TCL Studios Premieres AI-Powered Romance Film Next Stop Paris

TCL Studios has premiered Next Stop Paris, a groundbreaking AI-powered romance film, exclusively on TCLtv+. Written and directed by Stuart Acher, the 12-minute film debuted on February 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day. It is now available to stream online and will be a featured title on TCL’s new Romance O&O Channel.

A Love Story with AI Innovation

Set against the enchanting backdrop of Paris, Next Stop Paris follows Claire, an overly cautious planner, and Del, a free-spirited dreamer, who cross paths on a train. Their chance meeting leads to a whirlwind day of adventure and self-discovery, forcing them to question whether their connection is fate or something more.

The film represents a major milestone for TCL Studios, blending traditional storytelling with cutting-edge AI technology. Over an eight-month production cycle, the team worked to develop realistic, emotionally expressive characters while integrating advanced AI-generated visuals. The film uses hybrid filmmaking techniques, combining live-action performances with AI-enhanced environments and effects.

A Vision for the Future of Filmmaking

Director Stuart Acher emphasized the balance between AI technology and human emotion:

“We created two people, who fall in love and challenge the world around them, and while you are looking at AI-generated characters — their hair, their bodies, their clothes, and the world—- they are grounded in the real, raw performances of talented actors that we filmed. What makes NSP unprecedented is, we achieve actual scene work; camera coverage, character consistency, precision dolly and steadicam moves all motivated by character. Every shot storyboarded and designed. In other words, we figured out a way around the current limitations of AI to do what we do best as filmmakers."

More than 80 creatives—including directors, writers, VFX experts, and AI engineers—collaborated on the project. Proprietary AI tools, along with platforms like Midjourney, Runway ML, Nuke, and Adobe After Effects, were used to craft Parisian landscapes and lifelike character details.

TCL Studios Expands Original Content

Next Stop Paris is part of TCL Studios’ broader effort to redefine entertainment using AI-driven storytelling. The studio recently launched several films from its Film Machine development pipeline, following the success of its award-winning sci-fi short Message in a Bot.

Haohong Wang, General Manager of TCL Research America, called Next Stop Paris an "extraordinary example of originality and vision inspired and influenced by technology. This beautiful and ambitious film represents the possibilities of talented creatives employing the latest technology to advance storytelling.” He added, “this technology redefines creativity, empowering artists and innovation, and this is just the beginning.”

Chris Regina, Chief Content Officer at TCL, echoed this sentiment:

“TCL Studios was designed to enhance and shape the future of storytelling. “’Next Stop Paris’ is an extraordinary achievement and showcase for innovation and original thinking. We are humbled by the creative heights achieved by this team and the passion that drove our imagination. We are looking forward to working with new cutting-edge partners as we continue to develop in this space.”

What This Means

With Next Stop Paris, TCL Studios is not just experimenting with AI in filmmaking—it’s setting a precedent for hybrid storytelling. As AI tools evolve, expect more studios to explore this blend of human creativity and machine-assisted production. While some may question the role of AI in cinema, TCL’s approach shows that technology can enhance storytelling without replacing the artistry of actors, writers, and directors. This film serves as an early glimpse into the future of AI-assisted filmmaking, where innovation and emotion go hand in hand.

🔹 Next Stop Paris is now streaming on TCLtv+.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.