Hybrid AI VFX creative studio The Next Valley launches

The Next Valley is aimed at brands, film studios, and content creators who are turning to AI for new creative workflows to enhance visual storytelling while reducing the time and cost needed to produce high-end content.

The partnership is led by Nick Price, CEO of nmatic.ai, and Nicolas Cotta, CEO of Alibi Studios.

At the centre of the partnership is veteran VFX executive Mark Benson, Chair of Alibi Studios and former CEO of MPC and President of The Mill.

nmatic.ai works with global brands including Dyson, Warner Brothers, Unilever, Twinings, Investec, AB InBev, and Merck & Co, combining traditional craft with AI tools.  Since launch, the studio says it has produced over a quarter of a million AI-powered images and videos – all built on a hybrid pipeline that merges generative AI with traditional craft.

Alibi Studios describes itself as a global creative production collective specialising in high-end VFX and immersive media.

The creative vision for the partnership will be spearheaded by Nathalie Girard, Executive VFX Supervisor at Alibi Studios, Carl Lyttle, Chief Digital Officer at nmatic.ai, and Chris Catchpole, Chief Creative Officer at nmatic.ai.

Nick Price, Founder and CEO of nmatic.ai, commented: “Hybrid AI integrated with VFX represents one of the largest shifts in content production in a generation. By building it into the workflow from the ground up, The Next Valley can deliver work of the highest visual quality, faster and more cost-effectively, at a time when budgets are squeezed, and craft has felt threatened.”

Nicolas Cotta, Founder and CEO of Alibi Studios, said: “Whilst Alibi will continue to use a traditional approach to VFX, our commitment to The Next Valley will take our collaborations to another level, where we will have a dedicated team that not only uses what AI offers us today, but leverages AI alongside Unreal Engine and other tech platforms to proactively develop new workflows for our clients and partners in the future.”

AI video generation startup Luma and US production outfit Wonder Project recently launched a new production services company, backed by Amazon Web Services, which combines generative AI and traditional filmmaking. Discover more here.