VFX house Framestore has unveiled a joint enterprise with Arts University College Bournemouth to create a regional outpost for visual effects preparatory work.

The new Bournemouth studio is being staffed by recent graduates, who will receive training to undertake work for the wider company. It will act as a satellite for overflow work, providing tracking and paint/rotoscope work for large-scale VFX briefs, such as feature films, in Framestore’;s London HQ. The studio could also be used by Framestore offices in New York and Reykjavik.

The decision to establish a regional outpost was taken to ensure Framestore can remain cost-competitive while also supporting the domestic vfx industry. By basing the new enterprise in Bournemouth, Framestore hopes to buck the trend of outsourcing junior-end work to cheap offshore markets while nurturing home-grown talent.

Framestore’;s head of production for film visual effects, Matt Fox came up with idea of setting up a regional satellite: “Partnering with AUCB was the ideal solution”, he explains. “It’;s people that are key to this business, not the technology, and as we already recruit Bournemouth graduates it seemed an ideal place to pilot this initiative. Not only does the Bournemouth studio help us stay competitive, it has the invaluable benefit of helping with recruitment, training and retention. By ensuring our work stays in the UK, we are nurturing the next generation of visual effects artists.”

Professor Jeffrey Baggott, dean of media and performance at AUCB, said: “Our partnership with Framestore enhances the ability of our university to offer employment opportunities to our graduates. This initiative creates a new model for industry and education partnerships. It offers genuine benefits to employers who are eager to identify and develop new talent and to education-seekers who want to develop meaningful and innovative relationships with industry.”