The consolidation trend amongst high-end vfx shops continues. Just one year after visual effects producers Prime Focus World and Double Negative announced a merger, the UK-headquartered Cinesite has acquired Vancouver, Canada-based Image Engine.
Last Thursday, Cinesite and Imagine Engine announced an alliance that knits together their combined staffs into a worldwide workforce numbering over 525 artists. They’ve got room for about 150 more employees at their London, Vancouver, and Montreal studios, as the “complementary” companies join forces to expand their VFX and animation horizons — and to take further advantage of Canada’s generous tax breaks for the animation/vfx industry.
“We will continue operating in our various geographical locations and our focus will continue on our different core visual effects strengths,” said Cinesite managing director Antony Hunt. “In addition, Cinesite is also leading the charge into feature animation. We’re working on very compelling projects including original IP from our development company, Comic Animations Ltd., and on projects brought to us by the studios.”
