AiMation Studios uses ElevenLabs to bring characters to life

Tom Paton, founder of AiMation Studios, is pioneering a new era of AI-driven filmmaking. His studio has already produced Where the Robots Grow, one of the first fully AI-animated feature films — and they did it in just 90 days with a team of nine. 

Where the Robots Grow follows the journey of a farming robot named Cru, who discovers a human baby in a distant world and must navigate his newfound purpose under the guidance of an AI companion, POP. It features rich dialogue with lead actor Taylor Clarke-Hill voicing multiple characters, dynamically changed using ElevenLabs Voice AI technology.

Paton says ElevenLabs enables AiMation to generate high-quality AI voices, enhance sound design with AI-generated effects tailored to each scene and to streamline production, cutting traditional voiceover costs and timelines. If he'd made Where the Robots Grow using traditional methods it would have cost millions and taken years to complete.

Since that project, AiMation has refined its pipeline further. If they made the same movie today, it would take just eight weeks with a four-person team. ElevenLabs' AI-driven voice generation significantly reduces post-production labor, cutting down ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) time and making real-time adjustments effortless.

Speed, Efficiency, and Cost Savings

The film industry is known for long production cycles and high costs. AiMation is proving AI can change that. Producing Where the Robots Grow using traditional methods would have cost millions and taken years. Instead, AiMation completed the film for a fraction of the price in a fraction of the time.

AiMation isn’t stopping at animation. They’re using ElevenLabs to power AI-driven reality TV, where Unreal Engine characters engage in unscripted interactions. AI-generated voices drive the narrative, making it possible to create engaging AI-generated reality shows at scale.

ElevenLabs’ sound effects have also become a crucial asset. AiMation uses them for everything from ambient noise to dynamic character dialogue — like a distant voice calling for help — without relying on large sound libraries or manual recordings.

Paton isn’t just rethinking production — he’s rethinking distribution. Instead of following the subscription-based streaming model, AiMation is pioneering a microtransaction-based platform. The idea? Replace traditional theatrical releases with a pay-per-view model optimized for AI-generated films and series.

By controlling both production and distribution, AiMation can scale rapidly while ensuring content meets high quality standards. With Where the Robots Grow serving as a proof of concept, the studio is now developing 25 additional AI-driven films, all powered by ElevenLabs technology.

Looking Ahead

ElevenLabs is more than just a tool for AiMation — it’s the backbone of their creative process, according to Paton. From AI-powered voice acting to next-generation sound design, the studio has built an efficient, scalable production model that wouldn’t be possible without AI.

As Paton puts it, “Every time we tweak our workflow, we go back to ElevenLabs — it’s the one tool that never leaves our pipeline.”

As AI continues to reshape creative industries, AiMation Studios is proving what’s possible. And with ElevenLabs, they’re doing it faster, cheaper, and better than ever before.