Director Natasha Lyonne co-writes and co-stars with Brit Marling, in collaboration with VR pioneer Jaron Lanier, to blend ethical AI with traditional filmmaking techniques.
Asteria has announced its first feature length hybrid film, Uncanny Valley, which will blend traditional storytelling techniques with AI technologies powered by “Marey,” the first clean foundational AI model developed by Moonvalley. The company was just in the news last week with its announcement of the upcoming release of The Odd Birds Show, an animated short film series that uses hand-drawn animation, VR puppeteering, rendered 3D assets, motion tracking, and AI tools.
Uncanny Valley is a collaboration between Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll, Poker Face), making her directorial debut, Brit Marling (The OA, A Murder at the End of the World), VR pioneer Jaron Lanier, and Asteria. Lyonne and Marling will co-star in the film. Additionally, the open world video game component will be co-created by Lyonne, Marling, and virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier.
Set in a parallel present, the film follows Mila, a teenage girl who begins to lose her grip on reality as a globally popular augmented reality video game starts glitching with increasingly dangerous real-world consequences.
“The scope of what’s possible with these new technologies when used ethically and creatively is astounding,” said Lyonne. “Bringing something so bold to life feels radically expansive and exciting. I’m immensely grateful for this opportunity from Asteria and to witness this emerging era from the front lines.”
“Science fiction can be a powerful tool of resistance - imagining what could be instead of what is,” added Marling. “With Asteria’s team, we hope to pioneer ways to use AI that allow filmmakers to tell high-concept stories on budgets that allow for real innovation. Natasha and Jaron are true risk-takers, and collaborating with them has been incredible.”
In addition to Asteria CEO Bryn Mooser, Justin Lacob will also serve as producer for Asteria as well as Zal Batmanglij, Marling, and Lyonne under her Animal Pictures banner.
Source: Asteria
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
