled by its proprietary tech.
The company said it is working with “generative AI artists,” Hollywood talent and rights holders to develop a “multi-year line-up” of movies and series.
The undisclosed investment from Chernin represents the second time the US media mogul has backed one of Strompolos’s companies, after previously investing in multi-channel network Fullscreen.
“We believe this is a transformational moment in entertainment and a studio must be built from the ground up – around the artists, the tech and a new workflow – in order to unlock its full potential,” said Strompolos, CEO at Promise.
Clark, who serves as chief creative officer, defined generative AI filmmaking as a “creative process that combines the expertise of skilled artists, hybrid workflows and a collaborative production environment.” Promise president and chief operating officer Byrne said the company’s productions will see it working with writers, directors, actors and visual effects artists.
Chernin, whose North Road has around 80 productions in the works, added: “There is something undeniably exciting about generative AI, and we are bullish on George and Promise’s ability to empower storytellers.
“This team understands that prioritising artists and creatives is the only approach as we begin to apply generative AI into the creative process, and Promise has the most inventive and user-friendly model we have seen.”
