Prime Focus animator joins Envy

Martin Allan, who helped set up Prime Focus’ independently run Amazing Spectacles just over a year ago, joined Envy this week as head of 3D/animation.

“As a facility, we are already working on animation projects but we want to take it to a new level,” Envy founder and managing director Dave Cadle told Broadcast.

“Every commercial script we look at contains a bit of CGI, whether it’s character animation or smaller elements such as fudging what has already been shot.

“3D animation has always been a bit of a soft touch for us as we’ve mainly used freelancers. As an animator and director, Martin’s appointment is what we need for more repeat business.”

Allan, whose credits include commercial work as well as idents for BBC2, C5, ITV and the on-air branding of Al-Jazeera’s children’s channel, has the task of building the post house’s animation capacity from nine seats to 15.

Envy is also investing £450,000 in the expansion of its 3D and grading departments, with the addition of a third Baselight and Baselight Assist, which will mainly be used for short-form work, as well as providing extra grading capacity for the facility’s long-form projects.

“Agencies demand Baselight and the big branding guys such as Red Bee and C4 want to push what they have shot on the new generation of cameras,” Cadle said.

Envy is also seeking to boost its finishing capacity with more online suites for long-form work.