The Imaginarium
{{Short description|UK film production company}}
{{Infobox company
|name = The Imaginarium
|logo = The_Imaginarium_Studios_logo.jpg
|logo_size = 330px
|type = Production company
|area_served = Worldwide
|key_people = Andy Serkis, Jonathan Cavendish
|industry = Performance capture
|products =
|services = Film production
|revenue =
|operating_income =
|net_income =
|owner =
|num_employees =
|parent =
|divisions =
|subsid =
|footnotes =
|intl =
|foundation = 2011
|location_city = London
|location_country = United Kingdom
|location = Ealing
|caption =
|homepage = {{Official website|http://www.imaginariumuk.com}}
|dissolved =
}}
The Imaginarium, also known as Imaginarium Productions, is a production company linked to a digital performance-capture studio The Imaginarium Studios, founded by actor-director Andy Serkis and film producer Jonathan Cavendish in 2011. The studio is dedicated to the invention of believable, emotionally engaging digital characters using performance capture technology. It specialises in applying motion capture technology in film, television and video games. Since 2011, it has provided performance capture for international films including Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015).{{cite web|title=The Imaginarium|url=http://www.theimaginariumstudios.com|website=Theimaginariumstudios.com|access-date=5 October 2012}}
History
File:Andy Serkis by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg]]
Andy Serkis first became interested in "cyber-thespianism" when he worked with Peter Jackson at his Weta Workshop in New Zealand for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong (2005). Serkis stated, "People come out of film schools not equipped with the skills for doing anything other than shooting kitchen sink drama. We need to change our mindset, cross-fertilise our talent and encourage writers, directors and producers to think on a much larger scale."{{cite web|title=Andy Serkis plans UK motion-capture studio|website=TheGuardian.com|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/apr/23/andy-serkis-motion-capture-studio|access-date=5 October 2012|date=23 April 2010}}
Serkis partnered with Jonathan Cavendish in 2009, opening The Imaginarium officially in 2011 after securing a permanent place at Ealing Studios in London.{{cite web|title=Andy Serkis Talks Imaginarium Project at Cannes|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2010/05/andy-serkis-talks-imaginarium-project-at-cannes.html|website=Pastemagazine.com|access-date=8 October 2012|date=13 May 2010}} In January 2012 the studio signed an agreement with Vicon, the world's largest supplier of precision motion tracking systems.{{Cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/4e21434c-18be-11e2-80af-00144feabdc0.html#slide0|title=Andy Serkis: from Gollum to studio boss|work=Financial Times|access-date= 21 February 2018}}
In May 2017, The Imaginarium Studios was subject to a management buyout having lost £4.2 million over the preceding two years.{{cite web |last1=Barton |first1=Seth |title=Andy Serkis' Imaginarium Studios to restructure with management buy-out |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/business/andy-serkis-imaginarium-studios-to-restructure-with-management-buy-out |website=MCV |access-date=6 July 2018 |language=en-us |date=8 May 2017}} The company went into administration on 15 May 2017 facing insolvency due to project delays.{{cite web |title=THE IMAGINARIUM STUDIOS: Filing History |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/07573638/filing-history |website=Companies House |publisher=UK Government |access-date=18 December 2018}}
The first feature film produced by The Imaginarium, Breathe, directed by Serkis (also the story of Robin Cavendish, the father of Serkis' business partner, Jonathan) and starring Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander, and Hugh Bonneville, was the opening night gala presentation of the 2017 BFI London Film Festival.{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/andy-serkis-breathe-opening-night-london-film-festival-andrew-garfield-claire-foy-trailer-1202121809/|title='Breathe' Trailer: Andy Serkis-Helmed Pic Starring Andrew Garfield & Claire Foy To Open London Film Festival|last=Tartaglione|first=Nancy|date=29 June 2017|work=Deadline|access-date= 7 September 2017|language=en-US}}
Filmography
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
- War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)
- Breathe (2017; production studio)
- The Ritual (2017; production studio)
- Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018; production studio)
- No One Gets Out Alive (2021; production studio){{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3630837/ritual-writer-adam-nevills-horror-novel-no-one-gets-alive-turned-netflix-movie/|title='The Ritual' Writer Adam Nevill's Horror Novel 'No One Gets Out Alive' Being Turned into a Netflix Movie|first=John|last=Squires|website=Bloody-disgusting.com|date=8 September 2020|access-date=12 November 2021}}
- Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
- Next Goal Wins (2023; production studio)
=Upcoming=
- Animal Farm{{cite web|last1=Lambie|first1=Ryan|title=Andy Serkis interview: War For The Planet Of The Apes|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/andy-serkis/50478/andy-serkis-interview-war-for-the-planet-of-the-apes|website=Den of Geek|access-date=21 February 2018|language=en|date=12 July 2017}} (2025)
- The Last House on Needless Street (TBA){{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/andy-serkis-the-last-house-on-needless-street-catriona-ward-jonathan-cavendish-imaginarium-productions-movie-deal-1234716475/|title=The Imaginarium's Andy Serkis & Jonathan Cavendish In Film Deal For Catriona Ward Novel 'The Last House On Needless Street'|first=Mike Jr.|last=Fleming|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=17 March 2021|access-date=12 November 2021}}
=TV shows=
- Fungus The Bogeyman (2015)
- Death and Nightingales (2018)
- The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/global/netflix-uk-original-series-slate-1234852613/|title=Netflix Unveils New U.K. Projects With Sam Mendes, Rowan Atkinson, Andy Serkis|first=Manori|last=Ravindran|website=Variety.com|date=13 December 2020|access-date=12 November 2021}} (2022)
- Brilliant Minds (2024){{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/news/zachary-quinto-dr-wolf-series-order-nbc-1235063496/|title=Zachary Quinto's Dr. Wolf Ordered to Series at NBC|publisher=TVLine|first=Matt|last=Mitovich|date=October 20, 2023}}{{cite web|title=NBC Fall 2024-25 Schedule: 'Found', 'The Irrational' & 'Night Court' On The Move, Reba Returns To Friday|url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/nbc-fall-2024-25-schedule-found-the-irrational-night-court-reba-mcentire-1235911567/|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 10, 2024}}
Music videos
- "Adventure of a Lifetime" by Coldplay (2015)
Theatre
- The Tempest, part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2016–17 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.creativereview.co.uk/tech-comes-to-the-tempest-in-new-rsc-production/|title=Tech comes to The Tempest in new RSC production|date=18 November 2016|work=Creative Review|access-date=7 September 2017|language=en-US}}
Video games
- Battlefield 1 (2016)
- Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017)
- Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier (2017)
- Star Citizen (TBA)
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.imaginariumuk.com}}
{{Andy Serkis}}
{{Cinema of the United Kingdom}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Film production companies of the United Kingdom
Category:British companies established in 2011