« Toujours », our vertical series.
« Toujours » is the vertical fiction series produced by Ryze AI Studios. An episode of 60 to 90 seconds comes out every Friday on Instagram @nielsryze, starting Friday 20 November 2026. At the end of each episode, the audience chooses what happens next by commenting on one of two words. The series is also a public case study: it uses the method the studio applies to branded series.
What is « Toujours » about?
« She is in Lausanne. He is in Montreux. A code born in Bali three years ago. And the audience decides what happens next. »
That is all the studio is saying before the release. No summary, no episode list, no reveal: part of what happens next depends on the votes, and the pleasure of a series lies in what you don't know yet.
When and where can you watch the series?
| Genre | Interactive romantic fiction. |
|---|---|
| Format | Vertical series, designed for the phone. |
| Episode length | 60 to 90 seconds. |
| Pace | One episode every Friday. |
| Episode 1 | Friday 20 November 2026. |
| Where | Instagram, on the account @nielsryze. |
| Language | French. |
How does the audience choose what happens next?
- You watch. A vertical episode of 60 to 90 seconds, every Friday.
- You vote. Two words appear at the end of the episode. You comment on one of them.
- The studio produces what comes next. Only the winning branch becomes the next episode.
The branches are prepared in advance. The vote changes the path, not the direction of the season. That is what makes it possible to keep both a consistent story and a weekly release.
Who is real, and who is AI-generated?
- Katia Ryze is an AI-generated character. She is not a real person. She has her own website, katiaryze.com.
- Niels Ryze is a real person. On screen, he is played by his AI double.
- The story is fiction. The images and videos are generated with AI.
The studio says so clearly, as it advises its clients to. Why it matters, and what the platforms require: see the rights and disclosures guide.
How do you produce an AI series like « Toujours »?
With the same method as for a brand. It relies on six approval gates: nothing moves to the next stage without being approved.
- The bible. The world, the tone, the rules and the characters. It fixes what never changes.
- The script. Each episode is written with its hook, its turning point and the possible branches of the vote.
- The storyboard. The shot-by-shot breakdown. The visual identity is fixed before anything is rendered.
- The voice. Each character has their own voice, the same from one episode to the next.
- The animation. Shots are animated from approved reference images. Any shot where a face drifts is discarded.
- Editing. Pacing, sound, subtitles and labels, then publishing.
The studio picks the AI model suited to each shot. Humans write, review and sort at every stage.
What can a brand learn from the format of « Toujours »?
Four design choices, visible without revealing anything about the story:
- A pitch in four sentences. Two places, a mystery, a promise to the audience. A branded series needs the same simple way in.
- A fixed appointment. Friday, every week. The audience knows when to come back.
- A vote that stays under control. Two words, one comment, branches written in advance. The brand stays in control of what can happen.
- Clear labels from the start. Who is an AI-generated character, who is a real person, what is fiction.
These choices are made in the bible, before the first episode. That is why the studio always starts there.
Why does a studio produce its own series?
To show rather than promise. A brand that is unsure can follow a season in real conditions: is the schedule kept, do the characters stay the same, how does the audience react to the votes. The series is fiction, the method is real: the studio shows how it makes « Toujours », shot by shot, on @nielsryze.
At the studio, every branded series follows exactly the same path. Only the story, the characters and the place of the brand change. The studio's other productions are in the showreel.
Frequently asked questions
When does the first episode of « Toujours » come out?
Friday 20 November 2026, on Instagram @nielsryze. A new episode then comes out every Friday.
How do you vote on what happens next?
At the end of each episode, two words appear. Comment one of them under the post. The branch that wins becomes the next episode.
Do the votes really change the story?
Yes. Only the winning branch is released. The branches are prepared in advance, which keeps the season consistent and allows a new episode every week.
Is Katia Ryze a real person?
No. Katia Ryze is an AI-generated character. Niels Ryze, on the other hand, is a real person, played on screen by his AI double. The story is fiction.
How long is an episode?
60 to 90 seconds, in vertical format.
Can a series like this be produced for a brand?
Yes. That is the studio's branded series offer: bible, recurring characters, episodes, optional votes. It is quote-based.
Read next
Sources
- Presentation of the series « Toujours », format, voting mechanism and method of Ryze AI Studios, accessed on 30 October 2026.
- Instagram account where the series is released: instagram.com/nielsryze.
- Website of the character Katia Ryze: katiaryze.com.
Last updated: 30 October 2026