ILM Studio to open operations in Sydney
ILM was founded by George Lucas and has become a massive powerhouse in the art of visual effects. Now, Sydney, Australia is getting its own branch of the visual effects house.
If you’re familiar with the history Star Wars has with Sydney, you’ll know that prequel films, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith were both filmed at Fox Studios. Now, Star Wars is returning to Australia… kind of, and it’s not what you may expect.
The New South Wales government announced it’ll open a new branch of ILM in Sydney. The new studio will create the VFX in The Rise of Skywalker. With the opening of ILM Sydney, it will serve as competition for Australia’s local visual effects house, Animal Logic. The competing studio brought to life Peter Rabbit, which starred Domnhall Gleeson (General Hux) and Daisy Ridley (Rey).
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The Hollywood Reporter reports Luke Hetherington will oversee the Sydney location. He will divide his time between the new studio and Singapore where he serves as an executive.
By the end of the year, the executive creative director and head of ILM Rob Bredow believes there could be up to 50 to 100 employees at the Sydney studio. He hopes this will rise in 2020 as the studio expands. The new studio will be the fifth of the company’s international bases. Other studios are located in Singapore, San Francisco, Vancouver, and London.
Other than The Rise of Skywalker, ILM is working on Terminator: Dark Fate and Jungle Cruise, amongst others. The studio has won 15 Academy Awards for best VFX in its 44-year history. The VFX company has also won 31 Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ILM has also worked themed attractions and TV programs.
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Sound off time! Are there any Sydneysiders who have heard this exciting news? Perhaps you’re a VFX fan! Voice your excitement below!