The publisher HarperCollins is utilizing artificial intelligence to adapt select book series into animated formats. It has formed a partnership with Toonstar, a studio specializing in AI-driven animation, to create these digital productions. The initial effort involves transforming Lisa Greenwald's 'Friendship List' books into a series, accompanied by a related graphic novel.
Toonstar may not be familiar to many, as it gained initial attention for streamlining intricate animation processes through AI but has largely stayed out of the spotlight since. The studio's most notable success comes from its YouTube channel StEvEn and Parker, which boasts 3.38 million subscribers and features episodes that occasionally attract about one million viewers. While it lacks widespread discussion in animation circles, the output has demonstrated its production capabilities.
Toonstar co-founder John Attanasio explained to The New York Times last year that incorporating AI allows the studio to produce complete episodes 80 percent more quickly and 90 percent less expensively compared to standard industry practices. During the interview, the company disclosed employing AI throughout its workflow, such as generating dubbed dialogue for global viewers and contributing to narrative development.
At its launch, Toonstar positioned itself as an animation outfit focused on Web3 and NFTs, though these elements are now scarcely visible in its operations. One of its initial projects, the series Space Junk, has been paused indefinitely for multiple factors, according to a company spokesperson in a statement to Engadget. The representative noted that reviving the idea remains a possibility down the line. The original website domain for the project currently redirects to a site for cryptocurrency-based betting.
In a statement announcing the deal, Attanasio expressed pride in animating the 'Friendship List' as a series. He highlighted the studio's focus on artists to faithfully capture the characters and plots as envisioned by the writer, adding that their Ink & Pixel system supports rapid, scalable creation of superior quality material to reach viewers on their preferred platforms and schedules.
Toonstar has established its ability to generate material for YouTube platforms. Whether it can deliver a compelling full animated production remains to be seen.