Looks like there is another merger in the industry, this between Cinesite and Image Engine.
Both studios have been busy with many VFX projects recently. Cinesite, founded in London in 1994, has contributed BAFTA- and Oscar-nominated and -winning visual effects to films including X-Men: Days of Future Past,
Iron Man 3, and the
Harry Potter series. Most recently, the studio has worked on Marvel’s
Ant-Man. Image Engine opened in Vancouver in 1995 and was nominated for the Visual Effects Oscar for
District 9, and gone on to contribute to productions including the box-office smash
Jurassic World,
Elysium, and
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
.
Combined, the facilities presently employ a combined staff of more than 525 artists worldwide, with capacity for 675 at their studios in London, Vancouver, and Montréal.
“Cinesite and Image Engine are totally complementary to each other,” says Antony Hunt, managing director at Cinesite. “We will continue operating in our various geographical locations and our focus will continue on our different core visual effects strengths. In addition, Cinesite is also leading the charge into feature animation. We’re working on very compelling project,s including original IP from our development company, Comic Animations Ltd., and on projects brought to us by the studios. This work can now be shared across all three locations.”
Greg Holmes, Image Engine CEO, adds, “In addition to widening our reach to achieve even greater heights in high-end visual effects, this alliance will present new career development opportunities for all our artists and crews and will deliver benefits and opportunities to all our stakeholders, be they staff, customers, suppliers, financial partners or shareholders.”