VFX WITHOUT BORDERS: ENRICHING THE GLOBAL VFX LANDSCAPE

By CHRIS McGOWAN

Iceland is a land with a midnight summer sun and an exceedingly dark winter. It is also home to Reykjavik Visual, an example of how VFX studios have emerged in the most varied places, including on islands and every continent save Antarctica. Individual vendors and outposts of multinationals are present from Iceland to South Africa to Colombia. These studios are not only geographically unique, but they also bring diverse cultural and creative perspectives to their work, enriching the global VFX landscape.

REYKJAVIK VISUAL

Reykjavik Visual was officially founded in 2021 as the Icelandic branch of the Visual group that consists of four offices in northern Europe: Copenhagen Visual, Reykjavik Visual, Malmö Visual and Hamburg Visual. “Many of the founding and senior staff in the Visual group have prior experience at some of the biggest VFX houses in the world, such as Framestore, MPC, The Mill, Animal Logic and DNEG,” says Jörundur Rafn Arnarson, CEO and Primary VFX Supervisor of Reykjavik Visual. “The guiding principles for the operations of the entire group are to take the best from big VFX and the best from the small-size workflows that are the mainstay of northern Europe’s VFX market.”

“Filmmakers, producers and VFX supervisors love working with Colombian artists – they are highly creative, proud and deeply dedicated to their craft. Bogotá also felt like a natural fit, especially as South American productions continue to raise their standards and gain international traction on streaming platforms. For our Folks brand and the broader film industry, Bogotá has been a tremendous asset.”

—Sébastien Bergeron, CEO, Pitch Black Company

There are many challenges to being located in Iceland. Arnarson explains, “One being that of raising awareness of our company in areas that we don’t have a presence in currently. The size of the population makes scaling up a particular challenge, but that is mitigated and balanced by the staff in the other offices such as Copenhagen Visual.”

“Shooting in Iceland is, of course, unique and, quite frankly, very rough and not without its dangers,” Arnarson remarks. “This is where big American or U.K. productions often request my services as the local man with experience with on-set VFX supervising in these extreme environments.”

The light in such remote locations can be unique. “The light in Iceland is made by ‘The Great Gaffer in the Sky’ for the gaffers and DPs here to enjoy. The midnight sun is the biggest mind-bender for people and even for me. You never get used to it really, but I love it! Midsummer means that losing light is never a thing, and you can pack some long days, if you don’t mind paying OT,” Arnarson says. “The winter is very dark and has a fair bit of crazy, violent weather, but we are very used to working in it, around it and with it. Even though the winter has very little daylight, the light that you do have is all low-horizon, soft, magic-hour-type light. I love watching the DP go into a manic frenzy when they work in Iceland for the first time. It’s almost impossible to screw it up, and the visuals are all around all the time.”

Arnarson notes, “One major plus with operating from Reykjavik is that our work is covered by the Film in Iceland reimbursement scheme that the Icelandic government runs. Depending on the project’s specifics, you can get reimbursed from 25% to 35% of your VFX spend. Among Reykjavik Visual’s VFX credits are Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness and Ali Abbasi’s Holy Spider. As a hired-gun On-Set VFX Supervisor, Arnarson has worked on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Mandalorian Season 2, Game of Thrones and Black Mirror.

PITCH BLACK

Opening new branches in regions less known for high-quality VFX work, such as Bogotá, has been a rewarding experience for FOLKS, part of the Pitch Black Company. CEO Sébastien Bergeron explains, “In establishing operations there as part of the FOLKS brand, we discovered an exceptional blend of cultural affinity, a strong education system, cutting-edge data center infrastructure, competitiveness, discipline, resourcefulness, enthusiasm and passion. Filmmakers, producers and VFX supervisors love working with Colombian artists – they are highly creative, proud and deeply dedicated to their craft. Bogotá also felt like a natural fit, especially as South American productions continue to raise their standards and gain international traction on streaming platforms. For our FOLKS brand and the broader film industry, Bogotá has been a tremendous asset.”

According to Bergeron, “Having a network of VFX studios across multiple countries offers significant advantages, particularly in flexibility and collaboration. Pitch Black brings together well-established VFX brands – FOLKS, Rising Sun Pictures and El Ranchito – across 13 locations in six countries, each maintaining its authentic roots. Our shared technological platform connects us and enables real-time collaboration on projects, talent sharing, hardware resources, workflows and innovations. This network allows us to instantly educate and learn from one another, creating a personalized experience with the scale of a global workforce in the industry’s most in-demand productions and rebate locations. Maximum flexibility has been a core principle of this approach from the beginning, and we continue to cultivate it as a key strength of our organization.”

Bergeron continues, “The geographically unique locations of our studios bring diverse cultural and creative perspectives that enrich the global VFX landscape. Art, storytelling and creative processes are deeply shaped by culture, and our artists’ unique backgrounds, languages and experiences add depth and originality to every project we take on. We are proud of this – it’s a fundamental part of who we are as an organization. We truly believe this diversity gives us one of the strongest offerings in the industry.” Bergeron adds, “I see Pitch Black as the world’s nimblest ‘large VFX company.’”

Bergeron observes, “The globalization of VFX saw a significant acceleration around 2020, and while the pace has slowed, the industry continues to move in that direction. Globalization fosters collaboration, improves communication and encourages cultural exchange – all of which create opportunities for artists to develop their soft skills and break beyond the traditional stereotype often associated with VFX professionals. However, maintaining a globally-connected, creatively-led organization requires strong discipline at the operational level. The fact that VFX companies can now navigate this complexity speaks to how much the industry has matured over the past two decades.”

The FOLKS/Pitch Black group recently tackled projects such as Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Deadpool & Wolverine, A Complete Unknown, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, 3 Body Problem, Halo Season 2, The Creator, The Umbrella Academy Season 4 and One Hundred Years of Solitude.

FATBELLY

FatBelly VFX is a female-owned and operated visual effects studio launched in Vancouver in February 2020, just two weeks before COVID-19 brought film and TV productions to a halt. It was a challenging start for a new business with work only beginning in September of that year. “From small beginnings, great things grow – and, in 2023, we expanded by opening a studio in Brisbane, Australia,” recalls Shannan Louis, Owner and Head of Sales. The firm has worked on titles such as Creed III, Fargo, Upload, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Yellowjackets and The Expanse.

What sets FatBelly VFX apart isn’t just the work we do but the unique perspective behind it,” Louis comments. “Unlike most VFX studios, FatBelly was founded by someone who has never been a VFX artist. That distinction made the early days particularly challenging – breaking into an industry that traditionally values hands-on technical experience over leadership from the outside wasn’t easy. Rather than seeing it as a limitation, I’ve come to recognize it as one of our greatest strengths. My role isn’t to dictate the creative process but to support the talented artists and supervisors who bring our work to life.”

Louis cites several past and present challenges. “I initially thought COVID would be the biggest challenge for the business, but the strikes of 2023 proved to be far more disruptive. Productions came to a standstill, uncertainty spread across the industry, and the ripple effects were felt long after the strikes ended,” Louis explains. “At the same time, the shift toward remote work has made it harder than ever to cultivate a strong team dynamic and truly collaborative environment. VFX thrives on communication, problem-solving and creative synergy – things that don’t always translate seamlessly to remote setups.”

“Beyond that,” Louis remarks, “shrinking production budgets have led to increasingly aggressive bidding, with some VFX vendors pricing work so low they’re essentially paying to win projects. This race to the bottom is unsustainable and devalues the artistry and expertise that go into high-quality visual effects.” Louis continues, “Then, there’s AI – the two little letters I love to hate. Automation has always played a role in our industry, helping to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. But now, there’s a growing misconception that AI is some magic button that can instantly deliver complex VFX shots faster and cheaper. The reality is far more nuanced, and while AI has its place, it doesn’t replace the artistry, problem-solving and human touch that make great visual effects truly exceptional.”

TURKEY

Turkey is an up-and-coming VFX location boosted by Netflix. The EFEKT Visual Effects Days event that Netflix Turkey supported this year was organized by the ANIKA Women’s Animation Association with support from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. “It is a significant industry event. This year’s focus is aimed at highlighting the role of women in VFX, recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women in the field, a mission that aligns with our industry engagement efforts at Netflix Türkiye [Turkey],” says Can Deniz Sahin, Netflix Manager for Turkey

Sahin explains, “As part of this initiative, Netflix is participating in a panel discussion titled ‘Representation of Women in VFX Roles in Netflix Turkey,’ where we will showcase the substantial presence of women in critical VFX roles in our productions. Our panel will feature professionals from various VFX departments, including the VFX Manager of Netflix Türkiye, a VFX producer, a post-production supervisor and a virtual production art director. Through this discussion, we aim to share diverse career journeys, highlight industry challenges and inspire the next generation of female talent.”

Regarding Netflix Turkey, Sahin notes, “[Our] numbers indicate that women are present and leading in critical areas of VFX within our projects, demonstrating that gender representation in VFX is shifting toward a more inclusive and diverse environment. Although the Turkish VFX industry has grown substantially with its strong foundation in TVCs and feature films, we now see more women stepping into key roles, shaping its future and driving the industry forward.”

THE CHIMNEY POT

The Chimney Pot is based in Stockholm and has offices in Warsaw, Sydney, Frankfurt, Berlin, Malmö, Gothenburg and Singapore. Her, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Searching for Sugarman, Den of Thieves 2, The Contractor and Atomic Blonde are some of the Chimney Pot’s projects. “We are still owned by the staff. We act as a post house as well as a co-producer helping independent producers to close financing in Europe,” comments CEO Fredrik Zander. “With multiple offices around the world from Singapore to L.A., our team and workflows are built to manage multiple time zones.” Zander thinks the industry is already globalized. “So, I’m not sure it will change much compared to today. We will see more specialized boutique shops leveraging AI to manage large-scale projects.”

The pluses of working and living in Sweden include low costs. Zander explains, “The [non-Swede] only knows about high taxes, but some states in the U.S. have the same levels. The average salary in Sweden is $40K yearly only, but the cost of living is low due to a lot being financed through taxes. The downside is the weather. It is amazing during Spring and Summer but sucks [in the] wintertime.”

Sweden’s culture can affect the work. Zander notes, “Swedes have a very collaborative culture with no egos and only focus on what is best for the team and the project. It comes from thousands of years where we had to work together to survive tough winters. Plus, every manager needs to prove they are a leader, so everybody dares to speak up and voice their view on things, if things are not going as planned. This also drives innovation since not everything is managed from the top.”

BRAZIL

Brazil is starting to become better known in the VFX world, with a recent example being the Netflix mini-series Senna based on the life of the Brazilian Formula One racing champion Ayrton Senna.

The $170-million production had 2,089 VFX shots and featured the work of three Brazilian studios, Quanta, Picma Post and Miagui, teaming with NetFX, Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios. “Senna was a chance to put Brazil on the global VFX map,” states Overall VFX Supervisor Marcelo Siqueira.

“Although the Turkish VFX industry has grown substantially with its strong foundation in TVCs and feature films, we now see more women stepping into key roles, shaping its future and driving the industry forward.”

—Can Deniz Sahin, Manager, Netflix Turkey

LUMBRE

LUMBRE is a multidisciplinary creative studio based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, specializing in television and entertainment, led by Executive Producer Pablo Encabo and Creative Director Sergio Saleh. “Operating from Buenos Aires, LUMBRE benefits from Argentina’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant arts scene. This environment fosters creativity and innovation, allowing the studio to infuse local flair into their projects,” Encabo states. LUMBRE has worked with prominent networks and brands, including National Geographic Channels International, Fox International Channels, ID Discovery, Fox Sports and ESPN. Encabo notes, “What sets LUMBRE apart from other VFX studios is its ability to wear multiple hats, functioning as an agency, production company and consulting firm.”

The most significant challenge facing LUMBRE is the economy and reacting to it strategically. Encabo remarks, “Operating within Argentina’s fluctuating economic landscape presents obstacles, such as currency volatility and resource constraints. However, the studio’s adaptive project-based team structure and diverse international client base suggest a strategic approach to mitigating these challenges and maintaining resilience in a dynamic market.”

DNEG

Having a network of VFX studios in several countries “is a big advantage, and it does offer greater flexibility. It helps us remain relevant and focused on what we do well, which is creative leadership and technical excellence on a global scale,” says Rohan Desai, President of VFX at DNEG. “Working in different markets also gives a certain level of stability that every business needs. It allows our crews to work on different types of creative work. Today we are working with filmmakers from China, India and Europe, including non-English-language European content through our studios in Barcelona, Budapest and Sofia, in addition to our Hollywood work.”

“Our studios in lesser-known regions are very important to our global network. We operate in 19 locations globally, allowing us to bring a lot of different cultural and creative ideas to our clients and partners. Different outlooks and cultures result in more interesting creative collaborations,” Desai notes. “It is important in that it allows us to tap into the best artists from across all the different geographies of the world. There is great talent everywhere. Opening new locations can be challenging, but we believe in bringing together the fantastic minds across all our studio locations, based on skillset and requirements.” Current DNEG projects include: Mickey 17, Animal Friends, Eden, The Cat in the Hat, Mercy, Heads of State, Motor City, Bad Fairies, Ramayana and The Angry Birds Movie 3.

Desai adds, “By empowering artists in locations that are not the normal Hollywood go-to locations, we see the amazing levels of passion and pride that these artists bring to the creative process because they want to prove and showcase that they’re as good as anybody else out there in the world.”