EXCLUSIVE: Flawless, the British-American company that spent $100 million building SAG-AFTRA-endorsed AI dubbing technology used on movies like Fall, has sold its intellectual property.
In an unusual deal that raises questions about Flawless’ future, TBellScout, a startup owned by Dutch tech billionaire Steven Schuurman, has acquired the company’s TrueSync dubbing technology and DeepEditor, an AI post-production tool.
Schuurman, who founded Dutch software company Elastic, confirmed the acquisition to Deadline. He declined to comment further. Flawless’ co-founder Scott Mann declined to comment.
Deadline understands that Flawless’ technology was held by Flawless Holdings Limited, its UK trading company founded in 2020.
Earlier this month, Flawless Holdings Limited filed for administration, which is similar to Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But unlike in the U.S., where directors remain in control of the business, insolvency specialist BTG took over the company’s operations and sold the tech to TBellScout.
Sprk Capital, a UK-based tech lender, appointed BTG as Flawless’ administrator. Sprk Capital holds fixed and floating charges over Flawless, forms of finance repayment security granted to a lender.
The circumstances of the IP sale are unclear at this point, but it follows Amit Kapur becoming Flawless’ co-CEO in March after serving as a board member since 2024. Kapur did not respond to a request for comment.
Mann and co-founder Nick Lynes remain in control of Flawless AI Inc., the U.S. business through which the duo cultivated relationships and deals with Hollywood studios by taking a consent-based approach to AI. Mann and Lynes are said to be exploring a new venture, however.
Flawless raised the $100M through wealthy individuals, rather than venture capital. Its technology platform and filmmaking tools consisted of three main aspects: visual dubbing tool TrueSync, which was named one of Time Magazine’s Best Inventions; DeepEditor, a tool that allows for dialogue and performance changes without costly reshoots, synchronizing actors’ mouths to new lines; and the rights management platform Artistic Rights Treasury.
Flawless’ technology has been used on hundreds of Hollywood productions, though much of its work has been under the radar because studios have declined to disclose their use of artificial intelligence.
Flawless’ tools were used on Swedish sci-fi hit Watch the Skies, making it the first theatrical full-length feature to use immersive AI dubbing. Flawless partnered with XYZ Films to release the English-language version of the film in U.S. theaters.
Other translation projects include Michel Gondry’s The Book of Solutions, Judo thriller Tatami, South Korean title Smugglers, Stéphan Castang’s Vincent Must Die, and Berlin Film Festival opener The Light.
Mann doubles as a filmmaker, directing movies including Fall, the 2022 thriller about two friends who get stuck up a 2,000-foot radio tower in the desert. Fall became a case study for Flawless’ technology, using AI to visually dub swearing out of the movie to secure a PG-13 rating.