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New Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Yoki Chin's AI tribute to Pirate Queen
THE cutting edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) movie 'Pirate Queen — Zheng Yi Sao' is a first not only for Malaysia and Singapore, but also the world of cinema. It marks the first major achievement for animation movie director Yoki Chin and Future Studios, his company which aims to advance Malaysian AI, creative technology, and digital innovation in cinema. 'Pirate Queen' is a collaboration between creative technology companies of Malaysia and Singapore, namely Future Studios and Fizz Dragon respectively. Chin said: "The movie is a high-seas historical epic inspired by the real-life story of Zheng Yi Sao — a formidable female pirate who rose from poverty and exploitation to command the Red Flag Fleet, the most powerful pirate fleet in Chinese maritime history. "But what truly distinguished Pirate Queen was her unwavering sense of justice. "She led her fleet not just against rival pirates and imperial threats, but also against foreign invaders." In a particularly powerful act, she commanded the destruction of foreign opium ships, a bold strike against the rising tide of colonial exploitation. Her efforts resulted in one of the most successful reconciliations between pirates and the Qing Dynasty. "Furthermore, she advised the Chinese national hero Lin Zexu in his resistance against British imperialism, embodying a fierce patriotism and devotion to her homeland," said Chin. BRAINSTORMING Chin said that the idea behind the movie emerged during early brainstorming sessions with his core creative team. "We chose this story because it is based on a true story which offered a compelling opportunity to push the boundaries of AI-assisted storytelling — blending emotional depth with technological innovation. "This is our first theatrical release where we used AI throughout the entire production pipeline. "We built a distributed team of over 130 creatives from 13 countries, all working remotely. "That in itself came with a lot of coordination — time zones, communication styles, and making sure everyone was in sync," he said. Beyond that, there were some very specific creative challenges. "Keeping the characters visually consistent across different scenes was tricky, especially when working with evolving AI tools. "Lip-syncing voiceovers to match AI-generated visuals was another learning curve, and choreographing fight sequences in a way that felt dynamic and realistic took a lot of trial and error," said Chin. "It pushed us to adapt quickly, stay flexible, and trust both the process and each other." DIGITAL Chin said that the Malaysian and Singaporean creative teams developed organically through a shared interest in AI and digital storytelling. "While some members had worked together in other contexts, for many of us it was our first collaboration. "Despite that, we quickly found common ground through aligned values and creative goals,." Chin chose to join the project because of his love of new technology and good storytelling. "The project offered a rare chance to explore using AI generated content as the main focus while telling a meaningful story. "I'm passionate about narrative craft, and this was an opportunity to reimagine storytelling through an AI lens — one that fuses human emotion with digital creativity," he said. Chin began building the team in March last year. It was a hybrid of constant experimentation and development. "If we were to make a similar film today, with a finalised script and our current setup, we estimate it would take about three months. "We didn't use traditional voice actors. Instead, characters were brought to life through AI, guided by human direction," he said. The AI director acted much like a conductor — shaping performances, expressions, and tone through careful technical and artistic input. "We learnt the value of agile collaboration across borders and disciplines, the importance of deeply understanding new tools before integrating them into creative workflows, and how to develop an artistic instinct for working with AI," said Chin. "These insights will guide us as we continue to innovate and refine our storytelling processes in future projects." POSSIBILITIES Chin said that AI opens up a lot of exciting possibilities, whether it is speeding up concept design, testing creative ideas quickly, or making parts of the production more efficient. "It also comes with challenges, like making sure we use it responsibly and still keep the heart and emotion of real storytelling." Chin said that he does not see AI as a replacement for traditional filmmaking, but more of a creative partner. "We believe the heart of storytelling comes from human emotion, experience and vision. "We are also planning to share what we have learned by helping more people explore AI-generated content to more professionals and non-professionals who are upskilling their content creation skills. "The idea is to guide creators, whether they are from tech or film backgrounds on how to use AI alongside traditional techniques to bring their ideas to life in new and innovative ways," he said. FINAS Chin also said that the National Film Development Corporation or Finas was very supportive and understood the kind of innovation his team was trying to achieve. "We were also supported by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the National AI Office (NAIO)." Chin added that working with the Singaporean team was a great experience. "They brought strong technical skills and a great sense of storytelling. "Everyone brought something unique to the table, and it all came together beautifully." Chin said that he was already working on new stories and ideas where AI can help make the creative process better. "We are also planning our next film by blending live-action talent with AI-generated backgrounds and even mixing AI backgrounds with animated characters." 'Pirate Queen — Zheng Yi Sao' is slated for a theatrical release in July.
Independent Singapore
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
With ‘Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao,' Malaysia's Future Studios and Singapore's FizzDragon create the first totally AI-generated movie in history
MALAYSIA: Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao, a Chinese-language film by Malaysia's Future Studios and Singapore's FizzDragon, was announced on April 24, as reported by CNA. Photo: YouTube/Pirate Queen Zheng Yi Sao It marks a milestone as the very first full-length movie ever created using artificial intelligence. AI-generated content The film was made entirely with AI-generated content (AIGC) using machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing. People from 12 different nations came together to produce the film, using AI tools for scene generation, screenplay editing, animation, and post-production. True story The true story of Zheng Yi Sao, also known as Ching Shih, who was compelled to become a prostitute after coming from a fishing family, is told in Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao. After her pirate husband, Zheng Yi, passed away, this incredible woman, Zheng Yi Sao, didn't just sit around. The widow then made a decision to step up and take charge of his enormous Red Flag Fleet. Not only did she keep going, she also became one of the most successful female pirates ever. Pros of AI At the official premiere of the film on April 24 at TGV KLCC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Professor Yoki Chin, president of Future Studios and the film's executive producer, said 'Pirate Queen' shows it's possible to make a movie with fully AI-generated visuals. Chin is really excited about this. He said this AI movie is the beginning of something totally new in filmmaking. He thinks AI can help tell all sorts of different stories, be more creative, and share different cultures. In addition, he said future films will keep on improving, whether they use AI for all or just some parts. More ways to be creative Furthermore, Chin said that AI will not replace filmmakers, but AI will be a new tool to allow users to have more ways to be creative and express themselves. He sees this as more than just a film; it's part of a bigger movement, a shared push into the future. 'This 'Pirate Queen' movie has really put Malaysia in the spotlight. It's like the world is watching to see what we can do,' he said. Mixing things up He and his team are also thinking about mixing things up for future projects. Like, maybe getting real actors involved, or even using good old 3D animation, but then using AI to make the backgrounds look extra cool and detailed. Chin made an announcement that after the big premiere, netizens can catch 'Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao' in cinemas around June or July this year. One of the most prosperous pirates in history, Zheng Yi Sao was born Shi Yang in Guangdong, China, in came from a humble background and likely worked in a floating brothel in Canton.
CNA
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Singapore-Malaysia production Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao said to be world's first fully AI-generated movie
Malaysia's Future Studios and Singapore's FizzDragon announced their Chinese-language movie Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao on Apr 24, which they say is the world's first artificial intelligence (AI)-generated feature film. The film's visuals were fully created using AI-generated content (AIGC), powered by technologies like machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing. Produced by local talents and international collaborators from 12 countries, the team also used AI tools for scene generation, script editing, animation and post-production. Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao tells the true story of Zheng Yi Sao, also known as Ching Shih, who came from a fisherman's family and was forced into prostitution. After the death of her husband and pirate chief Zheng Yi, she inherited his Red Flag Fleet and rose to become one of history's most successful female pirates. At the official launch of the film at TGV KLCC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Apr 24, Professor Yoki Chin, president of Future Studios and the movie's executive producer said that the film demonstrates the possibility of a movie with fully AI-generated visuals. 'It's the beginning of a new era for filmmaking where AI becomes a tool for cultural storytelling, innovation and inclusive narratives,' said Chin. 'Our next work, whether using AI only partially, or fully like this one, will only keep getting better.'
Malay Mail
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
World's first fully AI-generated film: Malaysia's Future Studios and Singapore's FizzDragon make history with ‘Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao'
KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 — Malaysian creative tech frontrunner Future Studios unveiled the historical epic Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao yesterday, which is claimed to be the world's first fully artificial intelligence (AI)-generated feature film. Co-produced with Singapore-based FizzDragon, the movie is also said to be the world's first AI-generated Chinese-language film. Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao follows the real-life story of Zheng Yi Sao, also known as Ching Shih, who was born in a fisherman's family and forced into prostitution. She eventually married the pirate chief Zheng Yi and after his death, she assumed control of his Red Flag Fleet and rose to become a formidable female pirate. The visual content of the film was created entirely using AI-generated content (AIGC), employing multiple AI core technologies such as machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing. The production team, comprising local talents and international collaborators from 12 countries, also used AI tools for scene generation, script editing, animation modelling and digital post-processing. Future Studios president and the movie's executive producer Professor Yoki Chin said the film demonstrates that a movie with fully AI-generated visuals is possible. Future Studios president and the movie's executive producer Professor Yoki Chin said the film stands to demonstrate that a movie with fully AI-generated visuals is possible. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa 'This is not just a film — it's a movement. 'It's the beginning of a new era for filmmaking where AI becomes a tool for cultural storytelling, innovation and inclusive narratives,' Yoki said during the official launch of the film at TGV KLCC, here, yesterday. 'Now with the release of Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao, the world has its eyes on Malaysia. 'Our next work, whether using AI only partially, or fully like this one, will only keep getting better. 'We are also interested in trying techniques such as employing real-life talent, or using traditional 3D animation and modelling, but supplemented by AI-enhanced or generated backgrounds. National Film Development Corporation (Finas) chairman Datuk Hans Isaac (4th right) attends the launch of the film at TGV KLCC April 24, 2025. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa 'AI is not here to replace us, but to give us more options for creative expression,' he added. Following its preview, Yoki said Pirate Queen: Zheng Yi Sao is slated for a full theatrical release in June or July this year.
