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Framestore promotes Theo Jones to creative director of AI and launches Futon platform
Framestore has promoted Theo Jones to creative director, AI, to lead rollout of Futon, its new platform for building AI workflows in film and VFX production. The system tracks model provenance so clients know exactly what went into their content.
Framestore Appoints Theo Jones as Creative Director, AI
Framestore has promoted Theo Jones to creative director, AI, a newly created role focused on rolling out Futon, a platform that integrates machine learning and generative AI into visual effects production for film, advertising and immersive work.
Jones will oversee how the studio applies these technologies across its global operations. His background spans visual effects supervision on films including Disney's Christopher Robin, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Paddington 2. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on Christopher Robin.
Beyond traditional VFX, Jones has led R&D projects on deepfake technology and digital humans, and oversaw FUSE, an experimental pipeline built around Unreal Engine that produced the short film FLITE. He also directed the world's first group VR experience, Field Trip to Mars, which won a Cannes Lion.
What Futon Does
Futon is a dedicated platform designed to let expert users build complex AI workflows, then package them into tools that non-expert artists can use. The system aims to help teams across Framestore's studios upskill without requiring deep technical knowledge.
A core feature is model provenance - complete tracking of where AI models come from and how they're used. This addresses a practical concern: clients need to know exactly what went into creating their content.
Jones said the platform gives artists "granular control necessary to respond to client feedback" while maintaining "rigorous data security, comprehensive model provenance and strict usage controls."
Why This Matters for Creatives
Machine learning has been embedded in VFX workflows for over a decade. What's changing is how generative AI gets integrated - not as a replacement for artists, but as a tool they can direct with precision.
Mel Sullivan, Framestore's CEO, said the studio has "never chased technology for its own sake." Instead, the company looks for tools that solve actual problems for artists and meet client expectations around control and ethics.
For creative professionals, this signals a shift: AI tools in high-end production are moving toward systems that require expertise to operate, not systems that work in isolation.
Learn more about generative art applications and explore AI design courses for creative professionals.