The Future Is Untold: Darren O’Kelly on Creativity, Culture, and Cloud-Native Storytelling

In this episode of Technically Creative , Orlando Wood sits down with Darren O’Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Untold Studios, to explore how one of the most forward-thinking creative companies in the world is reshaping the future of entertainment, VFX, and storytelling. After 15 years leading The Mill, Darren left to build something radically different—a studio built entirely in the cloud, powered by artistry, and born out of independence. From creature design in Mission Impossible and The Crown to developing music shows with Billie Eilish and Imagine Dragons , Untold has quickly become a creative force across film, television, advertising, and music. Darren shares the story behind Untold’s creation, how the fall of Technicolor reshaped the industry, and what it took to onboard 550 VFX shots from Alien Earth within 10 days—all thanks to their cloud-native infrastructure. He also dives into how Untold uses AI not as a replacement for creativity, but as a tool for precision control —from de-aging models to relighting live-action scenes without breaking cinematic integrity. But at its core, this episode is about something deeper: Why human connection, story, and emotion will always outlast any technology. Orlando and Darren explore: How Untold became the world’s first fully cloud-native studio What the fall of Technicolor revealed about legacy models in VFX The role of adversity and adaptability in building new creative cultures Why “precision control” is non-negotiable for high-end storytelling Untold’s approach to AI—solving real problems, not hype-driven ones The power of blending music, production, and technology under one creative roof Why art and commerce aren’t enemies—and why culture is Untold’s secret weapon.