CIS Visual Effects Group, based in Hollywood, Calif., and Vancouver, Canada, has acquired the assets of Postmodern Sydney. Purchase price was not disclosed.
Established in 2001, Postmodern is a design and visual effects shop serving high-end feature, commercial and TV clients in Australia and throughout Asia. Recent Postmodern projects include VFX for the Proyas/Summit Entertainment feature, Knowing, and the Spierig Brothers/Lionsgate feature Daybreakers. Recent commercial projects include McDonald’s “McHappy Day” for DDB Sydney, and Macquarie Bank’s “Out of the Box” for Leo Burnett.
“We’re at a point in our business growth where we’ve got some amazing work under our belt but for some time we’ve been looking for a strong partner to help us spread our wings,” said Andrew Robinson, Postmodern’s managing director. “For us that meant finding someone with great creative and technical credentials along with global recognition.”
“The CIS guys reached out to us late last year to talk about joining forces with them on an Australian shop,” continued Robinson. “We hit if off immediately with Don [Fly, CIS’ president/general manager] and his team, and their understanding of the Australian market. We look forward to bringing CIS technologies and capabilities into our creative pipeline for film studios, commercial production companies and television networks in addition to the independent feature market.”
The business will continue to operate as Postmodern from its existing premises with all key personnel remaining in place. Plans are underway to build a new purpose-built Sydney facility later this year to house an expanded CIS-Postmodern operation.
Fly said that CIS has been impressed with the caliber of VFX work coming out of Australia. He added, “The depth of Australian creative talent and strong governmental support for the industry make entering the Sydney market very attractive.”
In addition to Robinson, key players on the Postmodern management team are VFX director James Rogers and facilities manager Angus Reid.
CIS Visual Effects Group is a division of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More