(Yicai) Sept. 11 -- iQiyi is giving up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world a chance to see their artificial intelligence-driven movie concepts reach the big screen through the AI Storytelling Lab competition that the Chinese video streaming giant launched yesterday.

The lab, which runs from Sept. 10 to Oct. 25, is inviting creators worldwide to submit proposals for films that are at least 15 minutes long and centered on themes such as “Journey to the West,” “Gender, Happiness and Faith” and “Truth.”

The top 30 submissions will take part in a week-long residency during which they will receive mentorship from a panel of experts led by Academy Award-winning cinematographer and director Peter Pau.

Fifteen standout projects will then advance to the “Peter Pau × iQiyi AI Theater” production stage, with iQiyi providing support for production, distribution and marketing, alongside ongoing guidance from Pau.

And the final selection of movies are slated to premiere in the first quarter next year under the “Peter Pau × iQiyi AI Theater” banner. Creators will be eligible for a 30 percent cut of net profits.

“AI is reshaping every facet of content creation at iQiyi, redefining the very way stories are told,” said Chief Content Officer Wang Xiaohui. “In collaboration with Peter, we are launching the AI Storytelling Lab to nurture top talents in AI-driven storytelling, inspire bold and original works, and empower outstanding creators with the best platforms and opportunities to stand out and shape the future of entertainment.”

The project follows iQiyi’s global AI Short Film Creation Competition held in July with tech giants Google and ByteDance, which extended its reach from global talent discovery to supporting professional film production.

Submissions for the AI Storytelling Lab, including film concepts and initial scripts, can be registered via the official website: https://ppai.iqiyi.com/.

Editor: Kim Taylor