Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1416119
BITS & PIECES PIXOMONDO TO OPEN VIRTUAL PRODUCTION STUDIO IN LONDON LOS ANGELES — VFX and virtual production studio Pixomondo (PXO) is launching a new London division this month, and has appointed Alex Webster as its head of studio. Most recently the managing director of Framestore Pre- Production Services in London, Webster will focus on facili- tating the growth of Pixomondo's (pixomondo.com) virtual production ('VP') services in Europe, working closely with the company's wider management team. Pixomondo currently has three LED volumes either ful- ly operational or under construction in Canada, located in Vancouver and Toronto, and operated in conjunction with production equipment rental specialist William F. White International. Potential locations for the new UK facility are under review. It will be closely integrated with the company's existing German operations, located in Frankfurt and Stuttgart. "Over the last few years, I have witnessed first-hand the speed with which the integration of VP with visualization is reshaping the VFX industry," says Webster. "PXO is driving innovation in this space and making VP central to its workflow, becoming one of the most agile and creative studios working in the industry today. I'm thrilled to be working in close collaboration with the whole PXO team to design and build a state-of-the-art, integrated VP studio, which will combine teams in concept art, previs, virtual art and in-camera VFX with a brand-new LED volume in the UK." At Framestore, Webster built FPS, the company's pre-production division, to more than 120 employees. Prior to that, he was managing director of The Third Floor London and executive producer at VFX boutique Electric Theatre Collective, where he established its sister production company, Friends Electric. Webster's earlier career includes the roles of deputy head of production at MPC, head of content at The Mill and managing director Passion Pictures. "We have our roots in Europe, and Germany remains a central and crucial part of our VFX production and artistry capabilities," states Jonny Slow, PXO CEO. "Adding a London presence to complement this strong foundation, fo- cused on virtual production and run by Alex, will ensure that we can continue to expand our offering to clients, and service the significant amount of demand for these services in the UK and Europe." Slow adds that London is second only to Los Angeles for physical produc- tion services, and home to a significant number of talented crew members. "Virtual production demands that we locate ourselves close to these facil- ities and talent. A significant push during 2020 from the UK Department of International Trade to make the UK a virtual production Centre of Excellence, as well as investment from Mayfair Equity Partners, has allowed this part of our plan to be accelerated. I very much look forward to working with Alex in the years to come." Slow recently relocated back to London to assist with the launch after al- most a decade in Los Angeles and three years at PXO. ZOIC EMPLOYEES CAN WORK REMOTELY INDEFINITELY CULVER CITY, CA — Zoic Studios (www. zoicstudios.com), the Emmy-winning visual effects studio, has announced that it has transitioned to a remote work-first business, embracing workplace shifts spurred by the pandemic. The shift gives all employees the opportunity to work remotely indefinitely. In addition to the globalization of talent afforded by this shift, the company saw success and an uptick in productivity during the pandemic. Zoic will retain its physical offices for employees in Culver City, CA; New York City and Vancouver for in-person collaboration and special projects. The office spaces will also be available to employees as an option to work in-person while adhering to all local health guidelines. Working remotely, the Zoic team of over 400 full-time staffers collaborated on a number of top series, including Netflix's Sweet Tooth, AppleTV+'s See and For All Mankind, WandaVision for Disney+ and Superman & Lois for Warner Bros. Zoic also remained dedicated to the execution of the company's mission of "visual evolution" by doubling down on realtime filmmaking technologies with the launch of Zoic's Real Time Group, which was put to use on many of the aforementioned series. The company also provides opportunities for the team to connect, including monthly all-team meetings to provide transparency and moti- vation from a C-Suite perspective, and seasonal virtual opportunities to socialize. "After everyone settled into their new work-from-home environment, we quickly realized we could be even more creative and effective in delivering high-quality series, commercials and feature film work," notes Zoic Studios' EVP of global productions, Kristen Branan. "Eliminating the long commutes, distractions and white noise that used to make up a typical day, we've dis- covered a newer, stronger Zoic Studios. We've proven to be more productive, cohesive, and efficient in a way we couldn't have foreseen. The outlook of the company and its employees has never been better!" www.postmagazine.com 7 POST SEPT/OCT 2021