Founder & CEO at Fairground — building the future of TV with AI-generated storytelling. Serial entrepreneur. Surf dad chasing waves & new ideas.

Laguna Beach, CA
Joined August 2011
Welcome @FairgroundNeil to X - my little brother and VP of Studio development at @fairground_tv . Give him a follow…
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Love to see this … the community here is inspirational. Thanks for letting us be a part of it at @fairground_tv
14 days. That’s how long it took one AI film to go from idea to IMAX premiere to greenlit series. On Friday, more than 350 people filled the Ronson Theatre at London’s Science Museum IMAX for the Big Screen Hack London screening. Seeing the work of so many AI filmmakers on an IMAX screen, with a strong community in the audience, is something none of us will forget. Fairground sponsored The Greenlight Award and its first-ever winner was “Not Your Puppet” by Pablo Fernandez Eyre. Pablo receives up to $20,000 in StoryMachine credits to develop it into a series, which will air on Fairground AI TV. Neil Petrie, our VP of Studios, was in the room and loved seeing everyone’s work, as did the partners who joined us, both current ones and, we hope, a few future ones. What stayed with us most was the room itself: filmmakers cheering for each other’s work as loudly as their own. We love being part of a community like this and look forward to more events that bring everyone together. A huge shout out to Big Screen Hack founder Aaron Jones for putting this event together. And congratulations to Pablo and everyone who participated. Doing so took time, energy and courage. #AIFilm #AICinema #GenAI #CreatorEconomy
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Ep 1 of Artist to Artist is scheduled to air on Roku and Amazon as follows, listed in ET: - Today, 10/15 at 11:09PM ET - 10/16 at 10:55 PM ET - 10/17 at 1:57 PM ET & 10:40 PM ET Check out the full interview with @mikejmitch
How does Mike J Mitch of Phantom X create AI series as compelling as The Sage? Since launching Fairground AI TV, we’ve experienced the same challenge facing every AI filmmaker: most audiences don’t yet understand and appreciate how this work is made. To turn the AI-curious into fans who realize the long hours and creativity behind every film we distribute, we’re launching Artist to Artist, a new interview series hosted by @BLVCKLIGHTai and featuring filmmakers defining this genre. Streaming on Fairground AI TV and across our socials, Artist to Artist is built for education, transparency, and honest conversations about where this industry is headed. Here’s a sneak peek of Episode 1, which breaks down why story matters in AI filmmaking through Phantom X’s The Sage and Red Rainbow by Aze Alter. With more episodes on the way, which AI filmmaker should we sit down with next?👇 #aicinema #aifilmmaking #aifilms
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Working on a new series for Fairground AI TV called Artist to Artist where I sit down with some of the top creatives in the field about their work, their process, and all things AI. I was honored to have @mikejmitch as my first guest. It was an awesome chat and incredible way to start out the series! You can check out the full episode on Fairground.tv everywhere it's streaming.
How does Mike J Mitch of Phantom X create AI series as compelling as The Sage? Since launching Fairground AI TV, we’ve experienced the same challenge facing every AI filmmaker: most audiences don’t yet understand and appreciate how this work is made. To turn the AI-curious into fans who realize the long hours and creativity behind every film we distribute, we’re launching Artist to Artist, a new interview series hosted by @BLVCKLIGHTai and featuring filmmakers defining this genre. Streaming on Fairground AI TV and across our socials, Artist to Artist is built for education, transparency, and honest conversations about where this industry is headed. Here’s a sneak peek of Episode 1, which breaks down why story matters in AI filmmaking through Phantom X’s The Sage and Red Rainbow by Aze Alter. With more episodes on the way, which AI filmmaker should we sit down with next?👇 #aicinema #aifilmmaking #aifilms
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
From futuristic sci-fi to claymation, 4 brand-new series just landed on Fairground AI TV this month. Spread across multiple genres, we're excited to spotlight: 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐬 (by Rafa / @PhantomX_ai) Set in 2375, a sentinel faces brutal rebellion and survival challenges when she discovers she possesses genuine human feelings. 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 (by @TrishaCode) A claymation-style comedy following Tonya and Trisha, two friends whose quiet days in an eccentric British town spiral into absurd mishaps. 𝐍𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 (by @MoverzStudios) An animated family adventure, voiced by Nivine and Jason Nash (@jasonnash), with globe-trotting exploits that tumble into silly, heartfelt comedy. 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐬 & 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬: 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝟐 (by @3D_COR ) A cinematic documentary series treating Greek mythology as serious origin history, complete with rich narration and striking visuals. And this is only the beginning, we will be spotlighting new series all month long, leading into an eerie slate of Halloween programming as October wraps up 🎃. Let us know in the comments which series you're most excited to watch. And don't forget, you can stream Fairground AI Creator TV free on Roku (Ch. 300), LG (Ch. 249), Prime Video, and Xumo Play.
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
Over 300 AI filmmakers, industry executives and the AI curious attended AI Creator Day. The inaugural AI Creator Day, organized by @TheWrap and @WhatsTrending, brought our community together in one room and the Fairground team was in attendance. Our Founder & CEO Colin Petrie-Norris (@cpetrien) joined Chris M. Williams (@chrismwil) and David Bianchi (@davidbianchi) on a panel moderated by Sharon Waxman (@sharonwaxman). Meanwhile, our team spent the day with current partners, meeting new AI filmmakers and talking about a big pain point for AI cinema: distribution. If you couldn't attend, here are our 3 takeaways: 1. The AI curious have entered the group chat. A big share of attendees were newer to the industry and they know embracing AI filmmaking is no longer optional. 2. In-person beats social media. Top AI filmmakers and execs were having honest, real conversations that never make it onto social. It gave us a clearer roadmap of where the industry is headed than anything posted online. 3. Our industry is exciting! Everyone in the room is genuinely excited about the future and it reminds us why we love this industry. We're already counting down to AI Creator Day 2027. If you were there, what was your biggest takeaway? #AIFilmmaking #AICinema #CreatorEconomy #aicinema #aifilms
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This means a lot coming from you - lots to figure out still but stoked to have you
One of the most difficult problems to solve in this space right now is distribution. @fairground_tv has been at the forefront of solving that problem for us and many other talented creators. It’s a pleasure to have our work distributed into households alongside the work of talented creators like @plasm0, @kellyeld, and @BLVCKLIGHTai. Thank you, Fairground!
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
One of the most difficult problems to solve in this space right now is distribution. @fairground_tv has been at the forefront of solving that problem for us and many other talented creators. It’s a pleasure to have our work distributed into households alongside the work of talented creators like @plasm0, @kellyeld, and @BLVCKLIGHTai. Thank you, Fairground!
We’re excited to announce that surRIHL SHOWCASE 002–005, created by @papadupapadu + @LoLoLumi88, are now available on @fairground_tv. Now you can experience the surRIHL content you love on larger screens, from the comfort of your home. We greatly appreciate the support of the Fairground team and the work they’ve done to bring creators’ content to new and existing audiences. THE FUTURE IS SURREAL.
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That’s so magic @HendoAi - we’re so pleased to have crossed paths with you and all the other creators pushing the boundaries
Still rebooting from last night One thing I kept hearing: People weren’t surprised that AI films could look good They’d been distracted by the “AI slop” narrative online from how good the filmmaking is becoming Then 10 films we put on a cinema screen told a very different story Different genres. Different filmmakers. Different techniques. Different ways of telling stories When the lights came up, some people needed a minute before they could even tell us what they thought Which made me wonder: If you’re judging the future of AI filmmaking on your phone, maybe the screen is part of the problem Two months ago WVLNGTH was an idea Last night it was real Huge thanks to everyone who trusted us with their work, showed up and supported Wave One, and especially the @fairground_tv team for backing us before we'd proved any of this Give me a couple of days to process the photos, feedback and everything that happened Then we’ll show you Wave One complete 🌊
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
Still rebooting from last night One thing I kept hearing: People weren’t surprised that AI films could look good They’d been distracted by the “AI slop” narrative online from how good the filmmaking is becoming Then 10 films we put on a cinema screen told a very different story Different genres. Different filmmakers. Different techniques. Different ways of telling stories When the lights came up, some people needed a minute before they could even tell us what they thought Which made me wonder: If you’re judging the future of AI filmmaking on your phone, maybe the screen is part of the problem Two months ago WVLNGTH was an idea Last night it was real Huge thanks to everyone who trusted us with their work, showed up and supported Wave One, and especially the @fairground_tv team for backing us before we'd proved any of this Give me a couple of days to process the photos, feedback and everything that happened Then we’ll show you Wave One complete 🌊
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
WVLNGTH has an Official Distribution Partner @fairground_tv the company behind Fairground AI Creator TV, the first-ever 24/7 FAST channel dedicated to AI cinema is joining us for Brighton They've established themselves as the most innovative distributor of AI cinema We're putting this new generation of films on the big screen Fairground is helping take AI cinema further @wvlngthx × FAIRGROUND Official Distribution Partner 🔥
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Look at this lineup. Aze Alter, Diane Laidlaw, Jakob Söe‑Pedersen and me, all on one channel. Proud to stand next to these artists. Thank you Fairground for betting on independent AI filmmakers. The cryptids are coming. 👹📺
Want a sneak peek at the new AI cinema hitting Fairground AI Creator TV? As we start rolling out our next wave of programming, here are four upcoming films and series we can't wait to see on the channel. Red Rainbow: Created by Aze Alter (@AzeAlter), this Phantom X (@PhantomX_ai) original is set in The Capital, a high-tech underground utopia of absolute safety and unity, where perfection harbors its own unsettling quirks. The Last: Created by Diane Laidlaw (@misslaidlaw), The Last examines the unintended consequences of technology and what we risk losing in the pursuit of progress. Thought-provoking, cinematic, and urgent. NOCTARI 3 & 4: Jakob Söe-Pedersen's hit series continues with its next two chapters. In SHADOW REALM and THE NEW ORDER, follow Nino, Scarecrow, Tinman and the Captain as they navigate a mirror reality. the series has great action, characters and a wonderful plot if you're new to NOCTARI. Cryptid Dating Game: Created by BLVCKL!GHT (@BLVCKLIGHTai), according to him it's the only show banned in 14 dimensions and mandatory viewing in 3 hells. Watch if you dare! And that's just the start. Follow along for more sneak peeks, upcoming releases, and creator spotlights. Watch free on Roku (channel 300), LG (channel 249), Prime Video, Xumo Play, and upcoming platforms. #AIFilm #AICinema #AICreators #aifilmmakers #aivideo
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
Fairground is honored to be part of the inaugural AI Creator Day. AI Creators and Filmmakers are producing amazing work, earning them millions of followers and hundreds of millions of views globally on social media. So what comes next? Founder & CEO Colin Petrie-Norris (@cpetrien) will be joining the panel "From AI Tools to Audience Hits: Building What's Next" alongside Chris M. Williams (@chrismwil), the Founder & CEO of @pocketwatchhq. They will be digging into new models for creator-driven entertainment, including how AI-native content is making its way from digital platforms to the biggest screens in the home. This is a timely conversation for us. Fairground has spent the last few months bridging the gap between the incredible, hard work of the AI filmmaking community and real distribution, getting that content in front of FAST channel viewers on major CTV platforms. As our community's work now airs on major platforms in front of new audiences, we're excited for Colin to share what Fairground is doing to lead this charge. We're also looking forward to hearing from some of the other speakers at the event: Jagger Waters (@glamoureptile), Caleb Ward (@calebwward), Verena Puhm (@verenapuhm), Shira Lazar (@shiralazar), among others. A special thank you to @TheWrap and @WhatsTrending) for putting together such an important event for our industry.
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
Fewer than 1 in 20 films submitted to Fairground make it to Amazon Prime, Roku, Xumo and LG. So…what actually makes the cut for Fairground AI TV? Since launch, one question has come up more than any other from the AI filmmaking community: what is Fairground looking to distribute? To answer it, we asked Alexandra Mills, our Head of Production, to explain what makes the cut for Amazon, Roku, and our other platform partners. Here's how the team evaluates content: Story first. "Plot, characters and the world are always top of the list," Alex says. "A tight 5-minute film with a real story beats a beautifully rendered 20-minute film with a weak plot, every day of the week." Length matters, but not how you'd think. Content needs to be 3+ minutes. Longer generally makes distribution easier, but length never wins over quality. Focus on the story and the length that best fits. That's what matters. Original IP Only. Every submission through the Fairground Portal goes through copyright, music licensing and trademark reviews prior to distribution. Collectively, we need to ensure that all work is 100% original and is the very best of AI cinema.  Make sure everything, including your music, is original. Formatting is strict. We distribute only 16:9 right now (no vertical), and we're aiming for PG-13 as the default, though we do have late-night slots that can carry TV-MA and above. Genre shifts with the calendar. We distribute across every major genre, but what we prioritize moves with tentpole moments and what our platform partners need. Right now: horror for Halloween, and animated work for a separate opportunity. And the thing that matters most: did we feel something? "Did the combination of human artistry and generative AI tools produce a story worth telling?" Alex says. "That's the real bar, and it should be every creator's North Star." The decisions don't stop once content airs. Fairground runs dynamic scheduling, constantly watching how content actually performs. Stream starts, watch time, overall session time. Overperforming content earns a better slot. Underperforming content makes way for something new. The lineup is never static, and neither is the bar we use to make decisions. As the technology improves, standards will increase over time. If you are submitting new content for consideration, it may take 3-4 weeks for it to be reviewed for distribution, as submission volume has increased since launch. We appreciate your patience and while it may take us time to review your film, we want to give it the time and consideration it deserves. We don’t want to rush something you put time, money and real work into. We just wrapped our first month and the data has already surprised us. More on what we're learning (including a heat map of our top-performing programming windows) is coming soon. For now: what other questions do you have? Drop your questions below, Alex will be reading and answering in the comments👇
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Colin Petrie-Norris retweeted
I get this question all the time: "If AI video is so good, why aren't AI movies everywhere?" My answer never changes: Because nobody is financing them. Yet. The technology is ready. FOUND YOU: Bad Luck Brian's European Adventures Full workflow and prompts below 👇
🤖 Made with AI
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Last week was the biggest week in @fairground_tv 's history. Being the first FAST channel built entirely around AI filmmakers meant asking for a lot of trust. Trust that this format deserves a real audience, trust from creators to distribute their content, trust from the platforms that carry it, and trust in a team passionate enough to launch something truly unique. In honor of the trust the community has shown us, we wanted to give an overview of our launch so far. Viewership (Very) early data, but encouraging with between 2 and 3 million projected viewers in August. For context: a cold-start channel hitting even 500K would normally be considered a decent start. We're just getting started on distribution, so we take this as a strong signal, not a finish line. Especially with more platforms launching this month. Big Interest What has been amazing is that portal membership is up over 30% since the launch of Fairground AI Creator TV, making this the biggest week for creator signups and submitted content in Fairground's history, onboarding more content in a single day over the weekend than we sourced in the first 9 months of our history. The Support Messages from filmmakers and artists seeing their work live on TV for the first time. People reaching out, wanting in. creators actively involved, and even outside the AI filmmaking world, rooting for our success. Fairground exists to put talented filmmakers in front of audiences who haven't found them yet, and hearing that it's working, even this early, means everything. Startups are full of hard weeks. This was one of the good ones, and it belongs to the creators who made it possible. Thank you for trusting us with your work and for your support!
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Stoked to see the email today and sharing with everyone here! Fairground AI Creator TV is launching this August and is the industry's first FAST channel built exclusively around AI cinema. AI Cinema will stream live, 24/7, directly to audiences already watching FAST channels across 5+ connected TV and streaming platforms. For the first time, the work AI creators have been making will reach entirely new audiences, with primetime shows, dedicated programming blocks and more being placed in front of new viewers. We're launching with over 100 creators and 40 studios already on board, including: - Kelly Boesch (@kellyeld ) - Phantom X (Kavan the Kid (@Kavanthekid , Mike J Mitch @mikejmitch and S.A.V @FilmsBySav ) - Ryan Phillips (Uncanny Harry @Uncanny_Harry ) - BLVCKL!GHT (Yours truly) - Wonder Studios (@WonderStudiosX ) - MASSIVE STUDIOS (@ai_massive ) - Machine Cinema's accelerator program (@MachineCinemaAI ) Along with a long roster of talented creators that can't all be listed here! Their Founder & CEO, Colin Petrie-Norris @cpetrien , put it well: "This is a genuinely groundbreaking moment for this medium." They'll be sharing more information in the coming weeks, including specific shows, platform partners, and how to get involved if you're not already on the list. Stay tuned. Ready to get your film on TV? Want more information? The link: fairground.tv/creator/fast-c…
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Yeah South Africa!
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This is very positive move for AI filmmaking
NIGHTBORNE is the first full test AI film I have made. It was made using Seedance 2.0. I've been experimenting with AI for a couple of years, and it's now at the point where I want to tackle a full feature in this format. This is a 13-minute test start. It was made with real concept artists, and features the faces and voices of 32 real people. Barley Studios will be my new AI studio for creating my own films, the way Oats Studios was for traditional film and VFX. @Barleystudiosai Full film in the reply.
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