Press release from Sony Pictures Imageworks:
Vancouver, British Columbia -- Sony Pictures Imageworks will expand its Vancouver, British Columbia capacity by opening an additional 16,000 square feet of space in the Yaletown area for work on the current productions MEN IN BLACK 3, THE AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN, OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL and Sony Pictures Animation’s HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA now underway.
Imageworks’ established its Vancouver office in 2010. Its growing presence builds on the Vancouver studio’s experience with THE SMURFS production for Sony Pictures Animation and the successful integration of the Canadian team with Imageworks’ Culver City workforce and infrastructure. The new office effectively doubles the floor space. The two Vancouver locations, two blocks apart, are fully connected to Imageworks’ Culver City data center. Imageworks Canada will occupy a total of 32,000 square feet of office space when the new location comes online in March.
“Vancouver today is a vibrant digital production center that offers a strong talent base and significant government incentives vital to our ability to deliver exceptional quality and value to our clients,” said Randy Lake, executive vice-president and general manager of Sony Pictures Imageworks.
"Our government is proud to support an emerging industry and we are pleased to see Sony Pictures Imageworks Canada expand,” said Hon. Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “The company's growth and success confirms British Columbia is a place for business in digital media to grow and prosper.”
“Imageworks Canada here in Vancouver is a true extension of the Culver City studio,” says Rick Mischel, Imageworks’ Senior Vice President of Satellite Production, who is based in Vancouver. “Video conference, large-screen viewing suites that mirror the set-up in Culver City, and data transfer connect the artists here directly to our home base.”
“To have Sony Pictures Imageworks Canada expand their studio space by an additional 16,000 square feet is a great vote of confidence in Vancouver,” said City of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. “We’ve worked hard to make our city a global destination for digital media talent, and are thrilled that Imageworks is putting down deeper roots in Vancouver."
ABOUT SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS
Sony Pictures Imageworks is the Academy Award® winning visual effects and animation unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions known for live-action visual effects and character animation, all-CG animation, and stereoscopic 3D imagery. The company, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is currently in production on MEN IN BLACK 3, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, and the animated feature HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA. Other recent credits include ARTHUR CHRISTMAS (3D), the hybrid live-action/animation film THE SMURFS (3D), THE GREEN LANTERN (3D), ALICE IN WONDERLAND (3D), and CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (3D).