Visual Effects Company Framestore [1]is marking a busy period of film VFX production by announcing the appointment of Fiona Walkinshaw and Matt Fox as Joint Managing Directors, Film. Together, the pair will head all Framestore's film activities on a worldwide basis.
The announcement coincides with a successful 2013 slate which includes Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (Warner Brothers); Carl Rinsch's 47 Ronin with Keanu Reeves (Universal); Shane Black's Iron Man 3 featuring Robert Downey Jr and Guy Pearce (Marvel); José Padilha's Robocop starring Samuel L.Jackson and Gary Oldman (MGM); Ben Stiller's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Fox); Paul King's Paddington Bear (Studio Canal); Andy and Lana Wachowski's Jupiter Ascending with Mila Kunis (Warner Brothers); and Doug Liman's All You Need Is Kill featuring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt (Warner Brothers).
Management of Framestore's film department will be split by Walkinshaw taking responsibility for securing new business and dialogue with the creative and studio communities, whilst Fox will focus on ensuring smooth operation across all film work and joined-up management of Framestore's worldwide offices. Framestore's new global film management strategy follows 2012's successful initiative to direct Framestore's advertising work as an integrated and global entity.
Walkinshaw, previously Director of VFX Production, is a Framestore stalwart and has been instrumental in developing the company into an internationally recognised, Oscar-winning film VFX house. She has risen through the ranks, producing VFX for Framestore's most notable features before taking lead of the film department from 2002 onwards. Most recently, she has been Executive Producer on Gravity, one of Framestore's most complex projects to date. Her new role as Joint MD will see her continue to secure new business whilst overseeing film development, tests, bids and long term strategy.
Fox joined Framestore in 2005 as Senior VFX Producer after working on commercials and broadcast projects. Having produced some of Framestore's flagship longform and film work, in 2010 Fox was appointed Head of VFX Production to lead a team of over 30 people. In his new role, Fox will continue to oversee smooth management of the film department, but with more of a global focus.
Framestore's CEO and Co-Founder, William Sargent, said: "Fiona and Matt have worked alongside our creative, production and technology leadership to establish an incredibly strong platform for 2013. The film team is working across seven of this year's biggest releases, including the delivery of Gravity, which has set new advances in film making. All this and we are also bidding on a number of major productions with several different studios. With Fiona and Matt now officially at the helm, this growth is set to continue, despite competitive conditions."
Source: Framestore
Links:
[1] http://www.framestore.com