CRAFTY APES EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE / LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL GROWTH STRATEGY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH EGG VFX AND KEY EXECUTIVE PRODUCER HIRE

Partnership Extends European Footprint in Highly Attractive Ireland Market

Key Hire to Drive International Commercialization Efforts in Europe

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19, 2023 /CNW/ -- Crafty Apes, a full-service visual effects powerhouse with eight production facilities across North America and Europe, today announced the expansion of its international growth strategy, with a number of new global initiatives designed to strengthen its existing capabilities and enter compelling new markets and verticals. As part of these efforts, the company has formed a strategic partnership with EGG Post and VFX ("EGG"), a premier Dublin-based post-production and visual effects company, and has appointed Gracie Edscer, an industry-leading business development veteran, as Executive Producer, based in London.

Strategic Partnership Extends European Footprint into Ireland

Through this alliance, the companies will leverage each other's VFX services, with Crafty Apes providing creative leadership, as well as a robust workforce of more than 350 VFX artists and production staff to key Ireland-based projects, from principal photography into post-production. EGG will also provide local VFX resources as well as offline and online editorial, sound design and mixing, dailies, color and finishing.

"Partnering with EGG provides Crafty Apes with a timely and valuable entry into Ireland's thriving post and VFX market, which continues to see growing demand and interest from major U.S. clients, driven by Ireland's incredibly skilled and motivated workforce and favorable business climate," said Alana Newell, Crafty Apes' CEO. "Under Gary and Gareth's leadership, EGG is a world-class partner that is closely aligned with our values, principles and long-term vision and ambitions."

EGG Co-founders Gary Shortall and Gareth Young said, "We're delighted to be joining forces with Crafty Apes, an iconic International VFX company. Ireland is a strong VFX hub in Europe, and EGG and Crafty Apes both have experience servicing high-profile, large-scale projects for many years in our respective markets. This alliance opens the door to a wider international client base for EGG and gives Crafty Apes direct access to the European market."

Senior EP Hire Gracie Edscer to Further Accelerate Sales Efforts in UK and North America

In her role as Executive Producer, Edscer will be responsible for furthering commercial sales and business development efforts across Crafty's geographies.

Edscer brings more than 15 years of VFX production experience to Crafty Apes. She joins Crafty Apes from MPC, where she held a number of VFX roles of increasing responsibility throughout her tenure, including most recently serving as Executive Producer of Business Development. In her role, she will work closely with the Crafty Apes EP team and new partner EGG, to serve customers across Europe and the UK. Throughout her career, she has provided cutting-edge VFX support on a number of highly recognizable and successful films, including The Chronicles of Narnia series, Guardians of the Galaxy, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1, Skyfall and Percy Jackson & the Lighting Thief.

"Gracie brings a wealth of expertise, knowledge and a deep network of relationships to the Crafty Apes team," says Newell. "We are confident she will have an immediate impact in supporting our international expansion efforts in the highly attractive VFX markets of Europe and the UK.  I look forward to working closely with her to accelerate our commercialization efforts.

Crafty Apes' recent credits include The Last of Us, Stranger Things, The Holdovers, John Wick: Chapter 4, and Creed III, among others. Some of EGG's recent credits include Bad Sisters, Evil Dead Rise, Good Omens, The Woman King, World on Fire and Intergalactic, which received a 2022 BAFTA nomination for Best Visual Effects.

About Crafty Apes

Crafty Apes is a full-service visual effects company started in Los Angeles, with additional studios in Atlanta, New York, Baton Rouge, Albuquerque, London, Montreal and Vancouver. Beginning as a VFX studio for film and TV, Crafty Apes has grown to include a talented roster of creative and production supervisors that offer set supervision, VFX consultation and high-end CG and previsualization services. Crafty Apes' work can be seen on fan-favorite and critically-acclaimed films such as The Creator, The Holdovers, I'm a Virgo and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as well as top episodic series including Star Trek: Discovery, Only Murders in the Building, The Last of Us, and Shadow and Bone, to name a few. For more information, visit craftyapes.com.

Crafty Apes Media Contact:

Storyline Public Relations
Marilyn Lintel
[email protected]

About EGG Post and VFX

EGG Post and VFX is a Dublin-based post production and visual effects company specializing in feature film, television drama and documentary services. EGG is a founding member of the Visual Effects Society of Ireland (VFXAI), where they work to promote Ireland as a premier VFX destination with talented companies producing top-notch visual effects for domestic and international markets. Recent film credits include Evil Dead Rise and The Woman King, with TV credits including Doctor Who, Bad Sisters, Bodies, Good Omens, The Gone, Deep Fake Neighbour Wars, World on Fire and Intergalactic, which received a 2022 BAFTA nomination for Best Visual Effects. For more information, visit www.egg.ie

EGG Media Contact:

Dhruba Banerjee- MD, EGG VFX
[email protected] 

SOURCE Crafty Apes