On Monday, Google announced the launch of a new film and television production initiative named “100 Zeros,” marking its entry into the entertainment industry. Range Media Partners, which produced A Complete Unknown and Longlegs, is managing this multi-year project.
The program seeks to identify and fund Google-co-produced tales that promote a positive image of technology and highlight Google’s latest advancements, including artificial intelligence and spatial computing capabilities like Immersive Images.
Unlike previous efforts such as YouTube Originals, which Google discontinued in 2022, “100 Zeros” is designed to create content for traditional film studios and streaming platforms like Netflix rather than YouTube. The project helped market and produce the indie horror flick Cuckoo. Google hopes creatives will use AI video models like Veo 2 and other extended reality capabilities in storytelling.
Range Media’s Hollywood experts and Jonathan Zepp’s Google oversight lead “100 Zeros”. Google has joined other major entertainment businesses, such as Apple, which has succeeded with Apple TV+’s original shows and films.
Apple owns its distribution channel and content, but Google partners with studios and streamers rather than building its own platform.
Google enters film to enhance AI Perception
Google’s venture into film production is also a strategic effort to improve public perception of its technology and compete in the artificial intelligence space, especially against rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The company is leveraging Hollywood’s cultural influence to promote its AI offerings, including the Gemini models, by funding projects that explore the relationship between AI and humanity.
Google’s Vice President of Technology and Society, Mira Lane, explained that narrative films provide an opportunity to showcase coexistence with AI and counter dystopian narratives surrounding technology.
This move comes amid increased production expenses and uncertainty due to 2023 actor and writer strikes and anticipated taxes on offshore film production. By investing in content creation, Google positions itself as a technical leader and cultural impact in cinema and TV.
The first two feature films from Google’s collaboration with Range Media, Sweetwater and LUCID, are expected to be released later this year.
Unlike its prior entertainment efforts, Google’s “100 Zeros” uses traditional distribution methods and cutting-edge filmmaking technologies. This shows Google’s desire to use storytelling to influence how consumers view and use its products.