Chinese AI-Produced Drama 'Xing Biao' Open-Sources Full Production Pipeline

On September 20, 2026, Xing Biao, a Chinese costume fantasy drama produced with a mix of live-action filming and AI-generated effects, was officially released. The team also open-sourced the complete asset library and production workflow, including shot-by-shot prompt scripts, production breakdowns, and reusable material for derivative works. It marks the first time an AI film project in China has made its full engineering documentation publicly available.

The open-source package is intended to allow creators to modify, remix, and even commercially use the materials within the authorized scope. Unlike typical AI video tutorials that stop at "generate a clip with one sentence," Xing Biao exposes a full real-project pipeline: how prompts were written, how storyboards were broken down, and how live-action footage was integrated with AI visual effects.

Earlier, a Wuhan-based team had also open-sourced the workflow for the AI short film Huo Qubing, cutting production costs from hundreds of thousands of yuan to about 3,000 yuan in computing power. Xing Biao goes further by covering a hybrid live-action plus AI pipeline that more closely resembles actual industry practice.

Observers say open-sourcing such production experience helps shift AI filmmaking from isolated experimentation to shared knowledge, providing a reference for building stable and reusable workflows. It does not mean one-click generation, but it lowers the barrier for creators to learn and build upon existing work.