INTRODUCTION FACILITIES 50


SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL The VFX boom, in particular, has also led to structural changes in the UK, say some. “In general, the industry has thus far maintained the level of buoyancy we saw in 2021 - this has possibly influenced the changes in the VFX landscape, particularly in London where bigger companies are fragmenting and smaller studios are regularly opening,” says Absolute. Time Based Arts too says, “a proliferation in smaller post production companies, often started by former heads of department, has seen some of the bigger facilities looking more vulnerable.” Unit says “The hold on the industry from large corporates is slipping with the advent of staff splintering off from those companies to form independents” and Selected Works says that “innovation in technology has eliminated the legacy advantages of bigger companies serving the sector. As a result, smaller companies have challenged the big firms for top tier projects.”


TAXING TIMES But whatever size of company is winning inward investment jobs, much of that is dependent on the UK tax breaks system keeping pace with global competitors. Right now, the UK is starting to slip in that regard. “As production budgets get even further squeezed with the rise of inflation, we’re seeing rebate chasing at an all-time high. It’s sad and frustrating to lose so many fantastic projects to other territories with better tax rebates,” says BlueBolt. Cinesite


1


SURVEY


too sees “vfx heading out of the UK to Canada due to limited vfx tax rebates in the UK.” Clear Cut is among many saying, “updates to UK tax incentives could further increase inward production investment.” The UK government is currently running a consultation on screen sector tax breaks, with a focus on vfx and animation, and post sector trade body UK Screen Alliance and Animation UK are campaigning for a vfx tax break change that would put the UK on a level playing field with other territories.


HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE The pandemic accelerated many changes in the post and VFX sector and “remote working has gone from being niche to being mainstream,” says Twickenham. And that has ramped up the globalisation of much post and vfx work. “The location of a facility is far less important than it was.” Says Axis: “In a positive way


[remote working] will affect the scale and location of our UK based studios allowing us to better tackle the growing opportunities.” Lipsync says the acceptance of hybrid working “has opened up opportunities for working with people all around the globe and we see this becoming permanent.” Cinelab says that “one of the


massive benefits of remote working is that we are supporting more and more international productions, with virtual labs and remote dailies.” Company 3 says, “we have always seen ourselves as a global organisation, but we increasingly work across geographical


INNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY HAS ELIMINATED THE LEGACY ADVANTAGES OF


BIGGER COMPANIES SERVING THE SECTOR


SELECTED WORKS


1 Molinare worked on The Tinder Swindler 2 Clear Cut worked on Hunted


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Winter 2022


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televisual.com


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