nmatic.ai and Alibi Studios launch Hybrid AI VFX venture The Next Valley

Creative production company nmatic.ai has announced a strategic partnership with Alibi Studios to launch The Next Valley, a new Hybrid AI VFX studio combining generative AI workflows with high-end visual effects production.

The venture brings together nmatic.ai’s Hybrid AI production model — integrating live action, CGI, photography and generative AI — with Alibi Studios’ experience in film, advertising and immersive content. The new company will operate as a jointly owned business led by nmatic.ai CEO Nick Price and Alibi Studios CEO Nicolas Cotta.

The partnership arrives as brands, studios and content creators increasingly explore AI-driven workflows to accelerate production timelines, optimise budgets and expand creative possibilities without compromising visual quality.

At the centre of the collaboration is Mark Benson, Chair of Alibi Studios and former CEO of MPC and President of The Mill, both recognised globally for their work in VFX and creative production. Creative leadership for The Next Valley will be overseen by Nathalie Girard, Executive VFX Supervisor at Alibi Studios, alongside Carl Lyttle, Chief Digital Officer at nmatic.ai, and Chris Catchpole, Chief Creative Officer at nmatic.ai.

According to the companies, the studio aims to position AI as a complement to creative craft rather than a replacement for it, developing new production models that blend human-led storytelling with emerging technologies.

Nick Price, Founder and CEO of nmatic.ai, commented: “Hybrid AI integrated with VFX represents one of the largest shifts in content production in a generation. By building it into the workflow from the ground up, The Next Valley can deliver work of the highest visual quality, faster and more cost-effectively, at a time when budgets are squeezed and craft has felt threatened. We believe the model not only solves a real issue in the entertainment and advertising industries today, but also helps forge a new path for how AI can work as an effective part of a craft-led culture in the future.”

While Alibi Studios will continue operating its traditional VFX activities independently, the company says The Next Valley will focus specifically on developing AI-enhanced workflows and new production methodologies using technologies such as Unreal Engine alongside generative AI tools.
 

Nicolas Cotta, Founder and CEO of Alibi Studios, commented: “Whilst Alibi will continue to use a traditional approach to VFX, our commitment to The Next Valley will take our collaborations to another level, where we will have a dedicated team that not only uses what AI offers us today, but leverages AI alongside Unreal Engine and other tech platforms to proactively develop new workflows for our clients and partners in the future.”

The companies say the new venture reflects broader changes taking place across the creative industries, where production studios are increasingly balancing efficiency, scalability and creative control within tighter commercial conditions.

Mark Benson, Chair of Alibi Studios, commented: “I am inspired by the ambition of Nicolas and Nick for The Next Valley, and see enormous potential for this partnership. The critical commitment to creative excellence and craft is at the heart of their collective strategies, and I am excited about the growth plans that the business has identified.”

nmatic.ai is a Hybrid AI creative production studio and technology company focused on combining generative AI with traditional creative disciplines to produce premium visual and audio content across film, advertising, photography, television and digital campaigns.

The company’s production model integrates AI-driven workflows with human-led craft, aiming to improve speed, scalability and cost-efficiency while maintaining high creative standards. Since its launch, nmatic.ai has produced more than 250,000 AI-generated images and videos through a hybrid pipeline combining generative AI, CGI, live action and post-production techniques.

nmatic.ai works with international brands including Dyson, Warner Brothers, Unilever, Twinings, Investec, Bank of Singapore, AB InBev, Merck & Co, Sonova, Bolt and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

The company positions AI as a tool designed to support and amplify creative talent rather than replace it.

Alibi Studios is an international creative production collective specialising in visual effects, immersive media and next-generation content production across film, television, advertising, gaming and experiential projects.

The studio combines traditional storytelling and VFX expertise with emerging technologies including virtual production, real-time engines and AI-enhanced production workflows. Its work spans high-end visual effects, interactive experiences and large-scale immersive installations developed for multiple platforms and audiences.

Operating through a collective studio model connected by a unified production pipeline, Alibi Studios combines creative direction and technical leadership with flexible production capabilities for global clients and partners.
 

Published by Meeting Media Company, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.