Atomic Fiction sets up operations in Greater Montréal

Visual effects studio expects to create 100 jobs

MONTRÉAL, Sept. 25, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - California-based Atomic Fiction, a world-renowned visual effects studio that has gained fame for its work on movies such as Star Trek Into Darkness, Transformers Age of Extinction, Need for Speed and Flight, has announced it is opening a subsidiary in Greater Montréal.

"Atomic Fiction is extremely excited about expanding to Montréal. We're putting down our roots by committing to a six-year lease on a wonderful custom-designed space just off of Place des Arts downtown, and welcoming 100 talented people to our family over the course of the next three years," said Kevin Baillie, co-founder of Atomic Fiction. "It's important to note that we don't consider this a satellite. It's a flagship studio, and we're building a culture that allows artists to thrive, develop their careers and create amazing work. We're seeing a lot of excitement from the local VFX community because artists see us as a unique addition to Montréal."

The first project for the Montréal office will be The Walk, co-produced, co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future I, II & III, Forest Gump, Flight). This will be a shining example of Atomic Fiction's bi-coastal team working together using the company's industry leading, cloud-based infrastructure. "We're looking forward to working closely with Montréal's educators, artists, software companies, and fellow VFX studios to help make what's already one of the best places in the world to do VFX work even better," added Baillie.

"Atomic Fiction's decision to set up operations in Montréal is further evidence of our attractiveness to foreign companies that operate in leading-edge sectors. We now have a significant core of special effects studios that have chosen Québec for its dynamic economic base that is open to the world and boasts a creative and highly-trained workforce," said Jacques Daoust, Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Exports. "The prospecting work done by Montréal International and Investissement Québec has yielded results that highlight the distinctive advantages of Montréal in its most attractive sectors."

"The Montréal metropolitan region is recognized the world over as a film and TV production centre. The sustained joint efforts by the government, its partners, industry players and artists helped pave the way for Atomic Fiction's decision to open a subsidiary in Montréal. The spin-offs resulting from the sustained growth of this flourishing sector of Québec's economy include the creation of high-quality jobs, which directly contributes to the metropolis' economic vitality," said Robert Poëti, Minister of Transport and Minister responsible for the Montréal region.

"Greater Montréal has in recent years built a solid reputation in the visual effects industry and the region's assets have impressed Hollywood producers," said Dominique Anglade, President and CEO of Montréal International. "The creativity of the industry's artisans, the concentration of renowned VFX studios and competitive operating costs contribute to our global profile."

About Atomic Fiction (www.atomicfiction.com)
Atomic Fiction is an award winning visual effects studio making waves by combining talent and technology in a truly unique way. The company has embraced cloud computing, is small in size but benefits from a scalable 'big shop' infrastructure, and employs an exceptional team who wield a generalist approach to get the job done. The studio recently completed work on two Oscar-nominated films, Star Trek Into Darkness and The Lone Ranger. The company's Emmy-nominated work can been seen in Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, as well as Flight, Looper and the upcoming release The Walk. Atomic Fiction was founded in 2010. The company is headquartered in Oakland, California, and has offices in Los Angeles and Montréal.

About Montréal International (www.montrealinternational.com)
Created in 1996, Montréal International is the result of a private-public partnership. Its mission is to act as an economic driver for Greater Montréal to attract foreign wealth while accelerating the success of its partners and clients. 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 attract $10.6 billion in foreign direct investments to Greater Montréal. And these investments have contributed to creating or maintaining close to 52,000 jobs. To date, Montréal International has also supported almost half of the city's 60 international organizations in setting up their operations in the area, while helping attract and retain more than 9,000 highly skilled foreign workers.

SOURCE: Montréal International

Marc Sadeghi, President, Visual Effects, Atomic Fiction, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]; Céline Clément, Public Relations Director, Montréal International, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]; Geraldine Morales, BD&M Coordinator, Atomic Fiction, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]