Google Ventures into Film Production to Reshape Tech Perception

Google Is Getting Into the Movie Business to Produce Pro-Tech Propaganda

Big tech has an image problem. It's going to the people who make the images for help. Big tech has a big public opinion problem. Years of political controversy and privacy invasions have left people feeling hostile toward the industry, no matter what side of the aisle they fall on. Maybe a little boost from Tinseltown would help? That seems to be what Google's thinking as it has struck up a multi-year partnership with Range Media Partners (producers of “Longlegs†and “A Complete Unknownâ€) on a new film and TV production venture called 100 Zeros. The initiative is tasked with finding scripted and unscripted projects for Google to help fund or produce. Business Insider reports that Google’s ultimate aim is to encourage creatives to adopt its new technologies, like its Immersive View feature, which lets users see things in 3D in Maps; spatial tools that blend the real and virtual worlds; and AI. More significantly, the company is also hoping to promote positive opinions of its products, especially among young people, by creating its own pieces of entertainment and popular culture. To this end, 100 Zeros quietly contributed some marketing dollars to Neon’s “Cuckoo,†an indie horror film starring Hunter Schaefer, last year. 100 Zeros’s logo was featured on-screen during the movie's opening credits, but Google sought no publicity for the spend. In April, Google announced another project with Range: â€~AI on Film,’ a program to commission short films that explore the relationship between humanity and AI. The companies committed to spending the next 18 months developing, financing, and producing these shorts, with the ultimate goal of greenlighting two into feature-length adaptations. At the time, Mira Lane, then the Sr. Director of Technology and Society at Google, explained the venture to Variety, saying, “...as AI moves out of the realm of science fiction and into our everyday lives, narrative films present an opportunity to explore and showcase the ways we want to coexist with this technology.†According to LinkedIn, Lane has since been promoted to VP of technology and society at Google, and her work is focused on the way the company can “combat a deluge of dystopian narratives†brought on by the development of intelligence. Talent firm and production company Range Media was founded in 2022 by Peter Micelli and Jack Whigham, two veterans of powerhouse agency CAA. Range’s roster of clients includes director Michael Bay, actor Bradley Cooper, and athlete and content creator Ilona Maher. Notably, CAA filed suit against Range Media in 2024, accusing the company of stealing confidential information from CAA via its assistants and other employees it was in the process of poaching. (This is a movie I would watch!) It also alleges that Range Media skirts California law and Writers Guild of America requirements by acting as a talent agency, but calling itself a management company. In doing so, CAA claims that the company can profit from transactions not available to “law-abiding talent agencies.†In January, Range Media won a pause in litigation.

Google formed a film production company to prove it's as cool as Apple

5 ways to know your Google account password has been compromised Summary Google has inked a partnership with Range Media to promote its products and technology via movies and TV series. One goal is to improve the perception of Android devices and new technology among younger audiences. The initiative is linked to a product placement deal with United Talent Agency, and a recently announced "AI on Screen" short film venture with Range Media. Android users have faced discrimination for years. Apple's emergence as a lifestyle brand and stable of competent, user-friendly hardware have relegated users of Samsung Galaxies and Google Pixels to mere second-class citizens, with derisive nicknames like "green bubble" rearing their heads every so often. Simply put, Apple is considered a cool luxury brand, and Android phones are often deemed uncool, utilitarian electronics. To change that, Google is stealing yet another idea from Apple. It recently offered details on a new-ish partnership with talent management firm Range Media Partners to form 100 Zeros, a new production company that seems much like an incredibly ambitious marketing wing. But it's aiming for far more than just product placement; Google wants to remind everybody that Android phones can be cool, too (Source: Business Insider). Related Circle to Search could've been the Shazam we needed for movies Google, name that movie Posts Putting technology at the forefront From the silver screen to your pocket Don't get your hopes up -- or worry, whichever the case may be -- over an upcoming "Android: The Movie" feature film. Their partner in Range Media produced 2024's "A Complete Unknown", a Bob Dylan biopic, and "Longlegs," an occult horror film, and has worked with a vast group of actors, writers, and directors, including the esteemed Halle Berry. The initiative actually began last year. The title card for indie horror flick "Cuckoo" opened with, "Neon presents in association with 100 Zeros," and Google's film production dreams were off to the races. Roughly a year after contributing to the small-budget thriller, Google decided to open up a little, and Business Insider was able to share some motivations behind the movie and TV production project. "Through our continued partnership with Range, we aim to collaborate with the Hollywood creative community in a thoughtful and productive way, upkeeping our ongoing commitment to responsibly support creative expression and explore the possibilities of technology through storytelling," -- A Google representative Most broadly, Google hopes to normalize the sleek forms and impressive functionality that today's top mobile technology boasts. That doesn't necessarily mean peppering the props and scenery with Google Pixels and Nest Audio speakers. The project aims to "promote a positive view" of Google products and new technology as a whole, and prop up Android devices as part of pop culture, similar to the venerated position iPhones hold. Google also plans to use 100 Zeros to introduce creative professionals to its most advanced offerings in the realms of 3D imagery and augmented reality. Related 7 best Google TV apps for streaming movies and shows for free Free cinema and zero-dollar TV! Posts According to Business Insider, "how [100 Zeroes] impacts popular sentiment around the company's products and services" will mark success or failure for the initiative. Word also surfaced of a recent Google deal with United Talent Agency, a top international entertainment management company. That one's more focused on promoting the Pixel phones like it did recently in "The White Lotus" TV Series and "Wicked" movie. The newly unveiled film production partnership comes after Google and Range Media announced a series of "AI on Screen" short films designed to explore narratives surrounding the ever-widening perspectives of consumers on artificial intelligence.

Google launches a movie production initiative for an anti-'Black Mirror' take on tech

Last month, the new season of the dystopian sci-fi series Black Mirror was released on Netflix to critical acclaim. However, while most viewers enjoyed Season 7, a few social media posts went viral wondering what a show with an optimistic view on tech would look like. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Well, we just might soon find out. Google has recently launched a new movie and TV show initiative called "100 Zeroes," according to a report from Business Insider. Google is partnering with Range Media Partners, the production company behind films such as A Complete Unknown and Longlegs for the initiative. According to the report, one of Google's goals is promoting its own products. For example, a movie produced by 100 Zeroes could see its characters using an Android device instead of an iPhone. However, product placement isn't actually the main goal of the initiative. Google is more interested in promoting an overall positive view of technology, especially to young people. The 100 Zeroes initiative actually started last year with quiet contributions to the marketing budget for the Neon horror film Cuckoo. The 100 Zeroes's logo was displayed in the opening credits based on its funding, but Google didn't play a role in the actual content of the movie. But, according to Business Insider, the film represents the type of projects Google wants to create: Movies and TV shows from respected indie studios that target Gen Z. In addition, the projects that Google's 100 Zeroes will back could get picked up and distributed by major film studios and streamers like Netflix. Google isn't looking to bring YouTube into the fold for this initiative, but rather mainstream TV and movie platforms. In a post on X, Google clarified that 100 Zeroes is not a movie or TV studio. "This is not a new studio, it's an initiative driven by our Platforms & Devices team which includes Android. We're working with Range to assist the creative community in integrating cutting-edge technologies and platforms, like XR and AI, into their filmmaking." So far, many creative professionals and artists have been extremely skeptical to any adoption of AI technology into the arts. With 100 Zeroes, Google will be able to promote its tools, such as its AI products, to the creatives who make movies and TV shows. One such 100 Zeroes project to promote the use of AI has already been launched by the company. Last month, Google and Range announced its "AI On Screen" partnership, which will fund short films about AI and then greenlight a select few for full-length features. So, those social media users who had hoped for a "tech positive" Black Mirror may soon get their wish.

Google is getting into the film-making business to promote a more positive view of tech - SiliconANGLE

Google is getting into the film-making business to promote a more positive view of tech Google LLC is teaming up with a talent management company called Range Media Partners on a new film and TV project that aims to improve the public perception of its technology. According to a report in Business Insider, the two partners are working on an initiative called "100 Zeros" to identify scripted and unscripted projects that they might be willing to help fund and produce. It's essentially a propaganda effort, with the ultimate aim being to create movies and TV shows that will encourage people to use its technologies, including things like its Immersive Views offering, which provides a 3D worldview in Google Maps, and other extended reality tools. Google later told TechCrunch in a statement that 100 Zeros is being led by its Platform & Devices team to "assist the creative community in integrating cutting-edge technologies and platforms into their filmmaking." By leveraging the cultural clout of Hollywood, Google also hopes that it might be able to get more people interested in its artificial intelligence offerings, such as its Gemini models. More broadly, the company is trying to promote a more positive opinion of its technologies, which are sometimes criticized for being monopolistic and dystopian. The 100 Zeroes initiative isn't a new project. It has already contributed to the creation of an indie horror movie released last year, called "Cuckoo". Google didn't seek any publicity through that production, with 100 Zeros' name only popping up on the credits. Back in April, Google also announced that it's working on a second project with Range Media called "AI on Film". That project is looking to commission a number of short films that explore the relationship between AI and humanity, and will see the companies work together to develop, finance and produce them. Ultimately, the project wants to produce two feature-length adaptations based on the shorts, Google said in a blog post. In an interview with Variety, Google Senior Director of Technology and Society Mira Lane said the short movies intend to promote a positive view of AI. "Narrative films present an opportunity to explore and showcase the ways we want to coexist with this technology," she explained. According to her LinkedIn profile, Lane has now been promoted to Vice President of Technology and Society at Google, and is focused on helping it to "combat a deluge of dystopian narratives" around AI. Google's partner Range Media was founded in 2022, and is known for its work on films including "A Complete Unknown" and "Longlegs". Its roster of clients includes the actor Bradley Cooper, the director Michael Bay and the athlete and content creator Illona Maher. Business Insider stressed that Google is not looking to bring any of 100 Zeros' productions to YouTube, but instead try to get them distributed on platforms such as Netflix. The company had ventured into original programming with its first YouTube Originals being released in 2016, but has since shut down that project and returned to its original focus on user-generated content.