The Imaginarium
 | |
| Company type | Production company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Performance capture |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Ealing, , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Andy Serkis, Jonathan Cavendish |
| Services | Film production |
| Website | Official website |
The Imaginarium, also known as Imaginarium Productions, is a production company linked to a digital performance-capture studio The Imaginarium Studios, founded by actor-director Andy Serkis and film producer Jonathan Cavendish in 2011. The studio is dedicated to the invention of believable, emotionally engaging digital characters using performance capture technology. It specialises in applying motion capture technology in film, television and video games. Since 2011, it has provided performance capture for international films including Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015).[1]
History
Andy Serkis first became interested in "cyber-thespianism" when he worked with Peter Jackson at his Weta Workshop in New Zealand for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong (2005).[2] Serkis stated, "People come out of film schools not equipped with the skills for doing anything other than shooting kitchen sink drama. We need to change our mindset, cross-fertilise our talent and encourage writers, directors and producers to think on a much larger scale."[2]
Serkis partnered with Jonathan Cavendish in 2009, opening The Imaginarium officially in 2011 after securing a permanent place at Ealing Studios in London.[3] In January 2012 the studio signed an agreement with Vicon, the world's largest supplier of precision motion tracking systems.[4]
In May 2017, The Imaginarium Studios was subject to a management buyout having lost £4.2 million over the preceding two years.[5] The company went into administration on 15 May 2017 facing insolvency due to project delays.[6]
The first feature film produced by The Imaginarium, Breathe, directed by Serkis (also the story of Robin Cavendish, the father of Serkis' business partner, Jonathan) and starring Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander, and Hugh Bonneville, was the opening night gala presentation of the 2017 BFI London Film Festival.[7]
Filmography
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
- War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
- Breathe (2017; production studio)
- The Ritual (2017; production studio)
- Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018; production studio)
- No One Gets Out Alive (2021; production studio)[8]
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
Upcoming
- Next Goal Wins (2023; production studio)
- Animal Farm[9] (TBA)
- The Last House on Needless Street (TBA)[10]
- Dr. Wolf (2024)[11]
TV shows
- Fungus The Bogeyman (2015)
- Death and Nightingales (2018)
- The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself[12] (2022)
Music videos
- "Adventure of a Lifetime" by Coldplay (2015)
Theatre
- The Tempest, part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2016–17 season.[13]
Video games
- Battlefield 1 (2016)
- Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017)
- Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier (2017)
- Star Citizen (TBA)
References
- ^ "The Imaginarium". Theimaginariumstudios.com. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
- ^ a b "Andy Serkis plans UK motion-capture studio". TheGuardian.com. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
- ^ "Andy Serkis Talks Imaginarium Project at Cannes". Pastemagazine.com. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- ^ "Andy Serkis: from Gollum to studio boss". Financial Times. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ Barton, Seth (8 May 2017). "Andy Serkis' Imaginarium Studios to restructure with management buy-out". MCV. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ "THE IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS: Filing History". Companies House. UK Government. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (29 June 2017). "'Breathe' Trailer: Andy Serkis-Helmed Pic Starring Andrew Garfield & Claire Foy To Open London Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
- ^ Squires, John (8 September 2020). "'The Ritual' Writer Adam Nevill's Horror Novel 'No One Gets Out Alive' Being Turned into a Netflix Movie". Bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Lambie, Ryan (12 July 2017). "Andy Serkis interview: War For The Planet Of The Apes". Den of Geek. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (17 March 2021). "The Imaginarium's Andy Serkis & Jonathan Cavendish In Film Deal For Catriona Ward Novel 'The Last House On Needless Street'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Mitovich, Matt (October 20, 2023). "Zachary Quinto's Dr. Wolf Ordered to Series at NBC". TVLine.
- ^ Ravindran, Manori (13 December 2020). "Netflix Unveils New U.K. Projects With Sam Mendes, Rowan Atkinson, Andy Serkis". Variety.com. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ "Tech comes to The Tempest in new RSC production". Creative Review. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
