Moonvalley has announced the release of Marey, a fully licensed AI video model tailored for professional filmmaking, offering precise control over creative elements and complex VFX.

Marey addresses common industry concerns by allowing users to adjust camera angles, character movements, and backgrounds even after initial creation, enabling filmmakers to refine their vision.

Initially launched in beta in March, Marey is now available through a credits-based subscription model, where users can generate short clips up to five seconds for a fee, aligning with industry standards.

The company is staffed by talent from DeepMind, Meta, Google, Disney, and other leading entertainment organizations, emphasizing a commitment to respecting artists' rights in AI development.

Moonvalley's subsidiary, Asteria, acquired earlier this year with backing from General Catalyst, has contributed to projects like the HBO documentary 'Menudo: Forever Young,' highlighting the company's growth and industry support.

Founded by former Google DeepMind researchers and headquartered in Toronto, Moonvalley employs around 50 people and has raised $70 million in seed funding from Silicon Valley investors.

Despite industry resistance and criticism over AI's impact on jobs and copyright, Moonvalley claims its technology will boost filmmaking activity and reduce costs, making projects like Natasha Lyonne’s 'Uncanny Valley' more feasible.

Industry veteran Ed Ulbrich, known for Titanic and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, joined Moonvalley citing Marey’s 'clean' technology, while the company owns Asteria Film Co. and has ties with actress Natasha Lyonne.

Marey is trained exclusively on licensed data, helping to avoid legal issues related to copyright, and is priced affordably starting at $14.99 for 100 credits.

The model is marketed as 'commercially safe,' built from licensed images and IP, contrasting with other AI firms that train on scraped internet data, which has led to legal disputes.

Moonvalley emphasizes building AI tools with filmmaker input to support, rather than replace, human creativity, aiming to democratize access to high-quality visual effects.

The company licenses content from Vimeo, YouTube filmmakers, and small production companies to address copyright concerns, retaining perpetual rights for users to generate videos.