The Quebec government is infusing the Montreal based visual effects studio Framestore with $1 million to expand its operations. Framestore Studio is a Quebec subsidiary of Guidedraw Ltd., which produced Oscar-winning effects for the Hollywood film Gravity.
Premier Philippe Couillard said he met with the company’s co-founder, William Sargent, in London last year and they spoke about helping the company grow.
The investment will help create 150 high-paying, specialised jobs, according to the government.
The Montreal studio opened in January 2013 and has grown exponentially over the last two years. The company also has offices in New York and Los Angeles.
The loan will help Framestore improve and upgrade its workspace, including buying new IT materials. Economy Minister Jacques Daoust was on hand for the announcement, and said the studio expansion will help attract more big-budget films that require quality animation work to Montreal.
The government’s contribution brings the total amount to $4 million being invested to expand the company so far.
The Indian government could well take a leaf out of Quebec’s book and help the animation and VFX industry not only grow domestically, but also look at becoming a global force by supporting them with the right policies and financial benefits.
