Cheehoo, a startup combining Hollywood expertise and advanced AI, aims to revolutionize animation production by simplifying and reducing its cost. Animation, traditionally a complex and expensive process with steps like storyboarding, rendering, and composition, can now be made faster and more accessible with Cheehoo’s AI-powered tools. Founded by prominent figures, including Rideback co-CEOs Michael LoFaso and Jonathan Eirich, former DreamWorks Animation president Chris deFaria, and ex-Apple AI researchers, Cheehoo is designed to streamline workflows for creators.
Cheehoo integrates AI into the animation process, aiding with tasks like data annotation, file conversion, and format consistency. Its tools enable real-time prototyping and iteration, allowing creators to tweak animations and view updated results instantly. Built to integrate with platforms like Maya and Unreal, the system provides creative control, letting users enable or disable AI features as needed. Additionally, Cheehoo’s in-house AI models assist with character and asset creation, while integrating third-party AI models like OpenAI and Runway for tasks such as motion stylization and scene composition.
The company has secured $10 million in funding led by Greycroft, with contributions from Point72 Ventures and others. Greycroft’s Brentt Baltimore highlighted how Cheehoo enables creators to produce high-quality animations without expensive studio setups, empowering independent filmmakers and small teams. This approach positions Cheehoo as a tool that bridges the gap between big studio capabilities and independent creativity.
While Cheehoo currently focuses on enterprises and professional creators, it plans to expand into consumer-friendly products in the future. This could help the company compete with emerging startups like Accel-backed Cartwheel and Naver-backed Cinamon, which are also working on making animation production more accessible. By merging Hollywood, media, and technological expertise, Cheehoo aims to redefine the animation industry and make it easier for creators to bring their visions to life.
