Full Breakdown
AI-Driven Animated Feature “Critterz” Debuts via amersia’s Woven Platform at Cannes
5/12/2026, 9:37:30 PM
Core Event: AI-Native Production Milestone
amersia unveiled its first technology product, Woven, and used it to create the fully AI-generated animated feature Critterz. The film’s first-look still was revealed at the Cannes market, where Hollywood independent studio AGC Studios will launch global sales.
Background & Context: Formation of amersia and AI in Entertainment
Vertigo Films and its founding partner Federation Studios announced amersia, an AI-native production company designed to embed artificial-intelligence tools into the filmmaking pipeline. Leaders describe AI as “the next inflection point,” echoing historic shifts from sound to CGI. Woven was developed internally as amersia’s production system for Critterz; it is now piloting with select media partners, with a broader roll-out planned soon.
Key Figures & Organizations
James Richardson, CEO of amersia and former co-founder of Vertigo Films, leads the venture alongside co-founder Allan Niblo. Chad Nelson, an OpenAI producer and creative technologist, created Critterz. Director Nik Kleverov heads amersia’s AI-native creative strategy. Vertigo Films, which has produced and distributed over 100 films and premium TV series, partners with Federation Studios (founding partner of amersia) and AGC Studios (handling global sales at Cannes). The Cannes AI for Talent Summit will host amersia’s filmmakers.
Data & Statistics
Vertigo Films’ catalog exceeds 100 films and premium TV series. Woven is piloting with select media partners, with a broader roll-out slated for the next few months. Critterz is amersia’s first feature-length film.
Official Statements & Responses
amersia’s leadership frames AI as a catalyst that expands creative capacity while preserving human judgment. They stress that Woven automates repetitive production tasks, freeing artists to focus on narrative and visual decisions. The company positions Critterz as a proof-of-concept for AI-native storytelling, anticipating a wave of ambitious projects enabled by the platform.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Every major shift in entertainment has come when creatives gained access to new tools – from sound to CGI,” — James Richardson, CEO, amersia
- “AI is the next inflection point. We built amersia from the ground up to give artists the power to create at a scale and level of cinematic ambition that simply wasn’t possible before. Critterz is the first proof of that shift. The most extraordinary films and brand storytelling of the next decade will be born from this technology.” — James Richardson, CEO, amersia
- “Woven is built around human-led creativity.” — Nik Kleverov, Director of Critterz
- “AI should remove friction, not replace judgment. By automating the repetitive parts of production, we give artists more time to focus on the creative decisions that actually matter.” — Nik Kleverov, Director of Critterz
What’s Next: Market and Technology Roll-Out
Filmmakers will speak at the Cannes AI for Talent Summit, AGC Studios will launch global sales of Critterz at Cannes, and amersia plans a broader deployment of Woven with additional media partners in the coming months.
