Behind “ANCESTRA”: combining Veo with live-action filmmaking

October 25, 2025 | Source: Google DeepMind Blog

Tags: DeepMind, Veo, Generative AI, Filmmaking, Darren Aronofsky, Primordial Soup

Google DeepMind collaborated with Primordial Soup to create 'ANCESTRA,' a short film that merges live-action with AI-generated video using the Veo model. The film premiered at the Tribeca Festival and showcases new capabilities in generative AI for personalized storytelling.

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Google DeepMind has partnered with Primordial Soup to produce 'ANCESTRA,' a short film that premiered at the Tribeca Festival. This film combines live-action footage with video generated by Veo, an AI model developed by Google for video generation. The collaboration involved over 200 individuals, including director Darren Aronofsky and Eliza McNitt, who drew inspiration from personal experiences. New capabilities were introduced in Veo to enhance personalization, motion matching, and the integration of live-action with generative content. The project aims to push the boundaries of storytelling and technology by enabling filmmakers to create complex scenes more easily. 'ANCESTRA' is the first of three films in this partnership, highlighting the potential of generative AI in the film industry.