Where the Robots Grow: The First AI Feature Built Without a Studio

In this episode of Technically Creative, Orlando sits down with filmmaker and technologist Tom Paton, founder of AImation, to explore how AI is already disrupting the entertainment industry — and why the next generation of filmmakers won’t need studios, crews, or even cameras.

From releasing the first feature-length AI film Where the Robots Grow to building a closed-beta streaming platform for gamified video-on-demand (GVOD), Tom lays out a radically efficient future for storytelling. A future where two people can make a full film in six weeks, powered by generative tools and creative instinct.

He also explains why legacy Hollywood is so unprepared for what’s coming: decentralized creators, genre-bending formats, and a new pipeline where production starts after post. The old model? It’s not just outdated — it’s already being replaced.

Orlando and Tom uncover:

• Why AI filmmaking is like Sundance in the Handycam era
• How Where the Robots Grow was built by 9 people in under 90 days
• The new economics of post-first production and studio-less pipelines
• What GVOD means for content distribution after the death of subscription models
• How AImation is positioning as the “AMC Theatres of AI”
• Why the industry’s obsession with “tools” misses the point of agentic collaboration