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The Beast Makers (Montpellier, France) and Minimo VFX (Barcelona/Gran Canaria) have announced an alliance, aiming to create what could become “the largest independent CG character workshop” as well as a rigging department that can serve the industry.
“Adapt or Close Down”
The CEOs of the studios, Felix Balbas and Christophe Petit, mentioned that they have spent the last two years contemplating this strategy to confirm its validity.
Christophe Petit explained that this alliance is a path that makes sense for both companies:
After difficult years in our sector, it was either close down or evolve. We chose the second option and created a joint venture that allows us to share knowledge, technologies, talents, and tax benefits for our clients in France and Spain.
The Beast Makers and Minimo explained us that this alliance will take place in two phases.
The partnership will unfold in two phases. The first phase merges the two teams into a single group that can operate as one entity in the eyes of clients, when a specific project allows. The benefits are clear: the ability to expand market reach by combining Latin and French-speaking markets, offering various tax incentives (Spain, France, Canary Islands), while enhancing overall technological quality by combining the skills of two world-class artist groups, highly specialized in the traditionally complex field of creature and character development and setup.
The second phase of this partnership is the creation of a third entity, focused on intellectual property development, creating tools to facilitate character-centric content production: some designed to assist users and VFX and animation studios, others aggressively targeting the metaverse, commercial avatars, and high-end digital actors. This side of the business also allows for the production of both linear and non-linear content.
Practically speaking, the team clarified that the brands and operational offices will remain unchanged. The upcoming new company it is solely for managing the intellectual properties of The Beast Makers and Minimo.
Felix Balbas highlighted the importance of real-time technology:
We have also identified new markets that can utilize our expertise, and they all move in the direction of real-time technology, which we are also heading towards.
Finally, the companies stated they are open to investors and partnerships with other entities.
A booth at Annecy
To learn more about this alliance, visit The Beast Makers and Minimo VFX at the Annecy Festival/MIFA, booth A.09.
