125 new jobs in the next three years - BUF sets up in Greater Montréal, pioneer region of 3D digital imaging

MONTREAL, March 10, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - France-based BUF, a leading European special effects and animation company, has announced it is opening a subsidiary in Greater Montréal.

"Montréal is a young and dynamic city with an outstanding digital imaging background. Softimage revolutionized the visual effects world almost 30 years ago, and since then, the metropolis has continued to innovate and has made a name for itself on the international level," said Pierre Buffin, founding President and CEO of BUF.

BUF Canada will create some 80 new jobs within their first year and has the ability to expand to 125 artists within the next 3 years. The company will create and develop computer-generated images for movies and animation productions. Its presence in Greater Montréal will bolster the cinema sector and create significant economic spin-offs for the film-production community.

BUF Canada will be setting up a research and development department to create new special effects software. "By developing new and original products, we will offer our customers new production and visualization techniques. We are committed to training young artists so they can develop their skills throughout the entire production chain. The know-how they acquire will enable them to become visual effects and animation experts and, ultimately, supervisors," added Buffin

"BUF has always been a trailblazer in the visual effects industry, constantly exploring new ideas to produce outstanding high-quality images. Greater Montréal is known for being an intensely creative place—there's no doubt that BUF will find it to be a breeding ground for talent that lives up to its expectations," said Dominique Anglade, President and CEO of Montréal International.

About BUF (www.buf.com)
Founded in 1984, BUF has contributed to the success of more than 75 films and 800 commercials. The company has taken part in numerous projects, such as The City of Lost Children, Fight Club, Matrix, Avatar, Thor, Batman Begins, Batman: The Dark Knight, and more recently Life of Pi (2013 Academy Award for visual effects), and Wong Kar Wai's The Grand Master (2013 Golden Horse Award for Best Visual Effects).

BUF has developed its own software since its inception, enabling it to adapt each project to the director's needs. BUF is one of the world's few visual effects companies that uses its own software from pre-visualization to final rendering.

The company has a capacity of up to 300 artists and engineers at its offices in Montréal, France and Belgium. AngeleFine Productions, an in-house development and production arm, is an integral part of BUF's ability to attract international clientele.

About Montréal International (www.montrealinternational.com)
Created in 1996, Montréal International (MI) is the result of a private-public partnership. Its mission is to contribute to the economic development of Greater Montréal and enhance its international status. Its mandates include attracting foreign direct investments, international organizations and international strategic workers as well as promoting the competitive and international environment of Greater Montréal. Montréal International—a non-profit organization—is funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Québec, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (Montréal Metropolitan Community) and the City of Montréal.

Since its creation, Montréal International has helped to attract $10.6 billion in foreign direct investments to Greater Montréal. From these investments, 52,000 jobs have been created or maintained. To date, MI's activities have also allowed almost half of some 60 international organizations to establish themselves in the city and attract and retain more than 9,000 international strategic workers.

SOURCE: Montréal International

Céline Clément, Communications Advisor, Montréal International, Tel.: [phone], Cell: 514 892-4030, [email protected]; Nicolas Delval, VFX Producer, BUF CANADA, 438 800-1754, [email protected]