New Film Studio Uses AI To Animate History

A New Era for Documentary Filmmaking

Documentaries telling stories from the past often face a major hurdle: a lack of usable video. A new company is aiming to solve that problem by bringing history to life in a way never seen before. Filmmaker and creative agency veteran Daniel Clarke has officially launched Unfeatured Films, a studio dedicated to using artificial intelligence to animate archival photos and restore old footage, transforming them into compelling video clips.

The company promises to “restore and resurrect archival footage” with what it calls “cost-effective AI-driven innovation,” opening up new possibilities for stories that were previously limited by their visual archives.

The Vision Behind Unfeatured Films

While the technology is cutting-edge, founder Daniel Clarke emphasizes that the focus remains on powerful human storytelling. “We’re building a studio that creates human-centric, cinematic docs that use AI not for shortcuts but for breakthroughs,” Clarke stated. He explained that this approach allows filmmakers to “tell the past with the vividness of the present” at a scale and cost that makes new projects viable.

Clarke is dedicated to using these new tools to make the impossible possible, effectively allowing his team to “film the past.” However, he also stressed that the company will rely on a “human-led production process,” ensuring that technology serves the narrative without sacrificing the essential craft of filmmaking.

First Project The Schwinn Story

Unfeatured Films is already moving forward with its first documentary, titled “No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company.” The project is slated to hit the festival circuit in early 2026. The unnamed filmmakers behind the documentary bring a wealth of experience, with credits that include the Bill Murray-narrated film “Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk” and the Jason Bateman-narrated doc “The Lego Brickumentary.”

Partnerships and a Glimpse into the Future

The company is actively negotiating with estate and archive owners to secure footage and is also seeking to partner with major networks and streaming platforms. By combining powerful stories with groundbreaking visuals, Unfeatured Films aims to become a key player in the future of documentary production.

To showcase its capabilities, the company released a sizzle reel demonstrating its AI animation techniques. You can see their innovative work in action by viewing the Unfeatured AI Reel on Vimeo.