EXCLUSIVE: UK VFX firm Misc Studios, which worked on the likes of Alex Garland movie Men and Amazon’s The Rig, has shuttered.
The Central London-based outfit called in administrators on July 12, according to Companies House.
Misc started accepting work in 2020, formally launched in 2022 with around 60 staff and had plans to expand to around 200 and open internationally. The company was run by VFX vets Adam Luckwell and Michael Elson, with Luckwell continuing to run advertising post house The Unit, which he founded in 2011. Elson, a 30-year industry vet, resigned as a Misc director late last year, according to Companies House.
At launch, Misc said it would aim to build its ethos around mental health, inclusivity, sustainability, and an open culture. It worked on multiple high-profile projects including the likes of Alex Garland movie Men, Amazon’s The Rig and Disney+’s Nautilus.
Misc did not respond to Deadline’s multiple requests for comment but we have heard that numerous VFX firms across the UK have been feeling the economic slump.
Earlier this month, we reported on around 70 layoffs at the UK HQ of VFX giant DNEG, comprising approximately 7.5% of the workforce. A recent LinkedIn post by a Bectu union official on the situation said the layoffs and closures were “sending shockwaves through the [VFX] community.”
Redundancies across the European TV and film industries have been announced in recent weeks, with Scandinavia’s Viaplay and Germany’s ProSiebenSat.1 both laying off around 400 staff, while eOne closed its UK theatrical operation.
