SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

London startup Cascade has launched the open beta of its AI-native production platform for storytelling, aimed at creators, studios, agencies and brands.

Founded by film and virtual production executives whose credits include Avengers: Endgame, No Time To Die, Wicked, Masters of the Air and Pinocchio, the platform is designed to support projects from early development through final delivery in a single production environment.

The software uses what Cascade describes as an agentic AI framework built around filmmaking workflows. It is intended to help users develop ideas, build assets, manage projects and run production processes through natural language interaction, while keeping creative control with human users.

Cascade is entering a crowded market for AI image, video and content generation tools. Its founders, however, are positioning the company around production management and continuity rather than stand-alone generation. A central part of that pitch is an asset-based system designed to help users keep characters, visual style and intellectual property consistent across projects.

The platform can combine AI-generated material, existing creative assets and live-action production in one place. Cascade is targeting a broad range of output, including teasers, trailers, advertising campaigns, episodic series, animation, films and music videos.

Chief executive officer and co-founder Simon Windsor said the business was formed in response to gaps the founders had experienced in film production.

“Too many great stories never make it to screen – and we built Cascade to change that,” Windsor said.

He added: “We didn’t set out to build another AI generation tool. That’s not what the industry needs. What we’ve created is the all-in-one production environment we wished we’d had throughout our careers.

“The creativity has always been there, but what the industry has been missing is a platform that connects everything – one that supercharges high-grade production while respecting the creative process and helping storytellers bring ambitious ideas to life.

“That’s what Cascade is: the production platform modern storytelling has been waiting for. We’re redefining who can make films, how fast they can make them, and at what quality.”

Founding Team

Cascade was co-founded by Windsor, a former co-chief executive officer of Dimension Studio; Junaid Baig, a former lead of DNEG rendering and pipeline; and Darren Hopkins, a technology entrepreneur, former chief financial officer of Dimension Studio and chief executive officer of AI investment firm Mollyroe. The company has also named Dominic Wheatley, co-founder and former chief executive officer of Eidos, as chairman.

The line-up reflects an effort to combine film production, visual effects, gaming and finance experience at a time when media companies are testing how AI fits into established production pipelines. The sector has drawn both investment and scrutiny as creators weigh gains in speed and cost against concerns over authorship, ownership and creative control.

By focusing on workflow, asset management and project continuity, Cascade is seeking to appeal not only to independent creators but also to production teams handling repeatable franchises, branded content and longer-form series work. Its emphasis on maintaining ownership of intellectual property across projects points to one of the central commercial questions in AI-assisted media production.

Open beta access is now available as the startup begins testing the platform with users across film, advertising and content production.

Tess’ Brilliant Bakes started off home delivering postal boxes of baked goods and caters for events before opening a cafe of their sweet streets in Parsons Street in Banbury.

The cafe sold a wide variety of cakes including slices of lemon drizzle and coffee cake as well as baked-to-order cookies. 

In a statement on Facebook, they said: “This is a very hard post to write, and it has taken a lot to come to this decision, but unfortunately Tessie’s Cafe is going to have to close.

“While we have worked extremely hard for the past 3.5 years to keep it going, it has become impossible to make a living. The debts have been creeping up to such an extent that I just can’t continue.

READ MORE: Speed limit to be cut to 40mph on Oxfordshire road

“We are devastated to bring you this news. The cafe has been like a baby to me, a real labour of love and it’s going to be very hard to let it go.

“We are so very grateful for all of the support and love we’ve received over the years. We’re so appreciative of you all. We couldn’t have managed it without you! Hopefully we’ll see you between now and when we go.”

The cafe confirmed it will appear at Banbury Market once the cafe has closed and will be selling cake making and decorating equipment,

At a meeting of the council’s cabinet yesterday, members of the Oxford Business Action Group (OBAG) asked councillors for transparency, consultation, and acknowledgement ahead of the introduction of traffic filters in August.

Cabinet meeting, June 16 (Image: Isabella Harris/NQ)

This follows years of calls for accountability and the publishing of survey results and “consumer spend data” this week, which the council said “reveals how business conditions and performance have changed since the temporary congestion charge was introduced”.

Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “There are many challenges affecting businesses at this time, and data can help us understand what is having an impact.

“While it’s great that nearly 80 per cent of businesses who gave a view on their performance compared to a year ago said they are doing the same or better, it is clear that many are feeling significant pressures due to a number of local and national factors.”

Congestion charge sign (Image: Isabella Harris/NQ)

The data also showed 58 per cent of shopfront businesses have fewer customers since the congestion charge came into force eight months ago, and spend in Oxford’s shopping neighbourhoods has gone down more than in comparable cities.

Restauranteur and OBAG spokesperson, Bernadette Evans, said: “This isn’t happening to just a handful of us but to hundreds of brilliant hard-working shopfront business owners who’ve had the rug pulled from under them.”

The information was collected after businesses lobbied the county council to provide data on how the congestion charge was impacting trade, particularly footfall.

She stated: “We’ve never been asked if we’ve been impacted by the LTNs, the removal of parking or the congestion charge, and we know it’s because you know you won’t like what you hear.”

The charge is temporary and will be replaced by traffic filters after the reopening of the Botley Road.

Fraser Lloyd Jones, who is a part of Oxford Business Action Group and runs Barefoot Bakery, said: “Operating four sites in Oxford City Centre, not once have I been contacted in person, by email, phone or letter to ask my opinion on the consultation phase or the effect it has had on our business since implementation.”

He has a fifth site in Kidlington, where there is free parking and no limits on vehicle movement, which has been growing month on month.

This is not the case for one of his bakeries in Cowley, which may have to close “as footfall in the St Clements area has all but disappeared” amid restrictions, on top of increased business rates.

He described “unprecedented disruption” with works including the long-running Botley Road closure, saying businesses are just trying to “survive”.

Fraser said: “Where is the robust, independently verified evidence that demonstrates these restrictions have delivered a net economic benefit for Oxford?”

Previously, the council has been forced to apologise after congestion charge data collated by an external supplier was found to be faulty.

Geoff Sutton of OBAG and Reconnecting Oxford has analysed walking data and said footfall had reduced on St Clements, having a “severe impact” in “quick waves” with a range of restrictions “removing passing trade”.

He believes predictions for increased active travel with the scheme were “wrong” and people have been catching buses instead, bypassing local businesses.

Bernadette has attended around 20 council meetings speaking for businesses and calling for change, conversation and accountability on the congestion charge, but does not feel heard.

The group “welcomed” new transport boss Mr Epps, agreeing to speak with him after the meeting, but fear there will not be policy change as plans are already approved, with “tweaking around the edges and fiddling while Rome burns”.