Jellyfish Pictures Expands Becoming World’s Largest Virtual VFX and Animation Studio

We are absolutely over the moon to announce the opening of our new state of the art studio in Brixton. After 18 years, Jellyfish Pictures has left Soho, bringing its HQ to South London. The new studio is in addition to its other four studios, which include two in Oval, one in Brixton and their studio in Sheffield. With all five locations, the studio now has a capacity of 350, increasing staff numbers by over 40%.

We’ve had a spate of big productions come in, including an animated feature; that project alone will be 200 people strong at its height early in the new year. Coming to the end of our lease and outgrowing our office in Soho, we had two options - get another office in Soho or move out entirely. The extra space, technology and opportunity to make a difference with a stunning new studio in the creative hub of Brixton, where we already have a studio, against the high rents, rates and small spaces in W1 made the decision an easy one in the end.

Phil Dobree, Co-Founder and CEO, Jellyfish Pictures

Environment is very important to me. If we had stayed in Soho we never would have been able to create what we have done here. I wanted to have a studio which connected all the artists, where we could share knowledge and promote collaboration – even if they are on different projects. The new studio is 100 metres long, we are all on the same level; that is the equivalent of taking the whole building of where we were in Margaret Street. Even having something as simple as stairs creates barriers. Another, quite personal, reason I am proud of this facility, is that we are contributing to an increasing creative industry in Brixton. We have been able to work with the community and schools trying to raise awareness of creative career opportunities. I love the area and my children were brought up here, being able to contribute in a big way to the community is amazing and something we just couldn’t do in Westminster.

Phil Dobree, Co-Founder and CEO, Jellyfish Pictures

And it’s not just a new building. We have fully committed to going virtual, having moved all our IT infrastructure to a co-location. The largest facility in the world working in this way, Jellyfish have pioneered the idea of VFX and Animation studios working virtually for the past five years. Gone are the days of whirring heavy-duty computers and an expensive comms room to maintain. With the other studios taking the lead from our Oval facilities, which have been operating in this model since they opened in 2016, we are able to scale up and down according to their requirements, using Teradici’s PCoIP technology to connect to the storage in the co-location.

In addition to the IT infrastructure, a considerable amount of investment has been made into the technology implemented throughout the studio. Part of the new way forward with global working means having seamless and efficient channels of communication. All meeting rooms have been equipped with the latest Crestron/Extron display systems, allowing producers and artists to access a dual network where they can have a video conference with the client on one screen and use the other screen to view content that is on the secure TPN network. Part of the system also includes audio management, fitted with Biamp microphones hanging from the ceiling to pick up audio from any angle in the room. This system also allows noise and interference cancelling to help manage dual audio sources.

We are ecstatic to be fully immersed in our Brixton home.