The Loc Studios has expanded into 3D and on-set VFX this year and grown its grading and deliverables offer in response to rising demand from UK features
The Loc Studios, the independent London VFX studio founded by Jamie Leonard and Chris Chitty, delivered VFX on A Long Winter, a co-production between The Bureau, Emu Films and Canada’s Nomadic Pictures, financed by Film4 and Mubi, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on 14 October.
The expansion comes as HMRC figures show film tax relief paid out reached an all-time high, at £702 million across 1,145 claims for the 2024/25 financial year, up 39% on the previous year.
Loc’s work this year also includes VFX and supervision on Sense & Sensibility (Working Title/Focus Features) and Unspeakable (Film4/BFI), and finishing and grading on 70 Up with long-term collaborator Asif Kapadia. The studio is currently completing post-production on The Man Who Stole Portugal (Emu Films/Beta Cinema), which combined private investment with the UK tax credit and Portugal’s film tax rebate.
“We’re definitely seeing that the VFX uplift and the Independent Film Tax Credit are starting to drive growth, especially in features. Filmmakers are putting storytelling first, and we’re seeing independent projects with big ambitions. That’s driving demand across VFX, grading and finishing, for studio films and indies alike. UK producers are also turning to partners in Canada and Europe to finance and make these films, which keeps a healthy pipeline of quality stories being post-produced here.”
Jonathan Rawlinson, Executive Producer
