Cinesite (also known as The Cinesite Group) is an independent, multinational business which provides services to the media and entertainment industries. Its head office in London opened for business in 1994, initially offering services in visual effects for film and television, subsequently expanding to include animation.
 | |
 Cinesite reception glass in Montreal | |
| Industry | Film Visual effects |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Head office: 10 Little Portland Street, London, England, United Kingdom W1W 7JG International offices: 500-250 St-Antoine West, Montreal, Canada H2Y 0A3 500-565 Great Northern Way, Vancouver, Canada V5T 0H8 |
Number of locations | 3 |
Key people | Antony Hunt (Group CEO) |
| Services |
|
| Divisions | Cinesite VFX Cinesite Animation Cinesite Vancouver Image Engine Trixter VFX L'Atelier Animation FX3X (majority stake) Squeeze Studio (majority stake) Assemblage Entertainment (majority stake) The Imaginarium Studios (majority stake) Aniventure (affiliate) |
| Website | https://www.cinesite.com/ |
Divisions of Cinesite and its partner companies Image Engine[1] TRIXTER, L'Atelier Animation, The Imaginarium Studios, Squeeze and Assemblage Entertainment operate in London, Berlin, Munich, Skopje, Belgrade, Montreal, Quebec City, Vancouver, Atlanta and Mumbai with more than 2,500 employees.[2]
History
editFoundation
edit
Cinesite opened its doors in Los Angeles in 1991 to help with the digital restoration of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.[3] The restoration was released in 1993, and Cinesite opened a division in London in 1994. There, it originally operated as a service bureau for Kodak's Cineon digital film system. Both locations subsequently evolved to become full service visual effects facilities. In 2003, Kodak merged the Cinesite Hollywood office into LaserPacific.
In May 2012, Kodak sold Cinesite to a UK-based private investor.[4] Current ownership is a combination of its existing management team supported by private investment.
International growth
editAfter Cinesite became independent from Kodak in 2012, it began a sustained period of international growth.
In January 2014, with the support of Investissement Québec, Cinesite announced its opening of 27,000 sq ft studios in Montréal and a feature animation division at that location.[5] Its initial employment target was reached 18 months early, in August 2015.[6]
In July 2015, Cinesite announced its acquisition of Vancouver-based visual effects facility Image Engine, which has won Emmy awards for its visual effects on The Book of Boba Fett[7] and Game of Thrones and also received an Academy Award nomination for District 9 in 2010.[8]
In March 2017, it acquired Vancouver-based animation studio Nitrogen Studios and in August 2018 the German VFX studio TRIXTER.[9]
In June 2018, Cinesite was placed in the annual Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table, which ranks the UK's highest performing private firms by international growth.[10]
In 2022, the company announced a series of further acquisitions, beginning with L'Atelier Animation in July,[11] Squeeze Studios in early August,[12] Balkan-based visual effects studio FX3X later that month[13] and in November, Assemblage Entertainment in Mumbai.[14] In May 2023, Cinesite would purchase a majority stake in Andy Serkis' motion capture production studio The Imaginarium.[15]
Visual effects
editThe Cinesite group of visual effects companies includes its own brand services, along with partner companies Image Engine, TRIXTER and FX3X.
Notable feature film productions Cinesite has created visual effects for include Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical (2022), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), No Time to Die (2021) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Cinesite has completed work on all eight films in the Harry Potter franchise in addition to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and nine films in the James Bond franchise.
Cinesite's episodic work includes, Moon Knight, The Wheel of Time[16] and Emmy nominated The Man Who Fell to Earth.[17] It won a BAFTA craft award in 2022 for the second season of The Witcher[18] as well as Emmy awards for Generation Kill (2008) and Rome (2006). Emmy nominations include American Gods: Season 1 and Band of Brothers (2002).
Cinesite won a Visual Effects Society award in 2021 for its work on Universal Studios' stage-based stunt show The Bourne Stuntacular.[19] The show also won an award from the TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) which stated, "The high level of technical achievement and the creative application in creating a spectacular, immersive experience makes The Bourne Stuntacular a worthy recipient of this honor."[20]
The studio won a BAFTA in Special, Visual and Graphic Effects for its work on The Witcher S2 at the 2022 British Academy Television Craft Awards.
Feature animation
editOn 8 February 2016, Cinesite announced the launch of a dedicated feature animation division at its Montréal Studios. Since then, it has worked with production partners to complete Charming (2018), Gnome Alone (2018), Trouble (2019), and Fearless (2020) for 3QU Media, The Star (2017) for Sony Pictures Animation, and Extinct (2021) for Huayi Brothers.
In addition to providing production services for other studios, Cinesite produces its own animated features through Aniventure. Cinesite first collaborated with River Productions to produce Riverdance: The Animated Adventure (2021); an animated version of the Irish stage show of the same name, then took over production on the long-gestating feature Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022).[21][22] They recently completed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023) & Hitpig (2024); a loose adaptation of the Berkeley Breathed book Pete & Pickles. Next set to produce the long in-development adaptation of Animal Farm directed by Andy Serkis and Paramount's untitled Smurfs musical (2025).[23][24]
Vancouver-based animation company Nitrogen Studios was rebranded under Cinesite soon after its acquisition by the group in March 2017.[25] Since then, it has worked for MGM on The Addams Family (2019) and its sequel.[26] In 2022, Cinesite acquired the Montreal-based L'Atelier Animation, and later in the year, purchased majority stakes in Squeeze Studio and Assemblage Entertainment.[27][28][29]
Virtual production
editIn May 2023, Cinesite agreed to invest in The Imaginarium Studios, a Performance Capture and Virtual Production company with facilities at Pinewood Studios in the UK and at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Immersive
editIn January 2024, Cinesite announced[30] it was opening an immersive division to create content that will span virtual, physical and mixed realities, location-based entertainment and theme park rides and attractions. The studio also confirmed it had entered a long-term partnership with Frameless Creative, the company behind the UK’s largest and London’s first permanent multi-sensory art experience.
The company also revealed[31] it had animated Forsaken a short film conceived and directed by award-winning filmmaker Roland Lane and supported by Greenpeace and Arts Council England. Forsaken played on Outernet London’s floor to ceiling wrap around screens to highlight the mass extinction of life on Earth.
The studio created stage-based stunt show The Bourne Stuntacular for Universal Studios Orlando. The project won Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project at the Visual Effects Society awards.[32]
Visualisation
editIn February 2024, Cinesite announced[33] it was opening a new division 'Cinesite VIS' to expand its previs, virtual production, techvis and postvis services. The newly created division is currently working on feature film projects as part of an integrated offering, but will also operate as a standalone visualisation vendor.
Credits
editVFX
edit1990s–2000s
edit2010s
edit2020s
editTelevision
edit| Year | Film Title | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Band of Brothers | HBO | Miniseries |
| 2005–2007 | Rome | ||
| 2008 | Generation Kill | Miniseries | |
| 2017–2021 | American Gods | Starz | |
| 2018–2023 | Jack Ryan | Amazon Prime Video | |
| 2018–2021 | Lost in Space | Netflix | |
| 2019–present | The Witcher | ||
| 2020–2022 | Avenue 5 | HBO | |
| 2020–2022 | Locke & Key | Netflix | |
| 2020 | Dark (Season 3) | ||
| 2021–2022 | Fate: The Winx Saga | ||
| 2021 | Tribes of Europa | ||
| 2021 | The North Water | AMC+ | Miniseries |
| 2021–present | Wheel of Time | Amazon Prime Video | |
| 2022–present | Halo | Paramount+ | |
| 2022 | Moon Knight | Disney+ | Miniseries |
| 2022–present | The Last Bus | Netflix | |
| 2022 | The Man Who Fell to Earth | Showtime | Miniseries |
| 2023–present | Hijack | Apple TV+ | |
| 2024 | True Detective: Night Country | HBO |
Animation credits
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Barraclough, Leo (3 July 2015). "Visual Effects Companies Cinesite, Image Engine Merge". Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
- ^ "Cinesite Enters Into a US$235 Million Funding Package to Support Continued Growth". UK Screen Alliance. 20 December 2022. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "About - Cinesite Studios". Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ 2012-05-11T17:36:00+01:00. "Kodak sells Cinesite". Broadcast. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Kelly, Amanda. "Visual effects company Cinesite to open offices in Montreal". Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ Codère, Jean-François (8 February 2016). "Cinesite choisit encore Montréal". La Presse. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
- ^ "Image Engine: Emmy Award Winner for The Book of Boba Fett". DigiBC. 15 September 2022. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ "NVIDIA GPUs Power All 2010 Best Visual Effects Academy Award Nominees". Globe Newswire (Press release). 1 March 2010.
- ^ Clarke, Stewart (9 August 2018). "Cinesite Buying Trixter, Germany's Leading VFX Outfit". Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ "Britain's Mid-market Private Companies With Fastest-Growing International Sales Revealed" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (20 July 2022). "VFX House Cinesite Acquires Montreal's L'Atelier Animation". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2 August 2022). ""Cracké" Animation Studio Squeeze Acquired by "Paws of Fury" Outfit Cinesite". Variety. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Dalton, Ben (31 August 2022). "Cinesite Acquires "Indiana Jones 5" VFX studio FX3X". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (21 November 2022). "VFX Outfit Cinesite Takes Majority Stake in Indian Animation Studio Assemblage". Variety. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Yossman, K. J. (23 May 2023). "Cinesite Takes Majority Stake in Andy Serkis's Mo-Cap Production Outfit The Imaginarium Studios (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "Wheel of Time VFX Breakdown by Cinesite". VFX Express. 27 July 2022. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ "The Man Who Fell to Earth - Awards & Nominations". Emmys.com. 20 January 2023. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Diamond Sarto, Debbie (26 April 2022). "Netflix's The Witcher Takes Home 2022 BAFTA Craft Award". awn.com. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (21 May 2021). "Visual Effects Society Awards: 'The Midnight Sky' Tops Feature Competition". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021.
- ^ "THEA Award For Outstanding Achievement - Live Attraction Spectacular". TEA Awards. 19 November 2020. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021.
- ^ Clarke, Stewart (29 January 2018). "British VFX Company Cinesite Secures $70 Million Finance Package". Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ MacNab, Geoffrey (6 November 2019). "GFM Animation's long-gestating "Blazing Samurai" is back in the saddle". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Giardina, Carolyn (19 April 2022). "Andy Serkis Teams With Cinesite on 'Animal Farm' Adaptation". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 20 November 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
- ^ Frazer, Bryant (7 March 2017). "Cinesite Acquires Sausage Party Animator Nitrogen Studios". Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ McLean, Thomas J. "Cinesite Set to Animate MGM's CG 'The Addams Family'". Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ "Cinesite Acquires Montreal Studio l'Atelier Animation". 20 July 2022. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "Cinesite Takes Majority Stake in 'Cracké' Studio Squeeze". 2 August 2022. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Cinesite Snags Majority Stake in Assemblage Animation Studio". 22 November 2022. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "CINESITE LAUNCHES IMMERSIVE DIVISION AND STRIKES FIRST LOOK PRODUCTION DEAL WITH FRAMELESS CREATIVE". UK Screen Alliance. 8 January 2024.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (8 January 2024). "Cinesite Launches Immersive Division with New Short 'Forsaken,' Frameless Partnership". Animation Magazine.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (6 April 2021). "VES Awards: 'The Midnight Sky', Pixar's 'Soul', 'The Mandalorian' Take Marquee Honors – Full List Of Winners". Deadline.
- ^ Miller, Max (19 February 2024). "Cinesite launches visualisation division". Broadcast Magazine.
- ^ Sarto, Debbie Diamond (3 February 2023). "Cinesite Tapped to Animate Upcoming Untitled 'Smurfs' Feature". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (19 April 2022). "Andy Serkis To Direct Animated Adaptation Of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on 20 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.