A forbidden island, a deadly expedition and a red mist that feeds on buried secrets: Studio Jadu is turning up the horror this Halloween with The Sentinels, a supernatural thriller that puts human creativity at the heart of AI-assisted animation.
The creator-first, AI-powered studio has debuted the series, created by bestselling horror author Ajinkya Bhasme. Its opening instalment, premieres a special Halloween episode, titled Greed, Betrayal, and Death on North Sentinel Island, bringing the first three episodes together as one continuous viewing experience. The Halloween special premiered on 30 October on Studio Jadu’s YouTube channel.
Set during Christmas 2004 in the Andaman Sea, the story follows a group of strangers who embark on an illegal expedition to North Sentinel Island. Their captain, Nishi, lays down two rules: no fires and no interaction with anything on the island. But when a mysterious red mist begins drawing out their buried memories, the trip turns into a fight for survival. A destroyed ferry leaves the group stranded amid a hostile forest, the island’s inhabitants and an ancient force that appears to feed on fear and guilt.
At the centre is Shuki, a photographer haunted by a death in her past. Her camera may reveal what the naked eye cannot, offering a possible way to confront the supernatural threat closing in on the survivors.
Created by Bhasme and directed by Nitin Burli and Sree Lakshmi, with Ruchir Joshi supervising, the series was produced using AI director’s assistant (Aida), Studio Jadu’s production workbench. Nine artists led the storytelling, production design and performances, using AI to support the creative process rather than replace human artistry.
The visual treatment leans into psychological horror. Watercolour-inspired backgrounds create an unstable, surreal setting, while oil-painted fire effects add a sense of natural menace. Strong character outlines set the figures apart from the organic chaos surrounding them, as artists build the atmosphere and tension layer by layer.
“The Sentinels is an important step forward for us at Studio Jadu because it validates that artists can deliver a clear sense of authorship on the creation while using these new age tools,” said Studio Jadu founder and CEO Masoud Loghmani.
“As a horror author, mood and atmosphere are everything,” said creator Bhasme. “Collaborating with Studio Jadu allowed us to bring the visceral dread of my writing into a striking visual medium. Seeing artists use Aida to push creative boundaries without losing that human emotional core was truly thrilling. The project reflects Studio Jadu’s belief that independent artists can develop original entertainment, reach audiences and build sustainable businesses while retaining creative control.”
Ahead of the premiere, Studio Jadu also hosted a live JaduCast featuring directors Burli and Lakshmi in conversation with host Nate Olson, a creative executive with experience at Frederator Networks. The discussion explored the series’ creative decisions and production process.
With nine artists steering the creative vision and AI working behind the scenes, The Sentinels makes its case for a different kind of monster: one that proves technology need not steal the spotlight from the artists.
