Emmy Award-Winning Director, Showrunner Bernie Su to Produce Interactive AI Experience ‘Whispers’ for Pickford AI (EXCLUSIVE)

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Innovative tech firm Pickford AI, known for its engaging AI storytelling platform called Pickford, has teamed up with the esteemed Peabody organization and award-winning director Bernie Su (three-time Primetime Emmy winner, “Artificial,” “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries”) to collaborate on creating an AI experience titled “Whispers.

As I sat down to watch “Whispers”, an AI-powered, interactive thriller, I found myself immersed in a unique cinematic experience. This isn’t just a movie you passively watch; it’s a collaboration where viewers work together, compete, and strategize in real-time. Our goal? To unmask a killer.

In this innovative production, the audience becomes a powerful force. We can whisper our strategies and suggestions into the ears of characters, subtly guiding their behaviors and actions throughout the storyline. It’s like being behind the scenes, shaping the narrative based on our collective input. The suspense is palpable as we work together or vie against each other to reach the climax.

Pickford’s AI-powered storytelling tool crafts unique narratives, ensuring no two stories are repetitive. The decisions made by characters, discoveries unearthed, and plot twists all develop organically based on audience engagement, creating an immersive, evolving narrative experience that provides excitement and uncertainty with each playthrough, a feat previously unattainable, as stated.

“Whispers” will debut alongside a product release from the company in the fall.

Su is the mastermind behind a variety of YouTube series, including adaptations of Jane Austen’s works like “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” and “Emma Approved,” as well as the live interactive sci-fi drama “Artificial” on Twitch, which has earned more awards than any other Twitch Original Series. At present, Su is overseeing the creation of an AI-animated feature film titled “Every Living Creature” for Staircase Studios AI.

Stephen Piron, a co-founder of Pickford AI alongside Cole Clifford, stated that “Bernie is an exceptional storyteller known for creating interactive tales that match our aim to blend innovative technology and groundbreaking storytelling.” He added, “At Pickford AI, we’re dedicated to revolutionizing the way stories are told and felt. Working with Bernie on ‘Whispers’ enables us to explore AI-driven narratives in ways that will astound audiences, breaking new boundaries they haven’t experienced before.

Su mentioned that collaborating with Pickford AI offered a chance to explore the limits of interactive and communal storytelling. “By working together,” he explained, “we’re not simply narrating a tale; we’re designing an engaging environment where the audience plays a crucial role, and their decisions have real impact. This collaboration could raise the bar for future entertainment by making it more immersive and interactive.

On May 18, Piron and Clifford are set to unveil the Pickford technology at Cannes Next, a segment of the Cannes Film Market dedicated to innovation. The audience will have an early look through an interactive event titled “First Date,” which is essentially a crowd-driven AI narrative that adapts, responds, and improvises based on the viewers’ input. During the presentation, the audience will subtly guide the characters (referred to as “daters”) towards what could be the best date of their lives or potentially derail their romantic plans, causing their dreams to crumble, as described by Pickford.

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2025-05-15 08:17