AI-driven film production company Magic Engine launches with Debbi Berlin at the helm
Magic Engine, a next-generation film production company built on generative systems and AI-integrated workflows, has officially launched under the leadership of veteran distribution and production executive Debbi Berlin and enters the market with a proven foundation. Its core generative pipeline has already been used to complete four feature-length films in under nine months, one of which is now licensed across multiple FAST platforms.
Magic Engine’s slate includes the holiday feature films The Cheep, Pumpkin Patch, Red Nose 2: Full Metal Ruldoff, all created by Magic Engine’s Chief Creative Technologist Brian James Gage in 2025, with upcoming productions including the feature, The Yellow Knight, set to premiere on Apple TV and ROKU in April, horror genre title The Pines, and the vertical entertainment series Cold Hard Swet, all planned for distribution this year.
“We see AI as a tool to help empower filmmakers,” Berlin explained. “This is a shift from fragmented production to controlled systems. When the pipeline is unified, you don’t just move faster, you make better decisions earlier, and that has a direct impact on both cost and outcome.”
Berlin is among the first female CEOs leading an AI-native film production company, bringing decades of experience in distribution and marketing into a rapidly evolving production landscape.
Designed as both a production company and a pipeline provider, Magic Engine focuses on streamlining filmmaking from development through delivery, integrating pre-visualization, production, and post into a single, controlled system that reduces cost, compresses timelines, and stabilizes workflows.
Pre-visualization translates scripts into cinematic proof early in development which allows filmmakers, financiers, and studios to evaluate, refine, and align projects before significant capital is committed.
“Pre-visualization has traditionally been either too expensive or too limited to meaningfully guide decisions,” Berlin said. What we’re building is a pipeline where development, pre-production, and post are connected from the start. That level of control changes how projects are evaluated, financed, and executed.”
The company’s services include:
- Pre-Visualization & Cinematic Proof of Concept
Translating scripts into production-grade visual sequences early in development—aligning stakeholders, validating creative direction, and reducing financial risk before greenlighting the project. - Feature Film & IP Development
Creating original properties and refining existing IP for market viability using accelerated, pipeline-driven workflows.
- Physical, Generative, and Hybrid Production
Executing projects across traditional production, AI-enhanced workflows, or fully generative pipelines depending on scope and strategy.
- Production Acceleration & Scene Correction
Generating environments, creatures, set extensions, and other production-ready assets in hours or days—built to integrate directly into live-action or hybrid pipelines.
- Localization & International Adaptation
Leveraging advanced generative systems to preserve performance integrity while expanding global reach and revenue potential.
- Generative Systems Integration Consulting
Designing and implementing structured AI pipelines within existing production environments—enabling increased output without destabilizing process.
- Generative VFX & SFX Design
Delivering integrated visual and sound systems tailored for modern production workflows.
Magic Engine was built to address the operational challenges of adopting emerging production technologies at scale—including workflow gaps, integration failures, and pipeline instability. By solving these issues at the system level, the company delivers repeatable, production-ready solutions for both independent creators and established industry partners.
The Magic Engine Team
Debbi Berlin — CEO
Debbi Berlin is an acquisition, marketing, and theatrical distribution executive with extensive experience positioning films for domestic and international markets. Berlin has led theatrical campaigns for Cohen Media Group, the British Film Institute, Alchemy Entertainment, and Tartan Films. She is the driving force behind Magic Engine, assembling its leadership team and defining its strategic direction.
Brian James Gage — Chief Creative Technologist (CCT)
Brian James Gage designs and directs Magic Engine’s generative production architecture, overseeing the technical execution of hybrid and AI-driven projects. An award-winning novelist and founder of K13 Cinematics, he pioneered one of the first fully generative feature film pipelines, completing four feature-length films in under nine months using a unified system now deployed at Magic Engine.
David Bond — Head of International Markets
David Bond is a Canadian film producer and international genre strategist whose career spans more than three decades in global horror cinema. His work has premiered at leading festivals including Tribeca, Sitges, Fantasia, and Torino, with worldwide distribution across major territories.
Jeff Ritchie — Executive Consultant & Studio Liaison
Jeff Ritchie is Head of Creative Development and Production at DMG Entertainment and a seasoned force in both studio and independent filmmaking. An independent physical producer and screenwriter, he has built a career driving projects from concept to screen, with deep expertise in development, financing, and production.