The VFX and animation company has provided funding for the pioneering performance capture and virtual production studio founded by legendary actor and director Andy Serkis.
The Cinesite group continues to grow its creative talent base. The VFX and animation company has announced an investment in The Imaginarium Studios, a pioneering, world-class performance capture and virtual production company with facilities at Pinewood Studios in the U.K. and at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Imaginarium Studios will become a Cinesite partner company, joining Image Engine, Trixter, FX3X, Assemblage Entertainment, Squeeze & L’Atelier Animation; it will retain its culture, brand, and facilities. Staff will continue to work under the leadership of CEO Matthew Brown. Recent projects for the studio include Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3 and Spiderman: Far from Home as well as first-of-its-kind TV shows such as Marvel’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Netflix’s Dance Monsters.
Imaginarium was formed in 2012 by legendary actor and director Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes and Star Wars franchises) as a stand-alone facility focused on performance-led capture and virtual production services. Serkis’ revolutionary approach to performance capture has created numerous innovations and new methods that have changed the industry and the company continues to push the boundaries of what is possible.
“The Imaginarium Studios and Cinesite are committed to delivering the best creative solutions for our clients,” says Brown. “Our partnership will be hugely beneficial to storytellers, creating a seamless experience for VFX, animation, virtual production, and motion capture services. We are excited to bring characters to life and take content creation to the next level with our partners at Cinesite.”
Serkis adds, "I could not be more proud to see the team at The Imaginarium Studios coming together with the hugely talented leadership at Cinesite, who have been incredible creative partners with me on Animal Farm. I look forward to combining the talents of both companies to deliver creative solutions for whatever a project demands.”
“The Imaginarium Studios is a fantastic company with an enviable reputation, and we are proud to welcome them to our collective,” Cinesite Group CEO Antony Hunt said in a statement. “Our new partnership will provide a further service-set to our growing customer base. The investment in the Imaginarium business strengthens our connections with the gaming industry and provides us with facilities in Pinewood Studios, (U.K.) and Trilith Studios, (Atlanta, GA, U.S.) opening more opportunities for our dynamic group.”
The investment furthers the company’s close relationship with Serkis, and his production company Imaginarium Productions, which he runs with producer Jonathan Cavendish. Imaginarium Productions is currently adapting the classic George Orwell novel Animal Farm, with Serkis both directing and producing. The film is in production at Cinesite. Nicholas Stoller (Storks, Captain Underpants) adapted the screenplay. The animated feature film is being produced by Adam Nagle (Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, Riverdance: The Animated Adventure) Dave Rosenbaum (Riverdance: The Animated Adventure, Hitpig) and Jonathan Cavendish (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle).
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