Many big tech companies, especially those in the TV equipment business, have embraced original content. Although it had its own free-to-air, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels for a while, is late to that party. Not long after, the company is set to premiere its first special, a romantic short, on TCLtv+ this summer. There is only one small drawback: TCL uses generative artificial intelligence to create original content for its platform, and early signs do not bode well.
The company released its first trailer Next stop Paris, calling it “The first AI-powered love story.” TCL used human writers as well as actors for motion capture and voice performances. Although artists in the US, Canada, UK and Poland worked on the project, it relied more on generative artificial intelligence.
“I’m excited about this opportunity to differentiate us with original programming. AIGC [artificial intelligence generated content] It’s just the beginning for us,” said Chris Regina, TCL’s chief content officer . “It’s a new approach, and it makes sense that we’d start from a tech and hardware company.”
plot of Next stop Paris, for example, sees a young woman going alone to Paris on her honeymoon after her fiancé eloped with someone at the wedding party. She meets a stranger on the train and the pair explore the French capital together.
TCL hopes that original content can help attract viewers to TCLtv+ and build brand identity for the company. Although it’s not entirely fair to judge a movie based on its trailer Next stop Paris the clip makes a terrible first impression for both the project and TCLtv+.
The appearance of the characters varies from a moderately realistic style to the hyperrealism we often see in films like Midjourney, and they display all the emotions of a pair of dead fish. The lip-syncing is almost non-existent and the characters walk very unnaturally.
The trailer feels like the worst kind of fever dream. To say it looks rubbish would be an insult to rubbish. As Regina says “content is king” Next stop Paris he looks poor.
The Hallmark Channel gets a lot of flak for romantic movies and romcoms, but at least there’s seriousness and a high level of care behind the network’s output, which does a lot to fill the gap in its theatrical slate. TCL is also trying to add muscle to this space.
“There’s an audience out there for our service, and we see a gap in the market where theatrical comedies aren’t as big,” Regina said. “They’re a guilty pleasure. You get under the covers and watch it in front of the TV. So it’s the driver.” In addition, TCL plans to make its original content purchasable and have AI-generated “brand ambassadors and influencer characters for advertisers on our shows.”
Thankfully, TCL isn’t just working on AI-generated guff. “We’re looking at creating traditional content. So movies, scripted shows, unscripted content, specials,” says Regina. Next stop Paris TCL chief creative officer Daniel Smith said. “The next thing we’re brewing isn’t AI at all.” That’s good, because whatever happens next, it can’t get any worse than that Next stop Paris.
