Former Film Fest Boss Allison Gardner Joins AI Start-UP My SMASH Media

EXCLUSIVE: AI start-up My SMASH Media has secured additional funding and recruited Allison Gardner, the former Director of the Glasgow Film Festival and a very well-known industry figure in the UK business. The Edinburgh-based company has an AI-powered matchmaking tool for the film business called SMASHCupid, and Gardner coming on board coincides with it receiving an R&D grant from Scottish Enterprise, the government body that supports business in the country.

Gardner who retired from her dual position as Chief Executive of Glasgow Film and Director of the city’s film festival earlier this year, joins My SMASH Media founders, the actor and producer Fiona Gillies, producer Christine Hartland, and digital specialist Mahesh Ramachandra. Gardner takes a development role at the business.

SMASH’s matchmaking tool uses AI analysis alongside human curation to pair up writers, directors and producers with studios, streamers and financiers. It discerns loglines, themes, and the tone of a project, and factors in industry briefs, to identify potential matches. The creators receive feedback on their pitches, and buyers can discover talent and IP.

The company said it has over 8,000 users across 101 countries, with unnamed studios and industry partners trialing its tech.

Gardner said: “SMASH is addressing one of the industry’s biggest challenges by making the discovery and development of projects more efficient and equitable. I am excited to support a platform that empowers creators and places innovation at the heart of storytelling.”

Gillies, whose on-screen credits include UK stalwart shows Coronation Street and Casualty, added: “Allison’s insight into programming and her deep understanding of audiences are invaluable as we scale. She represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking industry collaborator we want to work with.”

Speaking about the R&D funding, Gillies said: “This investment marks a pivotal step for SMASH as we expand our AI capabilities and data systems. Our mission is to make creative discovery more transparent, efficient, and inclusive so that new voices can reach new audiences.”