Funding to Enhance AI Filmmaking Tools
Flick, an AI-native filmmaking platform co-founded by award-winning filmmaker Zoey Zhang and Instagram Stories founding engineer Ray Wang, secured $6 million in a seed round. The announcement was made on May 14th. The funding comes from True Ventures, GV (Google Ventures), Y Combinator, and several other investors, including Lightspeed and Formosa Capital.
Based in San Francisco, Flick is set to transform film creation using AI. Filmmakers receive cinematic control through advanced creative tools. The investment aims to accelerate product development and expand Flick’s creative community.
Flick believes in enhancing filmmaking rather than replacing traditional methods. It provides a creative workflow for storytelling and artistic direction. This approach distinguishes Flick from typical one-click video generators.
Flick Filmmaker Residency Launched
Flick has launched the Flick Filmmaker Residency, showcasing over ten short AI-native films at events like the Cinequest Film Festival, MIT, and the Omni AI film festival. Co-founder Zhang leads the program, offering filmmakers access to resources and mentorship.
Zhang’s journey into AI filmmaking began in 2022, quickly leading to accolades at over 30 international film festivals. While collaborating with Wang, they discovered limitations in existing AI tools. This inspired them to create Flick.
Before founding Flick, Wang played a crucial role in developing Instagram Stories in 2016. The platform scaled to over 400 million daily active users. His technical prowess complements Zhang’s creative vision, forming a unique partnership.
The Flick platform aims to empower creators by allowing them to maintain their authentic voice even as AI scales. Zhang stated, “We’re building a bridge so filmmakers won’t think about ‘prompting models’ at all. They’ll just direct, compose, and feel, and the tools will disappear into their creative flow.”
Mike Montano of True Ventures praised the founders’ combination of technical expertise and creative insight. He said, “They’re empowering a new generation of filmmakers to focus on storytelling and artistic expression.”
Sangeen Zeb from GV expressed confidence in Flick’s potential. He predicted that future filmmaking icons might start on platforms like Flick, designed for serious filmmakers leveraging AI as a creative tool.
