Deep Fusion appoints AI chief

The nascent indie behind Sky’s Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters has appointed animator Christian Darkin as head of creative AI.  

Deep Fusion has hired Darkin to a newly-created role which will see him lead the development and creation of AI software and visuals for its unscripted projects. 

Darkin is the owner of Anachronistic Animation, creating animations, explainer videos and visual effects for clients including CBeebies and Facebook.

His projects have included the deepfakes for The Format Factory & Anderson Entertainment’s Britbox doc Gerry Anderson: A Life Uncharted. He also sits in the Synthetic Media Research Group at Reading University. 

Deep Fusion was founded last year by managing director Andrew Keats, exec producer and director Benjamin Field and producer and exec producer Jamie Anderson. 

Last month, the indie appointed former Sky and Seven.One Studios International exec Niki Page as its first senior vice-president of commercial.  

It is also in development on a feature documentary Hunt: We Need to Talk About James, offering an unprecedented look at the life of the Formula One legend James Hunt. 

Darkin will report to Field, who said: “Having Christian on board is a game-changer for us. His expertise in AI integration aligns perfectly with our mission to push the boundaries of content creation while maintaining the highest standards; his vision for blending technology with artistry is exactly what the industry needs right now.”