Adobe's Firefly Foundry Secures Major Partnerships in Film Industry

Adobe has signed a set of new partnerships with talent agencies, film studios, visual effects firms and directors around its Firefly Foundry generative AI offering for media and entertainment. The company said partners include Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency and William Morris Endeavor. It also named B5 Studios, Promise Advanced Imagination and Cantina Creative, as well as directors David Ayer and Jaume Collet-Serra. Adobe positioned Firefly Foundry as a way for organisations to build brand and franchise-specific generative AI models. Adobe said it offers companies direct access to Adobe engineers. Adobe also described the models as "commercially safe" and "ethically trained". Studios and agencies have faced increasing scrutiny over generative AI, including questions around rights management, provenance and the use of copyrighted material in training datasets. Vendors have responded with product lines that emphasise governance and licensing. Firefly Foundry Adobe said Firefly Foundry tunes Firefly models on proprietary brand or franchise content. The company said it can generate images, video, audio, 3D and vector outputs. Adobe said the models maintain an understanding of a brand's creative universe. Adobe said it expects studios and media organisations to use Firefly Foundry across the production cycle. It highlighted pre-production ideation, on-set use and post-production workflows. It also pointed to the use of AI for short-form social content and for content used in immersive experiences and events. Adobe has a long-standing footprint in film and television production through products including Photoshop, Premiere Pro and After Effects. The company said 85% of films premiering at the Sundance Film Festival were created using Adobe tools. Agency interest Talent agencies have taken a growing role in negotiating how AI tools affect actors, writers and other creative workers, including the use of likeness and voice. Adobe said its approach focuses on protecting rights and intellectual property. "Adobe is a world-class technology company that recognizes the importance of protecting creators' rights and intellectual property, and is committed to building a responsible AI ecosystem. Firefly Foundry empowers artists with commercially safe tools that expand the possibilities of creative expression, and we look forward to bringing these capabilities to our clients," said Bryan Lourd, CEO and Co-Chairman, Creative Artists Agency. Studio workflows Adobe said Promise Advanced Imagination plans to integrate Firefly Foundry into its workflow. The company described a production environment where multiple stakeholders need confidence in how generative AI gets used. "Adobe has been part of the creative process for generations of filmmakers. Integrating Firefly Foundry into our workflow builds on that legacy by giving our artists the freedom to push ideas further, while giving co-production, client, and distribution partners confidence in how generative AI is being used." The company also named B5 Studios among early partners. "Adobe has always valued the creative process, championing artists and the worlds they bring to life," said Sean Bailey, Founder and CEO, B5 Studios. "At B5 Studios, we share that commitment as a next-generation content and technology company, collaborating with creators to develop premium storytelling across film, television, and emerging formats. We're thrilled to bring our creative and technical expertise to Firefly Foundry, advancing innovation that empowers artists and honors Adobe's vision." Adobe said it expects Firefly Foundry to reduce pressure for reshoots in post-production. It said editors and VFX artists can use the tools to pick up shots, correct scenes and polish final frames. Director partnerships Adobe said directors could use Firefly Foundry during the ideation stage and while filming. It described use cases including storyboarding and generating options for shot lists, alongside faster processing of dailies. "Logic Film Group was born from a shared belief that the creative filmmaking process can excel by embracing innovative tools and approaches," said Jaume Collet-Serra, Co-Founder, Logic Film Group and Director of films "Black Adam" and "Jungle Cruise". "Leveraging Firefly Foundry's responsible AI models can support us in finding new, efficient ways to operate throughout production - freeing our mindshare to focus on artistry." Education links Adobe also named Wonder Studios, Parsons School of Design and Whistling Woods Film School as partners for research and education work. The company said the collaborations cover educational resources and curriculum focused on AI in creative fields. "Parsons is proud to partner with Adobe on this exciting educational initiative that will help determine and shape the future of AI technologies and how they are utilized by creatives," said Parsons Executive Dean Anne Gaines. "As a leader in design and technology, Adobe's mission and vision are deeply aligned with Parsons, and we look forward to seeing what our talented students develop with these new tools." Adobe said Firefly Foundry also has customers outside entertainment, including The Home Depot, HUMAIN and Walt Disney Imagineering, and it said 99% of Fortune 100 companies have used AI in an Adobe app. "Our mission is to protect the soul of the work as tools evolve," said Justin Hackney, CCO and Co-Founder, Wonder Studios. "Partnering with Adobe removes the friction between imagination and execution, allowing creators to enter true flow states. This unlocks new visual languages and stronger emotional bridges, driving what has the potential to become the most transformative era in creative history."