Ottawa’s Mercury Filmworks (Hilda, pictured) and Angoulême/Paris/Montreal-based prodco Blue Spirit Studios (What If…?) have joined forces to launch a bespoke animation design and production service called Seraphim.

With a focus on serving 2D-animated and CG-animated projects, Seraphim will be able to offer producers wide-ranging services from the visual development phase to post-production. With its first yet-to-be-revealed client already signed on, the joint venture is casting a net for high-end films in the $30 million to $50 million budget range, as well as series with premium and episodic budgets.

The venture merges Mercury’s expertise in 2D animation with Blue Spirit’s familiarity with CG animation to help Seraphim adapt to the specific creative/production needs of each project. It also provides access to Mercury and Blue Spirit’s multi-territory production hubs, which can help projects qualify for tax credits and other financial incentives.

Mercury Filmworks CEO Clint Eland said in a statement that the timing is strong for Seraphim as an answer to a significant market demand for “reliable sophisticated animation capabilities for big-budget series and movies.”

The new venture won’t impact Mercury or Blue Spirit’s original projects or existing service work, and the companies will continue to separately take on animation service work outside of Seraphim.

This story first appeared in Kidscreen

Image courtesy of Mercury Filmworks