Vancouver’s animation and visual effects market is a growing industry. Year after year you will see more and more films being produced in Hollywood North, many of which feature VFX or digital animation. There is a lot of career opportunity within the field, and the numbers keep growing. Vancouver is already home to some of the biggest animation studios in the film industry today, and smaller ones continue popping up as demand increases.
If you want to begin a career in Animation, 3D Animation, or Visual Effects, here are some Vancouver based companies you should look into.
SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS
One of the biggest of Vancouver’s various studios. They handle both feature animation as well as VFX, and have helped make some huge titles including: Guardians of the Galaxy, Spiderman: Homecoming, Suicide Squad, Hotel Transylvania, the Smurfs, the Angry Birds Movie, Alice: Through the Looking Glass, and many more!
Upcoming: Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse, Smallfoot
BARDEL
Aside from their work in 3D Animation, Bardel is a top contender for Vancouver’s classical animation market. They have worked with some of animation’s biggest names including Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney, Warner Bros, and Dreamworks.
Classical Animation: Rick and Morty, Teen Titans Go!, Harmonquest
3D Animation: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Puss in Boots, Dinotrux
INDUSTRIAL LIGHT AND MAGIC
ILM is a visual effects studio with an expansive and impressive resume. Their VFX has graced films such as Skyscraper, Ant Man and the Wasp, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, and many, many more! Aside from VFX, ILM also handles concept art and visual development.
Upcoming: Captain Marvel, Bumblebee, Aquaman
MOVING PICTURE COMPANY
MPC is a massive company that covers film, advertisements, and much more. With studios all over the globe, including Vancouver, Montreal, London, New York, LA, Amsterdam, Shanghai, and Bangalore, MPC is responsible for blockbusters such as Wonder Woman, Justice League, and the new Mummy starring Tom Cruise.
Upcoming: The Lion King, Shazam!, Godzilla: King of the Monsters
RAINMAKER STUDIOS
Formerly known as Mainframe Entertainment, Rainmaker Studios is responsible for some of the most nostalgia inducing 3D animated shows your mind can fathom. Running for a little over 20 years, Rainmaker developed shows such as the original Reboot, Beast Wars, as well as one of the many Spider-Man series. They also dipped their fingers in feature-film with the video-game based Ratchet & Clank, Escape from Planet Earth, and the WWE collaboration Surf’s Up 2: Wavemania.
Upcoming: Reboot: the Guardian Code, Spy Kids: Mission Control
IMAGINE ENGINE
Imagine Engine is a world-class VFX studio whose portfolio features films like Deadpool, Jurassic Park: the Lost World, District 9, Chappie, and so many more. The company has been around since 1995, and is considered one of the top studios in Vancouver.
Upcoming: Crimes of Grindelwald, Kin, Sacred Lies
TITMOUSE
Titmouse is a full-service animation studio. With locations in Vancouver, LA, and New York, Titmouse has worked with companies such as Adult Swim, Nike, Netflix, and many more. The studio makes lots of content for mature audiences, creating shows like Big Mouth, Metalocalypse, and Son Of Zorn. Titmouse has also made feature films, music videos, virtual reality, commercials, and even worked on some titles in the Guitar Hero video game series.
Upcoming: T.O.T.S, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Foxy Trotter
ZOIC
Zoic is a digital FX studio with locations in Vancouver, New York, and L.A.. They have great experience working in television, film, and advertising. They also dabble in video gaming and virtual reality.
Most Recent: The Adventures of Sabrina, Avengers: Age of Ultron
ATOMIC CARTOONS
Atomic Cartoons is a full service animation studio that has been around since 1999. They have worked on shows such as Atomic Betty, Counterfeit Cat, Johnny Test, World of Quest, and many more.
Most Recent: Princess Wear Pants, 101 Dalmation Street, Super Dinosaur
STARGATE STUDIOS
Founded in 1989, Stargate specializes in digital production and special effects. Stargate Studios has seven major studios all across the globe. Locations include Vancouver, Toronto, L.A., Atlanta, plus international countries such as Malta, Germany, and India.
Most Recent: The Happy-Time Murders, Black Klansman, NCIS, The Walking Dead
If you’re interested in InFocus Film School’s 3D Animation & Visual Effects or Compositing for VFX programs visit www.infocusfilmschool.com for more information.
