Authors First, a book-to-screen studio and distribution platform, has emerged from stealth with more than $10 million in seed funding to develop film and television adaptations of bestselling books.
The round was led by early-stage investor Brand Foundry and Authors First founder Robert Hamwee. Other investors include Bolt Ventures, the family office of David Blitzer, along with Andy Mills, Mike Duggal and John Kline.
Authors First works directly with authors throughout the production process from character design and scripting to storyboarding and virtual cinematography. The company combines human creativity with AI-powered production tools to bring ambitious book adaptations to the screen.
The studio’s first project is “Genghis: Birth of an Empire,” created with bestselling British author Conn Iggulden. Iggulden had creative control and final-cut approval over the adaptation.
For the project, Iggulden worked with more than 30 production artists to shape elements including the story, camera angles, dialogue, music and visual details. Authors First then used AI and other technology to turn the creative direction into a finished cinematic production.
The company says its technology can reduce the need for expensive on-location filming, CGI and traditional green-screen production. This allows the team to create complex scenes, including large-scale battles and tracking shots, with lower production costs.
“Genghis: Birth of an Empire” will soon be available through the Authors First platform and other digital platforms through its distribution relationship with Filmhub.
Authors First is also developing adaptations of Peter F. Hamilton’s “Pandora’s Star” and bestselling books from David Ball and R.A. Salvatore.
The company aims to give authors greater creative control over how their stories are adapted while creating what it describes as a “watch the book” experience for audiences.
Authors First is led by executives with experience across companies including Amazon, Hulu, Paramount, Sony, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and Epic Games. Its leadership team combines entertainment industry experience with emerging technology expertise.
