‘Book Of Life’ Maker Reel FX Launches New Studio In Montreal

Reel FX, the Dallas, Texas headquartered animation studio, announced today that it is launching a satellite studio in Montreal. The new studio will serve as a hub for the studio’s feature film division, Reel FX Animation Studios, and will also be an outpost for the company’s commercial and vr/ar efforts.

“We’re aggressively ramping production in Montreal for a short list of theatrical budget animated film projects and more things to come,” said Reel FX CEO Steve O’Brien.

The studio has previously produced two features of its own – Jimmy Hayward’s Free Birds (2013) and Jorge Gutierrez’s The Book of Life (2014) – as well as worked as a service studio on other features, like the Chinese film Rock Dog (2016). It’s currently known to be working on the Robert Rodriguez-directed Ugly Doll feature film, based on the popular toy line.

The phase one studio build-out will house up to 220 artists, with additional plans to grow in the future. The Montreal studio (pictured above) is located in Pointe-Saint-Charles, near the city’s downtown district, in the historical building Le Nordelec, which was recently renovated into an urban loft development with commercial, retail, and residential units.

“Montreal has seen major growth in feature animation production in the last several years and we are excited to be a part of such a thriving creative community,” said Reel FX senior vice president of animation, David Parrish. “With the lineup of inspiring projects we have in the chute, we look forward to working closely with so many talented Montreal artists.”

In addition to Reel FX’s Texas studio, the company also has a West Coast office, which recently moved into a new location in Hollywood.