As Happy Finish is enters it s 10th year we are launching a visual effects division in London's Soho. Our Mumbai studio is moving to new premises in Bandra, we ve recently opened our doors in Shanghai and will be opening a new studio on the US West Coast. Our new CEO, Simon Gosling, tells us more!
Congratulations on reaching 10 years!
Thanks! Not that I can take credit, as I m the new guy, but within the company there s a great sense of achievement. In that time the images we ve helped create for our clients have made us a leading-light in the stills advertising industry. Nike, Mercedes, Sony, Burberry, HSBC, P&G; big brands from every sector have worked with us to create some of the most iconic, award-winning imagery in Advertising.
Why has Happy Finish decided to open a new VFX studio?
It s the next natural step for us. We re passionate about what we do and we want to bring our creative talents to as many sectors of the advertising industry as possible. When we first opened in 2004 we were a retouch company. When advancements in CG made it possible to blend photo-real images with live action, we moved into stills CGI, which now represents a big proportion of our work. 18 months ago we launched our Interactive department, to bring our image creation skills to Apps, games, configurators and AR Experiences.
We often see TV ads, or Digital Displays from campaigns for which we ve produced imagery and notice that brands and agencies are frequently paying a variety of companies to create the same assets more than once. Not only is this inefficient in terms of time and cost, it can also lead to an inconsistency in the look and feel of a cross-platform campaign.
Clients are looking for ways to maximise their budgets, without compromising on quality. They want a one-stop-shop, 360 degree creative solution and our VFX Studio is the final link in the chain which makes this possible. Of course, our Stills, Motion and Interactive departments will engage projects independently of one another, but the goal is to work with clients cross-platform.What services will the VFX department be offering and what makes Happy Finish different to other companies already in the sector?
We ll be offering all the usual grading, compositing and CG tools: Da Vinci Telecine, Smoke, Nuke, Maya, 3DS Max, all brand new and newly installed around a fast network and render farm.
As with any facility though, it s the talent that is most important. We ve put together a roster of some of the most creative and experienced Artists, who ve all worked with the longest standing post facilities on films for the world s biggest brands. Happy Finish has a very flat organisation structure that incentivises our artists to have a real voice on projects and deliver their best work every time, in comparison to more traditional hierarchical organisations. The results speak for themselves.Who will be leading the division, looking after the clients needs in Production?
I m delighted to announce that Alison Quinn will be joining Happy Finish in January as Executive Producer of our new VFX and Animation Studio. Alison is one of the industries best loved and respected VFX Producers, having working previously at Absolute and Prime Focus.
My own career history is steeped in VFX Production experience, from my time with MPC and Framestore. I m really looking forward to working together with Alison and our roster of talent in the launch of this exciting new ventre for Happy Finish.Happy Finish has opened studios in Mumbai and most recently, Shanghai, with Portland Oregan set to launch early in the new year. What are the key reasons for this global expansion?
Mumbai and Shanghai are both exciting, vibrant markets. Our studios there are developing a strong reputation within their local markets for high-end retouch and CGI for stills & animation. Being in these cities extends our reach into neighboring territories, such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Singapore.
Also, with the growth in eCommerce, many of our clients ask us for high-quality retouch on bulk image quantities, but at off-shore prices. We ve sent our most Senior Creative Directors over to Mumbai and Shanghai to train creative local talent to our high-end standards; enabling us to offer a quality eCommerce service at very competitive rates.
In February we open a studio in Portland USA to bolster long standing relationships with existing clients and develop new ones in the US market.
Get in touch for further info on our exciting new developments!