Visual effects (VFX) have emerged as an integral part of filmmaking, with a variety of digital techniques revolutionizing storytelling and creativity in the film industry. However, VFX tools are expensive, meaning independent filmmakers and content creators with smaller budgets often struggle to compete with larger production companies. A new company, Beeble AI, is turning to AI to address this problem.
The South Korea-based VFX startup has developed a virtual lighting solution for filmmakers and visual effects artists, addressing the high costs of creating top-notch Hollywood-level visual effects and leveling the playing field in the film industry, allowing indie filmmakers and content creators to compete with larger production companies.
Beeble AI CEO and co-founder Hoon Kim told TechCrunch that the startup has raised $4.75 million in seed funding led by Basis Set Ventures, with participation from Fika Ventures, at a valuation of $25 million.
Beeble AI was founded in 2022 by five co-founders who had worked in the AI research and machine learning team at Korean game publisher Krafton. The co-founders, who had been involved in AI-driven content production, noticed that there was no AI startup focused on “lighting,” a key element in filmmaking and photography, which led to the birth of Beeble AI.
Beeble's flagship product is SwitchLight Studio, a desktop app that offers relighting and compositing within virtual environments (which Kim notes will be rebranded as Virtual Studio in the third quarter of this year).
“Our initial focus was on virtual lighting, but we've now shifted to developing comprehensive virtual lighting. [production] “We foresee a future where small teams of fewer than 10 artists can create content that rivals major Hollywood studios,” Kim told TechCrunch in an interview.
Virtual production combines virtual and physical settings in filmmaking. You may have seen green screens as backdrops used during filming to allow editors to incorporate VFX in post-production. Kim explained that large LED screens have replaced green screens in high-end virtual productions, but LED walls are still expensive for indie filmmakers.
“Virtual production, powered by Unreal Engine and giant LED walls, creates the illusion of shooting on location without the need to travel, but the technology is costly and complex, so it has only been available to filmmakers with multi-million dollar budgets,” continues Kim.
While traditional virtual production companies use LED walls to bring virtual environments into the real world, Beeble's virtual production platform virtualizes real actors into a virtual world, the company's CEO told TechCrunch. Using just a phone camera, users have access to limitless locations, lighting and camera options within the virtual environment, he added.
Kim noted that Disney+'s “The Mandalorian” is an example of a movie that was shot using virtual production for cinematography and real-time effects, which has become one of the fastest-growing segments in visual effects and cinematography.
Kim said potential users of the company's virtual production platform could be B2C users (content creators and filmmakers) as well as B2B companies like ReelShort, a short-form video streaming app that specializes in serial dramas.
Generative AI companies like OpenAI's Sora and Runway are helping to create videos from text, which could completely disrupt the animation and film industry. But Kim says generative AI models like Sora and Runway often generate random content even for simple tasks, altering the original image or video. Beeble is designed for predictability and ease of operation with its AI capabilities. “To tell a compelling story, you need complete control over every detail of your project, including the environment, characters, camera, and lighting,” Kim continues.
A text-based prompt interface doesn't allow for this, nor the detailed iteration required to perfect the shot. Beeble aims to enable fully controllable video creation powered by AI.
According to the startup, the key to achieving significant cost savings lies in underlying AI models that can adjust lighting, environment and camera movements during post-production.
According to a report presented by the co-founding members at CVPR 2024, the underlying AI model “automatically digitizes 2D footage of an actor's performance into a physically accurate 3D representation.” The reconstructed actor in 3D space has accurate shape and texture, and artists can freely change lighting, environment, and camera angles. Beeble AI claims that this capability significantly reduces budget constraints, allowing creators to focus primarily on storytelling. Users can create cinematic shots in their living rooms using only their iPhone.
Beeble AI said the company started generating revenue in October last year. Its AI photo editing app, SwitchLight mobile app, has been downloaded by about 3 million users so far. The startup also said Caption AI has integrated its SDK to provide advanced relighting capabilities within the app.
The company plans to use the new funding to expand into a virtual production studio platform. The company plans to use the new capital to evolve its underlying AI models, further product development, and hire more staff to expand its current staff of seven employees.
Previous investors include Mashup Ventures and Kakao Ventures.