By Renu Singh-Joseph
Access to a pool of talent, an investment-friendly business climate and proximity to Los Angeles convinced executives at Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) to make Vancouver their head office.
Five years after SPI first established a satellite base in Yaletown, the company relocated its corporate headquarters to Vancouver, moving 740 employees into a 74,000-square-foot HQ in Pacific Centre, above the new Nordstrom store.
SPI’s decision to relocate from California was certainly influenced by Vancouver’s burgeoning reputation as a hub for video gaming and TV animation. Operating in the same time zone as L.A. streamlines production efficiencies, allowing artists, supervisors and production staff to work more seamlessly on projects, said Randy Lake, SPI’s executive vice-president and general manager.
“We’re starting to see over time [a strong cluster] helps to build up the quality of the talent base. When there is more talent in the market and more projects being done in Vancouver, it really develops the level of experience that we expect and demand for the high-quality work that we deliver.”
Vancouver’s reputation as a cosmopolitan city, offering a balanced lifestyle involving work and play, continues to attract visual effects (VFX) artists from across Canada and the rest of the world.
“We realized with our growth that the majority of the workforce was in Vancouver,” added Lake. “It made sense for our centre of gravity, in terms of how we think of the business, to shift along with the workforce. It shows our commitment to Vancouver; we’re the only major digital effects company that has its headquarters in the city, so that is a statement that we believe Vancouver is the future of the industry and the future of Imageworks.”
Tax incentives also played their part.
“Between the federal and provincial governments, the incentives in place have been a significant boon to the industry and a significant driver for why this growth is happening in Vancouver.”
SPI partners with Creative BC and the Vancouver Economic Commission to champion the industry and promote Vancouver as a VFX hub. SPI works in conjunction with local schools to ensure graduates are aware of what a VFX career offers. This includes internship and co-op programs for young graduates to learn about the business.
“I feel very pleased with what Vancouver is doing and how the city has really grown to be a premier hub for digital effects and animation,” said Lake.
Randy Lake, executive vice-president and general manager, Sony Pictures Imageworks, was interviewed as part of HQ Vancouver's Conversation Series.
