Authors First, a New York-based production studio, announced Friday it has raised more than $10 million in seed funding to produce screen adaptations where authors retain creative control through AI production tools. Brand Foundry Ventures and the company's founder Robert Hamwee co-led the round, with backing from Bolt Ventures, Andy Mills, Mike Duggal and John Kline.
The venture represents an unusual bet: that technology can solve what has long been a tension in Hollywood between literary creators and the studios that adapt their work. Authors First positions itself as an alternative to traditional development, where writers typically surrender creative control once they sell the rights.
Hamwee, who chairs Italian soccer club Venezia FC and previously spent three decades at New Mountain Capital as Senior Advisor and Vice Chairman of Credit, declined to disclose the company's valuation. Bolt Ventures is the family office of David Blitzer, co-founder of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. Kline serves as President and CEO of Credit at New Mountain Capital.
The studio's first project adapts Conn Iggulden's 2007 historical novel Genghis: Birth of an Empire (published as Wolf of the Plains in the U.K.). Distribution will come through the company's own direct-to-consumer app and streaming platforms via Filmhub, a global sales and distribution outfit.
Production Control, Powered by AI
The studio has built an eight-step production pipeline that takes a book from initial concept through characters, script, style, storyboard, framed shots, rough video and final cut. Authors approve at each stage, according to the company's website. It's a reversal of the usual Hollywood hierarchy.
"The definitive version of any story is in the author's imagination," Hamwee said in the announcement, a claim that might raise eyebrows among directors who have spent careers honing visual storytelling craft.
Final-cut approval in traditional filmmaking is typically reserved for a handful of bankable directors. Authors First argues that AI production tools can lower cost barriers enough to make author-led adaptations economically viable. Whether audiences will embrace the results remains an open question.
Industry Veterans Join the Experiment
The studio has assembled a leadership team with considerable Hollywood credentials. Chief Content Officer Garrett Weaver previously worked at eOne and Universal Pictures. Christopher Lastrapes, leading global marketing, spent years at Warner Bros., Fox and Sony on franchises including Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Dune and DC properties.
John S. Couch, serving as Chief Experience Officer, held design and product roles at Hulu, FOX and CBS. The company also lists among its IP advisors Howie Sanders, a partner at Anonymous Content and former UTA agent, and Harvey Schwartz, who has held creator and IP partnership positions at Bungie, Sony PlayStation, Epic Games and Paramount.
It's a roster that suggests the venture is more than a technology experiment. These are industry insiders who presumably understand what it takes to reach audiences at scale.
First Titles and Distribution Plans
Beyond the Iggulden adaptation, Authors First has announced projects based on Peter F. Hamilton's 2004 science-fiction novel Pandora's Star, plus books by David Ball and R.A. Salvatore. The company has not disclosed release dates or pricing details.
"Without Authors First, bringing 'Genghis: Birth of an Empire' to the screen was impossible," Iggulden said in the announcement, though he did not elaborate on previous attempts to develop the property.
Distribution will flow through two channels: a proprietary app expected to launch in the near term, and partnerships with streaming platforms through Filmhub, which operates on both revenue-share and fixed-fee arrangements. The dual approach suggests some hedging on which distribution model will prove more lucrative.
A Crowded Field, With a Twist
Authors First enters a space where several players already operate. Book to Screen Studios works with established IP but doesn't accept unsolicited submissions. The Story Ink in India represents more than 250 authors and 500 books for screen rights. What distinguishes Authors First is its promise of production control rather than simple rights representation.
Whether that difference matters to audiences—or to authors beyond the initial roster—will likely determine the venture's trajectory. The company's privacy policy lists its legal entity as AuthorsFirst AI Studios Inc.
Editor's note: The company's LinkedIn profile contained a reference to August 2026, which appears to be an error. Current employee count could not be independently verified.
