VANCOUVER, CANADA – Cinesite (cinesite.com) recently announced that Shawn Walsh will lead its VFX divisions across Cinesite and partner studios Image Engine, FX3X and Trixter, serving as group chief operation officer, VFX. Walsh will drive all aspects of group VFX production, client relations and business development across Cinesite and partner studios from Vancouver, where he will work closely with heads of studio & chief business development officer Drew Jones.
For the past 17 years, Walsh has been a driving force of the senior management team at Image Engine. In 2016, he became the general manager of the Vancouver studio that Cinesite acquired in 2015. He has played an important role in securing projects from a diverse range of clientele, including Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Studios, Lionsgate Entertainment and MRC Studios. Most recently, he executive produced the visual effects for Image Engine’s contribution to Game of Thrones, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Carnival Row, Lost in Space, The Mandalorian and Mulan.
Walsh joined Image Engine in 2005 and went on to become a partner while building up a roster of credits that include The Incredible Hulk, District 9, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, White House Down and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Prior to that, he spent several years abroad, where he honed his skills as a senior lighting technical director and compositor at Rhythm and Hues, The Moving Picture Company and ESC Entertainment. He is a member of the Steering Committee for the Animation & Visual Effects Alliance of BC, and a member of the Visual Effects Society.
“Being part of the Cinesite group for the past eight years has been a fantastic opportunity for me to experience the inner workings of a dynamic and industry leading entertainment service studio,” says Walsh. “Our industry has evolved dramatically in the last few years, and Cinesite has positioned itself well to capitalise on exciting new opportunities...I am extremely proud to be joining a global team that is continuously pushing the boundaries in visual effects.”