VANCOUVER — Glendale, CA-based VFX and digital lab Mechnology has opened a new studio in Vancouver, BC. The studio has worked on Hell on Wheels, Without a Trace, House and
Southland in the past, and according to company founder and president Chip Potter (pictured), the new studio is a response to increased client production in Vancouver and the desire to allow clients to take advantage of the favorable business climate supported by British Columbia.
"The future for Hollywood and corporate brands is what we call transmedia storytelling," he says. "The new generation of visual artists is eager to work on this scale, moving from a movie, to television, to social game, to mobile app. Mechnology is designing a studio where artists can function at a high level by accessing our visual effects and digital lab to develop and promote their reels, games and apps.”
Sean Bowers joins the company to serve as general manager of the new location. Bowers previously held various producer and post production positions with Syfy, Screen Siren/Hasbro/HUB, Hallmark/E1, Lionsgate and Alliance Atlantis.
Kirsten Sharp has also joined the company as a visual effects producer. She was previously at digital production studio/creative agency Goldtooth Creative, and has also spent time at Rainmaker Entertainment, Mainframe Entertainment and Vanguard Animation/Starz Entertainment.
Stephen Lebed, who is a partner in Mechnology with Potter, says there is a huge talent pool in Vancouver to tap into. "And along with that, Mechnology has always been a place where we train artists in visual effects,” says Lebed. “Most of our artist trainees have stayed with us for years. We've already begun training the next generation of 3D and 2D artists. We have been very fortunate to find the team that we have in place here and we're looking forward to the challenges ahead."