Visit Animation UK Home
Contact Log In Join Us
Home

SPOTLIGHT ON… UK SCREEN ALLIANCE MEMBERS AT CANNES 2026

Site: UK Screen Alliance

SPOTLIGHT ON… UK SCREEN ALLIANCE MEMBERS AT CANNES 2026

This month, discover everything you need to know about UK Screen Alliance’s presence at Cannes Film Festival

(L-R) Adrian Wootton, Neil Hatton, Shobha Conway, Colin Kennedy, Cara Kotschy, Steve Milne

UK Screen Alliance at Cannes Film Festival

The Post & VFX Playbook: Using the UK incentives to maximise creativity

Sunday, 17th May •  09:30 – 11:00 | UK Pavilion, Cannes

Join us for ‘The Post & VFX Playbook’ panel at the UK Pavilion in Cannes, produced by UK Screen Alliance in association with the BFC.

Speakers: Neil Hatton MBE (CEO, UK Screen Alliance), Shobha Conway (Head of Business Development & Operations, Union VFX), Colin Kennedy (CEO & Founder, fixFX), Cara Kotschy (Co-Founder & Managing Director, Residence Pictures), Steve Milne (Vice-Chairman, Cinelab Film & Digital), Adrian Wootton OBE, (Chief Executive, British Film Commission).

VFX and post-production are a huge part of modern filmmaking, but getting to grips with them can seem daunting. This practical, producer-focused conversation aims to help demystify the post process and help you unpack how to access the UK’s generous Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits for post and VFX spend.

Our expert panellists will highlight how incentives can be claimed, and explain how best to roadmap a post and VFX plan that works for both your budget and your creative ambition.

Join us afterwards for networking and refreshments: an ideal chance to connect, ask questions and explore potential creative partnerships.

Please register your interest for the panel here. This Eventbrite is to gauge interest only. The event is open to Marché du Film and Festival accreditation badge holders on a first come, first served basis, so registering does not guarantee entry. Please arrive promptly for admission.

Members at Cannes Film Festival

Find out which UK Screen Alliance members are attending Cannes 2026, and how you can get in touch:

UK Screen Alliance

We will be in Cannes from 14th – 17th May, and will be available in the The Members’ Club, at Plage du Festival, for meetings.

Representatives at Cannes:

Union VFX

Union VFX is a Soho-based boutique visual effects studio founded in 2008, delivering creative VFX services for film and television. Known for its experienced team and collaborative approach, the studio supports projects from concept to completion, specialising in CG environments, invisible effects, and high-quality, fast-turnaround results.

Representatives at Cannes:

  • Shobha Conway, Head of Business Development & Operations, Union VFX

Fix FX

FixFX is a Scotland-based studio specialising in 2D visual effects for film and TV, known for seamlessly supporting productions at any stage – from prepping plates for a volume shoot to detailed finishing work. Fix FX have recently won 2 VES awards, a BIFA, and an Emmy, and are interested in hearing about indie film projects in need of VFX. Being based in Scotland, FixFX are eligible for the Post Project fund (a 20% grant incentive).

Representatives at Cannes:

Residence Pictures

Residence Pictures is a UK-based post-production studio founded in 2022, specializing in picture finishing for high-end episodic and feature projects through agile workflows and advanced technology. Focused on eliminating bottlenecks from pre-commission to delivery, the company combines flexible pipeline design with world-class VFX support from their partners at Coffee & TV to deliver seamless, high-quality results for broadcasters and streamers.

Representatives at Cannes:

Cinelab Film & Digital

Cinelab Film & Digital is the UK’s only full-service film laboratory and digital dailies facility, offering end-to-end support for film and TV productions under one roof. Trusted by hundreds of cinematographers, the studio combines expert talent, advanced technology, and seamless workflows to deliver high-quality results efficiently and securely.

Representatives at Cannes:

Further information:

Cinelab have supported two projects screening during this year’s Cannes film festival:  

CLARISSA

  • A film by Arie and Chuko Esiri. 
  • Official Selection | Directors’ Fortnight 
  • Shot on 35mm. Film processing, scanning, dailies and dailies colour by Cinelab

LOW EXPECTATIONS 

  • A film by by Eivind Landsvik. 
  • Official Selection | Directors’ Fortnight 
  • Shot on 16mm and S8mm. Film processing, scanning, and dailies colour by Cinelab

Cinesite

Cinesite is a London-headquartered studio with a global 24-hour pipeline across Montréal and Vancouver, delivering world-class VFX, animation, and immersive storytelling. With over 30 years of experience, its award-winning teams combine creative expertise and advanced technology to bring clients’ visions to life – consistently, collaboratively, and on time and budget.

Representatives at Cannes:

The Third Floor

The Third Floor is a global visualization studio founded in 2004, helping filmmakers and creators plan, prototype, and refine stories across film, television, games, and immersive media. Working closely with directors and production teams, The Third Floor’s team use advanced virtual production and animation techniques to bring creative visions to life from concept through production. The team are interested in meeting old and new friends at Cannes who would like to discuss visualisation, animation and AI filmmaking tools.

Representatives at Cannes:

Artists in Frame

Artists In Frame was founded on 18 years of VFX experience, recognising that many high-end boutique vendors are underrepresented despite their capabilities. It connects a tightly curated group of non-competing VFX and Visualisation studios across the UK and mainland Europe – vetted for capability and reliability- with the right clients, aligning partners early and leveraging regional incentives to support efficient, high-quality delivery.

Representatives at Cannes:

Dirty Looks & Aquarium

Dirty Looks is an independent picture post-production house founded in 2010, with studios in London and Brussels, specialising in colour grading and mastering for feature films and high-end television. Known for its work on critically acclaimed projects, the company combines artistic excellence with a commitment to sustainability and achieving net zero emissions by 2040.

Aquarium Studios is a Soho-based post-production company providing audio, editing, and colour services for film, television, and games since 1997. To complement their triple-BAFTA-winning audio team, Aquarium are pleased to offer an in-house partnership with Dirty Looks, delivering tailored, end-to-end post solutions for projects of all scales.

Dirty Looks and Aquarium will be at Cannes 2026, ready to take meetings at The Members’ Club and network with UK and International producers who are interested in how best to combine UK and EU workflows across their main hub in London, and facilities in Brussels and Malta, to help producers attract meaningful tax credits across the full 100% of production spend.

Representatives at Cannes:

Molinare

Molinare is a leading post-production company with a legacy dating back to 1973, known for evolving alongside the art and technology of filmmaking. Combining cutting-edge workflows with world-class creative and technical talent, it delivers high-quality, precision-driven results across projects of every scale. The team will be at Cannes to meet with new and existing film and documentary clients and to get the latest on their projects and new leads.

Representatives at Cannes:

  • Andrew Boswell (Head of Film Sales and Financing, Molinare)
  • Jack Loughlin (Group Director of Sales, Molinare)
  • Georgia Wallace (Sales Manager – Non-scripted, Molinare)
  • Deborah Doherty (Managing Director and Co-Founder, Elephant Goldfish)
    • +353 86 871 4660

Koala FX

KoalaFX is a filmmaker-led VFX studio built for the future, combining innovation, automation, and a lean, high-performance team to deliver efficient, story-driven results across projects of any scale. Founded in 2019 by directors Dasha Sherman and Menelaos Pampoukidis, the company prioritizes storytelling, using advanced technology and agile pipelines to help powerful stories reach audiences in the most impactful way.

Representatives at Cannes:

We hope to see you on the Croisette!

INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC WIN AT THE 2026 BAFTA TELEVISION CRAFT AWARDS

Industrial Light & Magic have been awarded the 2026 Bafta TV Craft award in Special, Visual and Graphic Effects for their work on Andor

Andor Season 2, Lucasfilm
Andor Season 2, Lucasfilm

Last night, BAFTA announced the winners of the 2026 BAFTA Television Craft Awards with Samsung OLED at a ceremony in London celebrating the exceptional creativity, skill and craft of behind-the-scenes television talent and the best programmes of 2025.  

The BAFTA Television Craft Award for Special, Visual & Graphic Effects was presented to Mohen Leo, TJ Falls, Luke Murphy, Neal Scanlan, Jean-Clément Soret and UK Screen Alliance member Industrial Light & Magic for their spectacular work on Andor.

Find out more about ILM’s work on Andor here, and see the full list of credits for season 2.

SPOTLIGHT ON…. Koala FX: The Visual Effects Studio that Doesn’t Play by the Rules

This month, we take a deep dive into Koala FX – a studio of creative storytellers and visual innovators

Koala FX is not just another VFX studio that tries to ship as many shots as possible without taking care of the overall story. Since Koala’s inception in 2020, the management team has lived by the notion that they ‘don’t do VFX, they make films.’ They are a bunch of storytellers and visionaries who have dared to dream their ideal VFX studio set-up into reality.

Founded in 2020, Koala FX was created by Dasha Sherman (CEO) and her partner Menelaos Pampoukidis (Creative Director). Their core team had previously met and worked on DAU – one of the most ambitious and controversial artistic projects of the century. The non-traditional formation of the team served as a masterclass in doing things their own way. From Dasha’s foray into post-production strategy for DAU to Menelaos’ specific techniques he had perfected during his work on the project, the two founders are steering the ship with the grit and expertise of innovators who have built from scratch before.

From Rags to Riches

Starting from nothing but a core team that had worked together on a visionary project and a big dream, Koala had a long way to go. But the team faced this creative challenge with real determination to succeed, and their progress has been nothing short of astonishing.

“Within a week Koala had a first tiny job for 1k; within a month Koala had to get the ex-DAU VFX core team to join forces to execute 10k worth of work; within three months Koala had its first feature film as an exclusive VFX vendor.”

Dasha Sherman, CEO of Koala FX

Koala’s first productions as a solo vendor were: ‘Love at First Sight’, collaborating with producers from ‘Fall’ and ‘47/3’, ‘Dali Land’, working with the producer Chris Curling and director Mary Harron from ‘American Psycho’. Now their roster has grown to encompass several impressive productions, including the Oscar-shortlisted ‘The Pearl Comb’, ‘Palestine 36’ as well as the Oscar-winning film ‘The Brutalist’.

The Secret Sauce of Koala’s Success

Dasha Sherman and Menelaos Pampoukidis are running a tight ship of hugely talented artists. While the number of team members has grown from 5 to 250, the team’s productivity has hugely increased too, and one could easily imagine they are in fact employing over a thousand artists. The heart and brain of the company, which is comprised of their 15 core members of staff, are all based together out of their London office, while the others work remotely. They never outsource work and their remote teams operate within Koala’s pipeline, delivering scripts together with shots. This has resulted in an organic approach whereby everyone working on any given project is so well-interconnected that the best quality is achieved.

“We started implementing AI before it became a hype. Our pipelines are widely developed with AI optimisation, and we keep on trying and testing further AI potential. We don’t want to grow big; we want to be effective while delivering the best quality. It’s always been quality over quantity for us, and we’d like to keep it this way. We approach VFX as a creative and technically advanced tool to tell stories, not as a goal of filmmaking. People come to a cinema for experience; VFX enables the stories to be told, not the other way around.”

Dasha Sherman

Work Hard, Play Hard Culture

While the team has worked exceptionally hard to achieve such stellar growth within a relatively short space of time, the management team have really put their heart and soul into creating a nurturing environment where storytellers can thrive and potential clients can immediately sense that this is a studio that takes stories seriously. You only need to visit the studio once to be fully immersed in its visionary and innovative essence.

“We’ve built a certain culture within the team and office premises, which we believe breaks the idea of a traditional “business-only” vibe. We’d like to create a narrative of our approach to filmmaking and life itself, as these two are interconnected.”

Dasha Sherman

The events organised at the studio are the perfect personification for the interconnectedness Dasha talks about. From exclusive film screenings to big parties attracting both friends and clients, the team is making the most of their wonderful space in an attempt to keep the team and the community engaged. They even have a swimming pool with plastic balls set up there for themed parties!

What’s next?

The future of VFX, according to Dasha Sherman and her team, is about taking story seriously and not being afraid to break the mold and experiment with new technologies. This is definitely a team that believes in a ‘fail fast, learn faster’ approach.

“What we’ve built up to now is something which, from what we are seeing right now in the industry, lots wish they had built. It was not knowledge or experience, but really the lack of it. The sort of place where the only decisions you take are either intuitive or make sense only to you. The space where you are constantly questioned and judged only by yourself, with very little reference to ‘how things should be’.”

Dasha Sherman

With a team that’s willing to take risks and experiment like this, there is no doubt that the sky is the limit for the studio’s future.

CEO of UK Screen Alliance Makes the Case for Employer Engagement to Protect the Screen Industry’s Talent Pipeline

“The decisions we make now will shape the industry for years to come”: Neil Hatton’s call to action for employer engagement in Film, TV, and VFX further education

Capital City College (CCC) has launched a Creative and Digital Specialist Hub and Skills Advisory Board at its Mosaic@Soho campus, bringing together employers, educators and students to shape the future of digital and creative skills across London. This board launch is especially timely, following from the recent UK Government announcement this week of five new Technical Excellence Colleges (TEC)s, including CCC as a TEC for digital and technology.

At a busy launch event held this week, this new advisory board saw strong engagement from industry partners, including employers from global organisations, innovative start-ups and SMEs.

The event opened with a keynote from UK Screen Alliance CEO, Neil Hatton MBE, making the case for stronger engagement from employers in the film, TV, and VFX industry with the further education sector. With industry-aligned qualifications under threat from government reform and a generation of new talent at risk of being lost, he warned that inaction now could mean critical skills shortages when the sector’s recovery gathers pace.

Read Neil’s speech below:

Strengthening Employer Engagement in Further Education for Film, TV and VFX

Good afternoon everyone,

It’s a pleasure to be here with you today—educators, employers, and learners—people who collectively shape the future skills base of the UK’s film, television, animation, and VFX sectors.

Today, I want to focus on employer engagement with education—not as a “nice to have,” but as a strategic necessity.

Our creative industries are one of the UK’s great success stories: contributing an estimated £145.8 billion to the economy. That’s 5.5% of the UK’s GVA. They are a global export powerhouse, a magnet for inward investment, and a defining cultural asset. They are rightly recognised as a priority sector within the government’s Industrial Strategy.

And yet, this is also an ecosystem under extreme pressure, particularly in film and television, with rapidly evolving business models, adjusting to new geopolitical and investment realities, and disruptive technological change.

But just as TV and Film has its challenges, so too does education. Further Education has long operated under financial constraints, now compounded by a constantly shifting policy environment such as T Levels, V Levels, and the transition to a Growth and Skills Levy.

We may not agree with all these reforms. The creative industries—with their project-based nature—don’t always fit neatly into standardised systems. In some cases, government proposals risk undoing progress already made.

But this is precisely why employer engagement matters more, not less. As change accelerates, we must be actively involved—pragmatic, collaborative, and focused on shaping workable solutions. Its what we do day-to day-anyway!

Let’s look at the industry context and while recent history seems bleak, there is some sunlight.

Film and television have had a difficult three years. Since the pandemic, we’ve gone from the boom of peak TV and Covid catch-up, to the disruption of the writers’ and actors’ strikes. Beneath those strikes was a deeper recalibration: a shift from subscriber growth to profitability in streaming services, leading to reduced commissioning of original content. The anticipated post-strike recovery didn’t fully materialise.

Domestically, the BBC’s budget has fallen 30% in real terms, while for commercial broadcasters the cost-of-living crisis has weakened advertising revenues. The result has been less investment in content.

The film and TV world as we knew it before the pandemic, is not the reality now and we are still adjusting to a new normal.

Across the supply chain, we’ve seen redundancies, hiring freezes, and fewer entry-level roles. For many trying to enter the industry, opportunities simply haven’t been there.

And yet, this is not a story of decline across the board.

There are clear signs of renewal in some parts.

In VFX, recent tax credit uplifts are reinforcing the UK’s position as a global destination for inward investment. Data from the World VFX Atlas shows the London VFX and animation workforce grew by 10% over the past year. That is significant. 1000 people in new jobs.

Yes—budgets are down. Contracts are shorter and harder won. But the direction of travel for VFX is positive. There are tantalising signs of at least another 5% growth over the next 12 months.  The global pie for VFX may have become smaller—but as a result of the tax credit changes that we campaigned for and won last year. the UK is poised to take a larger slice.

However, we must be realistic. The first phase of recovery focuses on experienced professionals—bringing back those who were laid off. Entry-level hiring may take little longer to return.

This creates a dilemma.

Because education does not operate on a one-year cycle. You can’t just turn it on or off based on current demand. It operates on a pipeline of three, five, even ten years.

If we allow that pipeline to weaken now, we may face labour shortages just as the industry hits its next growth phase.

Let’s zoom out further and consider the full talent lifecycle.

The digital VFX industry is still relatively young. It really began to take shape in the late 1980s and early 1990s. From 2001 to 2011, it gained significant momentum in the UK, mostly thanks to a young wizard called Potter.

Many of its early pioneers—those with 30-plus years of experience—will begin to step back in the coming years. This is not an immediate retirement crisis, but it raises important questions: will we have the right mix of skills and experience at the right time?

That depends on a functioning talent development pipeline—where mid-level professionals are supported to progress, and new entrants are ready to step in behind them.

It will just mention AI. It will have an impact, but not as existential as the doom-mongers have been predicting. It’s another useful tool in the box and creates opportunity if embraced thoughtfully. The jobs are still there but with upgraded skills.

I will just mention AI. It will have an impact, but not as existential as the doom-mongers have been predicting. It’s another useful tool in the box and creates opportunity if embraced thoughtfully. The jobs are still there but with upgraded skills.

At the same time, film and TV are no longer the only destinations for students who study it.

3D and real-time technologies are expanding from gaming and virtual production, into architecture, product design, immersive experiences, and beyond. 3D visualisation is increasingly embedded in sectors like automotive, healthcare, criminology, and life sciences.

We are also seeing the growth of the creator economy, where people are ignoring conventional career pathways. They are getting on with just doing their own thing, choosing to build their own opportunities rather than following traditional career pathways.

Now let’s turn to the education landscape itself, and to set the scene,  I want to rewind fifteen years to 2011.

This report called Next Gen was published by NESTA. It was written by Ian Livingstone, founder of Eidos,  and Alex Hope, founder of DNEG. Its subtitle was “Transforming the UK into the world’s leading talent hub for the video games and visual effects industries.”

In 2011, VFX and Games were enjoying a period of growth but they were already suffering skills shortages that were only alleviated by sourcing excellent skilled talent from overseas, an avenue that just a few years later would be choked off by Brexit.

The report was critical of the subjects then available in the curriculum, and advocated for the blend of skills required by these frontier sectors to thrive, namely STEM coupled with Art and strong emphasis on coding.

The report inspired a group of forward thinking games and VFX employers to collaborate with AIM Awards to create a Level 3 extended diploma in Games, Animation and Visual Effects Skills, as still taught with great success here today at Mosaic.

Additionally these employers developed a strong and innovative package of industry engagement for the colleges teaching the qualification, and formed the NextGen Skills Academy network of affiliated colleges.

Mosaic is one of 13 colleges teaching the Next Gen qualification. Across the UK there’s around 600 students currently enrolled. And the outcomes are good with 78% of alumni passing into higher education on relevant degree courses, 12% starting work directly and 8% getting apprenticeship placements.

So far so good, but here’s the rub.

Government policy is moving towards a simplified Level 3 landscape centred on T Levels, V Levels, and A Levels. Specialist qualifications like NextGen—and others such as UAL diplomas—are at risk of defunding.

These qualifications underpin the teaching in specialist institutions like Mosaic, but also at London Screen Academy, ELAM and The Brit School and provide flexible, industry-aligned pathways. To lose these qualifications would significantly impact how we prepare students for careers in the creative industries.

It looks as if the UAL qual will be defunded by the academic year 27-28.

The Aim/NextGen qual could survive until 2029-30, but it’s living on borrowed time.

We are expecting DfE and Skills England to issue an implementation plan that confirms these timelines in June or July this year.

This is understandably frustrating. Industry has already invested heavily in building effective pathways. What exists is not broken—and does not need fixing in this way.

But we are rapidly approaching the end of the runway and may soon need to consider alternatives. Doing nothing is not an option. Nor is accepting new qualifications designed without meaningful industry input.

Employer engagement, therefore, becomes essential.

If industry does not actively shape these new pathways, we risk ending up with systems that fail to meet real-world needs.

So what are the options?

T Levels offer depth and include a mandatory work placement—but raise challenges around scalability, geographical access, and employer capacity.

V Levels provide broader reach without mandatory placements—but with significantly reduced teaching time.

We may need to support both, depending on context and future announcements on placement flexibility.

So how do we move forward?

First; stronger collaboration.

Advisory boards are important to create deeper partnerships—co-designing courses, sharing insight, and creating fast, effective feedback loops.

Curricula must reflect real industry needs. That doesn’t mean chasing every new tool, but it does mean focusing on core, transferable skills: problem-solving, storytelling, shot composition, communication, collaboration, and adaptability.  The Core Skills of VFX Handbook that we co-funded last year is example of effective collaboration between academia and industry.

Second; placements and apprenticeships.

There is no substitute for real-world experience. But we need more flexible models—shorter placements, project-based work, virtual opportunities.

We need to bring employers to students as well as students to employers.

Apprenticeships remain valuable, but must work for employers—supported by appropriate incentives and flexible delivery models.

I will continue to press government to build these necessary flexibilities into T Levels and apprenticeships. But we will need employers of all sizes to open their doors to more students.

Third; tutor development.

Educators need access to industry to teach effectively. If we invest in teachers, we invest in every student they go on to teach.

We should expand opportunities for industry exchange—teachers gaining industry experience, and professionals contributing directly to education.

I’m proposing a pilot scheme with the GLA to encourage bidirectional industry exchange initiatives—where tutors go on placements in studios—and industry professionals spend time teaching in colleges.

There’s real progress on the horizon here.

And finally; inclusion.

We must widen access—not only because it is right, but because diversity goes hand-in-hand with creativity and innovation.

This means reaching new communities, creating alternative entry points, and ensuring pathways are visible, accessible, and viable.

So, to conclude:

The industry is beginning to recover. Growth is on the horizon. But the talent pipeline that underpins that growth needs attention now.

My call to action is simple.

To employers: see education as part of your workforce strategy. Offer placements, contribute to curriculum development, and invest time in shaping the future talent pool.

To educators: continue to adapt and innovate. Build partnerships, focus on core skills, and prepare students for long-term careers, not just first jobs.

And to all of us: work together.

If we act in isolation, we create fragmentation and inefficiency. In a time of constrained resources, collaboration is essential.

None of this is easy. But difficulty is not an excuse for inaction. The decisions we make now—about engagement, collaboration, and investment—will shape the industry for years to come.

The Next Gen report remains as relevant today as it was 15 years ago. I’m going to borrow Alex Hope’s final words in his conclusion to the report, as they seem to perfectly sum up this call to action. He said then, “We cannot sit back and allow others to do it for us. We must step up and contribute.”

I echo his words and sentiment. I’m up for it. Are you?

Thank you for listening.

HARBOR APPOINT NEW CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Harbor names Jason Monroe Creative Director, CG VFX

Harbor Picture Company has named Jason Monroe Creative Director, CG VFX, further strengthening the company’s creative leadership across advertising, entertainment, and games.

Monroe brings more than 25 years of experience spanning feature films, television, commercials, and video games. Over the course of his career, he has held positions as 3D artist, VFX Supervisor, Head of CG, and Creative Director, including senior roles at The Mill LA, where he built a track record of delivering ambitious creative work on time and on budget.

His credits at The Mill include standout work for Kia, Chobani, Intel, Energizer, DirecTV, Riot Games, KFC, Xfinity, USPS, and Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, among others. His body of work spans photo-real character animation, complex CG environments, and large-scale creature and product work at the highest level of commercial craft.

Monroe has extensive experience leading and coordinating global CG teams across the US, India, Poland, Portugal, Canada, and the Philippines, operating across time zones and managing multilingual collaborations at scale. His fluency across creative software – from Maya and ZBrush to Unreal Engine 5, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and AI tools – allows him to communicate and iterate rapidly across disciplines.

“Jason understands what agencies and brands need today—speed, creative clarity, and no compromise on quality. His experience working with some of the world’s biggest brands, combined with his ability to lead complex global teams, makes him exactly the kind of creative leader that strengthens how Harbor partners with agencies and clients.”

Massimo D’Avolio, EVP, Post Production at Harbor Picture Company

“Harbor has an incredible reputation for craft and creative excellence. I’m excited to join a team that genuinely values both the art and the process, and I look forward to collaborating with the talented people here and with clients on ambitious, technically demanding work.”

Jason Monroe, Creative Director, CG VFX

VINE FX ANNOUNCE NEW CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Vine FX Promotes Simon Carr to Creative Director

Vine FX has announced the promotion of Simon Carr to Creative Director, strengthening the studio’s creative leadership as it continues to build its slate of high-end film and television projects.

Carr joined the Cambridge-based VFX studio in August 2024 as a VFX Supervisor and brings with him over thirty years of experience in the visual effects industry, including more than two decades specialising in on-set and post-production supervision. His extensive credits include The Amateur, Star Trek Into Darkness, Oblivion, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Mank, for which he received the VES Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature. He also served as overall VFX Supervisor on The Man Who Fell to Earth, earning an Emmy nomination.

Throughout his career, Carr has worked at some of the industry’s most respected studios, including Animal Logic, Framestore, Method Studios, and The Magic Camera Company. In his new role as Creative Director at Vine FX, he will work closely with the studio’s VFX Supervisors, artists, productionand editorial teams to guide creative direction and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality visual effects.

“I’m delighted to be able to continue working with Vine FX in the role of Creative Director with the aim of supporting our talented team of VFX Supervisors and wonderful team across production, editorial and artists. I look forward to developing our slate of work and hopeful for a fruitful 2026.”

Simon Carr, Creative Director at Vine FX

“Simon’s promotion reflects both his exceptional experience and the creative leadership he has already demonstrated at Vine FX. His collaborative approach and depth of knowledge are hugely valued by the team, and this role reinforces our commitment to supporting our artists and delivering ambitious, high-quality work.”

Michael Illingworth, Founder of Vine FX

The appointment marks another step in Vine FX’s ongoing growth, as the studio continues to expand its creative leadership and focus on delivering world-class visual effects. With a strong slate of upcoming projects for 2026, the VFX house looks forward to the year ahead.

CLEAR CUT GROUP COMMITS TO NET ZERO

Clear Cut Group receive the SME Climate Hub Badge

The Clear Cut Group has announced its commitment to achieving Net Zero. It is now a member of the SME Climate Hub, committing to halving all emissions by 2030 as part of the UN’s Race to Zero campaign; and then reaching Net Zero by 2050. In recognition of this commitment to lowering their environmental impact, the post production group has received the SME Climate Hub badge.

“For too long the impact of post-production in the production lifecycle has been under-reported. We are making significant progress to operate in a greener and more sustainable way, reducing our emissions year on year. The Clear Cut team has been on a sustainability journey for some time and this public commitment ensures we continue reducing our carbon footprint, in keeping with client expectations, while supporting global climate action.”

Rowan Bray, Managing Director of Clear Cut Group

Clear Cut Group, along with sustainability consultancy Cut the Carbon (CTC), won a Broadcast Tech Innovation Award in December. This recognised the innovative and ground-breaking CTC Methodology which had been developed to accurately assess the carbon footprint of individual processes in post-production – something that had not been achieved before. Further plans include the roll out of the methodology to other post-production environments, gathering comparable industry data which can be used by all those engaging with post-production.

Some programmes recently post produced at Clear Cut Group include; Alan and Amanda’s Greek Job (Voltage TV for BBC One); Lost Boys, Deadly Men (Pulse Films for Now TV); At War: Trump, Israel and Iran (BBC Panorama BBC One); Inside the Rage Machine (BBC World Service for BBC Two) and Tucci in Italy (BBC for Nat Geo and Disney+).

VINE FX’S HYBRID VFX WORKFLOWS ON ITV’S AFTER THE FLOOD SEASON 2

Vine FX blends moorland fire simulations, hybrid terrain workflows, and invisible visual effects to amplify tension and maintain realism

Produced by Quay Street Productions for ITV, After the Flood returns for a second season set one year after the catastrophic floods that devastated the town of Waterside. As newly promoted DI Jo Marshall, portrayed by Sophie Rundle, investigates an unconscious man discovered amid simmering moorland fi res, with the renewed threat of flooding looming over the community, she is drawn into a case that rapidly escalates in scale and consequence. With scorched peatlands increasing runoff risk framing the unfolding mystery, After the Flood Season 2 expands its environmental scope, placing fi re and unstable terrain at the centre of both the narrative stakes and visual challenges.

Working as the sole vendor, Vine FX delivered a full suite of effects across 336 shots and 94 sequences spanning all six episodes.

“There was a real spirit of creativity on set, especially as we had established a great relationship with Director Azhur Saleem and the QSP team on Season 1. Azhur trusted us to explore bold ideas, and we were able to take on much more ambitious shots as the collaboration evolved during filming. Being part of those early recces meant that the team and I could offer direct insights on what was captured on set, which made a huge difference for our work, such as the Gaussian Splatting, later in the pipeline. With the mutual respect we had developed, we were able to find some really creative solutions and work together to get the best possible result on screen. From dramatic environmental augmentations to subtle continuity fixes, the team’s focus was always on heightening tension and maintaining realism.”

Michael Illingworth, Executive VFX Supervisor

Crafting Flames on Protected Terrain

For Season 2 of After the Flood, Vine FX encountered the challenge of bringing sprawling moorland fire sequences to life on protected terrain, where practical burns were restricted, and on-set smoke was minimal.

“A lot of our initial work was the big fire sequence in Episode One. It was filmed in a protected area, so they couldn’t actually burn anything on it. Our job was to build upon the smoke captured on set, using a combination of 3D and 2D techniques and close collaboration among departments to bring everything together.”

Kaitlyn Beattie, Executive Producer

“Thankfully, we were involved early, attending shoots while production was still underway. We gathered reference photography and studied how grass and smoke behave, which is very different from structural fires.”

Alesja Surubkina, VFX Supervisor

Using custom fire simulation systems, procedural controls, and real wildfire references, Vine FX crafted fi re sequences with varied behaviours.

“The fires had to feel natural at every scale, from wide open landscapes to closer medium shots, without repetition. We couldn’t rely on a single asset repeated across shots, it had to feel random and organically develop over time. Josh Curtis, our Primary FX Artist, created a beautiful, highly creative system that gave the client a flexible platform they could adapt and expand. Alesja was then able to provide rapid feedback, and together we literally drew curves and painted areas on plates, using some geometry to produce fi res that appeared alive. Once early tests landed, the client’s brief quickly expanded: more shots, more embers, more intensity – all heightening narrative impact.”

Tim Kilgour, CG Supervisor

Hybrid Data, Gaussian Splats & Collaborative Innovation

Another major challenge was the season’s climax, which required reimagining a real-world low cliff edge into a dramatic fall. The Vine FX team combined extensive research with close interdepartmental collaboration, merging multiple geospatial captures with CG elements to create a visually cohesive, treacherous environment.

“Our early tests didn’t merely meet expectations, they inspired the client to expand the scope of the sequence. That growth was only possible through effective collaboration between the R&D, CG, DMP and compositing departments.”

Beattie, Executive Producer

A key example of this was the innovative use of Gaussian splats to extend the cliff environment. Using drone-captured photography, the team reconstructed scenes as highly detailed, volumetric representations, effectively creating a three-dimensional photographic base of real locations. Rather than relying on traditional mesh-based geometry, this approach enabled the team to build directly from accurate captures of the natural world, forming a realistic foundation that could then be adapted to suit each shot’s requirements. These splats were integrated with additional techniques to produce a seamless, believable environment.

“We start with photography and solve for camera positions, which gives us a spatial understanding of the scene. From that, we train Gaussian splats, points that carry colour and can vary in shape and density, to reconstruct the environment. It’s essentially like building up a scene from lots of soft, fuzzy points rather than rigid geometry. We captured multiple drone scans and assembled them into a single scene, but combining these areas wasn’t always straightforward. Where transitions between scans didn’t work perfectly, we introduced a hybrid approach using CG environment patches and matte painting to blend everything together. The splats form a highly realistic base because they directly represent what was captured in the real world. But the tools are still evolving, so when stitching different areas together or resolving gaps and edges, we relied on CG and compositing to smooth those transitions and maintain continuity across the environment.”

Peter Noble, Research & Development Engineer

“We saw real progression on this show from earlier experimentation to a production-ready workflow. The hybrid approach brought together the strengths of each technique we had at hand.”

Jake Newton, CG Lead

“This shot was highly collaborative. Everything, from 3D grass patches to layered sky domes, parallax layers, and volumetric splats, demanded minute coordination between departments to avoid any pop or visual discontinuity.”

Preet Katta, Lead Compositor

By combining Gaussian splats with CG environment patches and compositing, Vine FX created a treacherous cliff environment which proved both narratively compelling and technically robust. The approach supported rapid iteration, maintained image consistency across intricate shots, and showcased how research-driven, collaborative workflows can transform real-world locations into high-impact, story-forward sequences.

Enhancing Storytelling with Invisible VFX

Beyond the high-impact moorland fire sequences and dramatic finale, Vine FX delivered extensive invisible effects across the season. From photographic inserts and slight environmental fixes to continuity enhancements critical to plot development. These often small but narratively significant shots called for meticulous compositing under pressing production deadlines.

“There were a large number of shots involving photographic inserts, incident boards, CCTV frames, and scenes that hadn’t yet been filmed. It’s the kind of invisible work that keeps continuity and quality consistent throughout the series. For some of the closer performance moments, we used face-tracking to integrate minor adjustments for blood, sweat, and even small injuries, without ever distracting from the actors’ performances. With this type of work, it’s always about supporting the story, not drawing attention to the VFX.”

Simon Carr, VFX Supervisor & Creative Director

Water continuity further tied the season to its predecessor, with Vine FX delivering a detailed shot of the flood wall built after the events of Season 1.

“What was nominally a small shot – adding a flood wall and water – was given detailed treatment to appear real and consequential. This meant that the water simulation was turned around quickly and ended up feeling far richer than its brief would suggest.”

Tim Kilgour, CG Supervisor

Together, these invisible and continuity-driven effects reinforced narrative stakes, supporting the story without ever drawing attention away from the drama onscreen.

All six episodes of After the Flood Season 2 are currently streaming on ITV.

BUILDING A STORM: CRAFTING THE VISUAL WORLD OF UNDER SALT MARSH

Milk VFX delivers 662 visual effects shots for Under Salt Marsh

Milk VFX, a Phantom Media Group company, delivered 662 visual effects shots for Under Salt Marsh, supporting the project from early concept development through to final compositing. Guided by director Claire Oakley’s vision, the work combined large-scale visual ambition with a commitment to realism and invisible effects. The brief called for expansive environments, dramatic weather and significant digital world-building, all grounded in authentic locations and believable natural conditions to ensure the story’s setting felt tangible and lived-in.

Working closely with Milk Production VFX Supervisor Mark Harris, Production VFX Producer Patrizia Mule and Milk VFX Producer Jasmine Ford-Elgood, the team delivered large-scale environment builds, complex weather simulations and seamless compositing in support of Oakley’s vision of a place that felt entirely authentic and grounded.

The work began with concept designs for drone shots showing the town of Morfa Halen before and after the flooding. These were developed into digital matte paintings using a lidar scan of the real town as a base, before moving into compositing where the environments were carefully integrated into the drone-shot plates.

More than 100 shots required digital extensions to the practical town set. Milk created concepts to define how the set should expand beyond what was physically built, which were then developed by the environments team using lidar scans of the studio backlot, bespoke house and street models, and photo-scanned assets captured on location in Wales by Milk’s VFX Supervisor and on-set team.

A key part of the story was the construction of a seawall. While part of this was built practically on set, it also required significant digital extension, with the environment team expanding the structure and surrounding landscape and the compositing team seamlessly integrating the CG work into the plate photography.

Milk’s biggest challenge was the weather work. As the story evolved, the scale of the storm continued to grow throughout the edit and into post-production. The ocean work was particularly demanding due to the use of wide-angle drone photography, which required vast expanses of simulated water. Milk’s FX team simulated miles of turbulent ocean in Houdini, with storm-driven waves crashing against the shoreline and sea defences. Dozens of simulations, including foam, bubbles, splashes and water interaction, were layered together in compositing to create a cohesive and photorealistic result, with the most complex shots combining low-flying camera moves close to the ocean surface while still revealing huge distances into the horizon.

“The storm work was the most complex aspect of the show. Simulating miles of ocean and integrating that work into wide-angle drone photography, often shot in calm conditions, was a huge challenge, and one the team rose to.”

Mark Harris, Production VFX Supervisor

The storm reaches its peak in Episode 5, as rising water threatens to breach the seawall. Much of this sequence had been shot in fine, sunny conditions, requiring extensive sky replacements, added rain, atmospherics and rough water to sell the intensity of the storm. Stormy seas and skies were added throughout Episodes 5 and 6, alongside large amounts of rain work and, in some cases, snow.

Several establishing shots were created to define the geography and character of Morfa Halen. One extends the view of Spider Island, revealing houseboats sitting among the marshlands backed by the Welsh mountains, achieved using a mix of projected DMP backgrounds and 3D environment builds. Another wide establisher features Kelly, Rafe and Brian in a small patch of practically built marshland, shot as a locked-off plate, with Milk’s environment team digitally extending the marsh and compositing adding a camera move to reveal a dawn horizon created as a digital matte painting.

To support delivery across the series, Milk collaborated with sister studio Phantom FX, part of the Phantom Media Group, who delivered 200 VFX shots across seven sequences. Working closely with the Milk team over six months, Phantom FX handled compositing, set integration and CG rain work, contributing to the smooth delivery of all six episodes of the acclaimed series.

See Milk’s VFX breakdown here:

FREEFOLK’S FUTUREFOLK RETURNS FOR ITS NINTH YEAR

The initiative continues to broaden its search for talent from all backgrounds

East London-based, independent, commercials and longform VFX studio Freefolk, launched its ninth annual Futurefolk competition today.

The initiative to nurture, inspire and spark the careers of the next generation of VFX talent with a paid internship, was originally launched in 2018.

The Freefolk talent team are ready to spot the skill, creativity and enthusiasm required to kick-start the careers of the next generation of VFX stars. And, after the huge success of last year, Freefolk again wants to hear from people from all backgrounds, those who have, and just as importantly, those who haven’t followed the traditional college based route.

Freefolk CEO Fi Kilroe explains what they’re looking for in the Futurefolkers of 2026:

“This is an incredible opportunity for someone with the drive and enthusiasm for a career in VFX to gain real-world experience within a creative studio. We’re interested to hear from all candidates, from all backgrounds – its talent and passion that we’re looking for”.

Fi Kilroe, CEO of Freefolk

Since 2018 Freefolk have welcomed 18 Futurefolkers, who have all gone on to have successful careers in the industry. One of last year’s winners, Nuke Compositor Sophia Harrington, has since come back to work on a project with Freefolk.

“Trying to bridge the gap between studying VFX and having actual professional experience seems like the hardest and most pivotal point of a whole career. For a long time, it felt like being on the outside looking in and trying hard to find an opportunity to get a foot in the door. Now that that’s happened, there’s no going back. I’ll leave this internship with not only professional work for my reel, but experience and understanding of a professional pipeline and hopefully lasting connections with Freefolk and all the amazing people that I’ve met here.”

Sophia Harrington, Nuke Compositor

“Once again Freefolk are generously offering valuable work experience to develop the future talent that our industry depends on. The fact that this scheme is now in its 9th iteration, demonstrates that it is effective for both Freefolk and the new entrants who participate in it.”

Neil Hatton MBE, CEO of UK Screen Alliance

“This is a great opportunity for someone who dreams of a career in VFX but who hasn’t necessarily got relevant – or any – academic background. The only requirement is that they can demonstrate genuine passion for VFX. The lucky candidate will be working with great people who will support their development.”

Steve Davis, Chief Executive of the Advertising Producers Association

How to Apply:

If you’re a budding animator, CG generalist, FX TD or a 2D compositor, you’ll need to submit a two minute reel of your best work to be considered for the one-month paid work placement. Importantly, the reel needs to showcase your skill in either 2D or 3D VFX.

The one month internship will involve experience within Freefolk’s Commercials and Film & Episodic departments. This year’s placement will be hybrid from our central London studio and will take place during the summer months.

Upon selection of your reel, you’ll be invited to meet the Freefolk team to put your case forward for the chance to learn from award winning VFX professionals on both TV and commercial projects.
Applications open Monday 30th March 2026.

The deadline for submissions is midnight on Friday 17th April 2026.

Apply via the Freefolk website here.