# Animal Logic

Animal Logic (also known as Animal Logic VFX) is an Australian visual effects and computer animation digital studio based at Disney Studios in Sydney, New South Wales in Australia, Vancouver in Canada, and Rideback Ranch in Los Angeles, California. Established in 1991, Animal Logic has produced visual effects and animation for feature films such as the Academy Award-winning Happy Feet, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, Walking with Dinosaurs 3D, The Lego Movie and Peter Rabbit. The company was also recognized for its work as lead visual effects vendor on Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, which won Outstanding Achievement in Visual Effects at the 3rd AACTA Awards ceremony. In 2018, Peter Rabbit was presented with a range of accolades, including the AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation, and Australian Production Design Guild Awards (APDG) in Visual Effects Design and Drawing, Concept Illustration & Concept Models for Screen. Most recently, the company has produced work for the Warner Animation Group's The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel. It is a subsidiary of Netflix.
Initially, Animal Logic's core business was the design and production of high-end visual effects for commercials and television programs, and early success within these fields provided a platform for expansion into feature film work. Animal Logic went on to produce visual effects for various large budget feature film projects, including Babe, Babe: Pig in the City, The Matrix, Moulin Rouge!, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Planet of the Apes, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, World Trade Center, Fool's Gold, 300, Knowing, Australia, Sucker Punch, and The Great Gatsby.

## History

In 1991, Zareh Nalbandian and Chris Godfrey formed and founded a digital studio in Crows Nest, Sydney, Australia. The company was born out of Video Paint Brush Company, which Nalbandian, who had worked there for a few years, and his colleague Godfrey acquired in a management buy-out and renamed Animal Logic.
Animal Logic moved to Fox Studios Australia in Moore Park, Sydney, in 1998. In 2003, Animal Logic began work on its first computer-animated feature film, Happy Feet, for director George Miller. Released in the United States on 17 November 2006, the project saw the company expand significantly, recruiting up to 300 artists and technicians from Australia and around the world. Happy Feet, which was the first computer-animated feature film produced in Australia, went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature as well as the new BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film.
Their full-length feature animation, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, was released on 24 September 2010 and was Australia's first animated feature to be released in 3D. From 2004 to 2007, the company produced bumpers for Cartoon Network. In 2011, the company produced and animated LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace, a 30-minute TV special. Produced for Lucasfilm and Cartoon Network, the special premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network and was followed by a worldwide DVD and Blu-ray release. In 2012, Animal Logic acquired the assets of fellow Australian visual effects studio Fuel VFX, known for their work on feature films such as Iron Man 3, Prometheus, The Avengers, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Cowboys & Aliens, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. Fuel VFX was nominated for a Visual Effects Society Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects for their work on Prometheus. 2012 also saw the release of the Animal Logic-animated "Polar Bowl" campaign, consisting of a 60-second and two 30-second commercials that aired at halftime at the Super Bowl XLVI. The campaign aimed to re-launch the iconic Coca-Cola polar bear characters to a new generation. Following the success of the 3 spots, which were viewed by over 160 million people globally, the company went on to animate a 6-minute short film directed by John Stevenson to headline Coca-Cola's 2013 global campaign. The film was first released through YouTube in December 2012, followed by a worldwide international theater release. In 2013, the company led visual effects and animation work on BBC Earth and Evergreen Films' 3D live-action feature Walking with Dinosaurs 3D,
In 2014, Animal Logic provided animation services for the 2014 film The Lego Movie, which was produced by the Warner Animation Group and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. After the film's huge success, the company was split into three subsidiaries operating under the Animal Logic's group: Animal Logic VFX, Animal Logic Animation, and Animal Logic Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based arm tasked with developing VFX, animation and hybrid feature films for the company. The following year, the company opened a 45,000 square feet (4,200 m$^2$) facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The new studio initially produced work for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, the first in a three-film deal with Warner Bros., all of which were to be developed in Canada.
In July 2022, Netflix announced plans to acquire Animal Logic in an all-cash deal.
In January 2024, it was announced that the studio would merge with Netflix Animation, with CEO Sharon Taylor resigning and Netflix Animation's Karen Toliver taking her place to lead the studio. This would not affect Animal Logic's upcoming slate or its branding and output as a subsidiary of Netflix. Taylor would later return to Netflix Animation as head of production in June 2024.

## Filmography

| Year | Production | Credit | Studio |
| TBA | Untitled live-action/animated Lego film | Production Company/Animation Studio | Universal Pictures |
| TBA | Zero | Production Company/Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures Animation |
| TBA | Fortunately, the Milk | Production Company | 20th Century Studios (under Walt Disney Studios) Infinitum Nihil |
| TBA | Astro Boy | Production Company | New Line Cinema Warner Bros. Pictures |
| TBA | Rainbow Serpent | Production Company | Imagine Entertainment Paramount Pictures |
| TBA | Toto | Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures Animation |
| 2023 | Leo | Animation Studio | Netflix |
| 2023 | The Magician's Elephant | Animation Studio | Netflix |
| 2022 | DC League of Super-Pets | Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Animation Group |
| 2021 | The Matrix Resurrections | Visual Effects | Warner Bros. Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures |
| 2021 | Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway | Production Company/Animation Studio | Columbia Pictures |
| 2019 | Captain Marvel | Visual Effects | Marvel Studios |
| 2019 | The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part | Production Company/Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Animation Group |
| 2018 | Peter Rabbit | Production Company/Animation Studio | Columbia Pictures Sony Pictures Animation |
| 2017 | The Lego Ninjago Movie | Production Company/Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Animation Group |
| 2017 | The Lego Batman Movie | Production Company/Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Animation Group |
| 2017 | Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | Visual Effects | Marvel Studios |
| 2017 | Alien: Covenant | Visual Effects | 20th Century Fox |
| 2016 | The Great Wall | Visual Effects | Universal Pictures Legendary Pictures |
| 2016 | Doctor Strange | Visual Effects | Marvel Studios |
| 2016 | The Divergent Series: Allegiant | Visual Effects | Summit Entertainment |
| 2016 | Captain America: Civil War | Visual Effects | Marvel Studios |
| 2016 | The Master | Production Company | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2015 | Monk Comes Down the Mountain | Visual Effects | Columbia Pictures |
| 2015 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | Visual Effects | Marvel Studios |
| 2015 | The Divergent Series: Insurgent | Visual Effects | Summit Entertainment |
| 2014 | Unbroken | Visual Effects | Universal Pictures Legendary Pictures |
| 2014 | Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day | Production Company | Walt Disney Pictures |
| 2014 | The Rover | Visual Effects | A24 |
| 2014 | The Lego Movie | Production Company/Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Animation Group Village Roadshow Pictures |
| 2014 | X-Men: Days of Future Past | Visual Effects | 20th Century Fox |
| 2013 | Walking with Dinosaurs 3D | Animation Studio | 20th Century Fox |
| 2013 | The Great Gatsby | Visual Effects | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2013 | Iron Man 3 | Visual Effects | Marvel Studios |
| 2012 | The Polar Bears | Production Company/Animation Studio | The Coca-Cola Company |
| 2011 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | 3D Digital Services | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2011 | Sucker Punch | Visual Effects | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2011 | Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace | Production Company | Lucasfilm |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Production Company/Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures |
| 2009 | Knowing | Visual Effects | Summit Entertainment |
| 2008 | Australia | Visual Effects | 20th Century Fox |
| 2008 | The Black Balloon | Visual Effects | Icon Entertainment International |
| 2008 | Fool's Gold | Visual Effects | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2007 | 28 Weeks Later | Digital Visual Effects | 20th Century Fox |
| 2007 | Clubland | Front Title Design | N/A |
| 2007 | Crocodile Dreaming | Special Effects Company | N/A |
| 2006 | 300 | Visual Effects | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Web | Film Scanning | Paramount Pictures |
| 2006 | Happy Feet | Production Company/Animation Studio | Warner Bros. Pictures Village Roadshow Pictures |
| 2006 | David Tench Tonight | Animation | Network Ten |
| 2006 | World Trade Center | Additional Visual Effects | Paramount Pictures |
| 2006 | The Silence | Visual Effects | N/A |
| 2006 | Aquamarine | Visual Effects | 20th Century Fox |
| 2005 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | Visual Effects | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2005 | The Cave | Additional Previsualization | Screen Gems |
| 2005 | The Great Raid | Visual Effects | Miramax Films |
| 2005 | Stealth | Visual Effects | Columbia Pictures |
| 2005 | Little Fish | Visual Effects | Icon Film Distribution |
| 2004 | Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars | Visual Effects | The Jim Henson Company |
| 2004 | Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid | Opening Titles | Screen Gems |
| 2004 | My Sister | Digital Film Transfer | N/A |
| 2004 | House of Flying Daggers | Visual Effects | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 2003 | XMA: Xtreme Martial Arts | Special Effects Company | N/A |
| 2003 | In the Cut | Visual Effects | Pathe Screen Gems |
| 2003 | Danny Deckchair | Titles and Opticals | Lionsgate |
| 2003 | The Matrix Reloaded | Visual Effects | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 2003 | Swimming Upstream | Special Effects Company | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| 2003 | Darkness Falls | Special Effects Company | Revolution Studios Columbia Pictures |
| 2002 | Ang agimat: Anting-anting ni Lolo | Digital Tape to Film Transfer | Imus Productions |
| 2002 | Hero | Special Effects Company | Sil-Metropole Organisation |
| 2002 | Garage Days | Special Effects Company | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
| 2002 | The Quiet American | Special Effects Company | Miramax Films |
| 2002 | Mano Po | Digital Tape To Film Transfer | Regal Entertainment |
| 2002 | The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course | VFX and CGI | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| 2002 | Rabbit-Proof Fence | Visual Effects | Becker Entertainment |
| 2001 | Charlotte Gray | Special Effects Company | Working Title Films |
| 2001 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | Visual Effects | New Line Cinema |
| 2001 | Planet of the Apes | Special Effects Company | 20th Century Fox |
| 2001 | Moulin Rouge! | Special Effects Company | 20th Century Fox |
| 2001 | South Pacific | Visual Effects | ABC |
| 2000 | Chopper | Special Effects Company | Mushroom Pictures |
| 2000 | Devi Putrudu | Scanning | Sumanth Art Productions |
| 2000 | Mr. Accident | Visual Effects | United Artists |
| 1999 | Me Myself I | Visual Effects and CGI | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 1999 | Holy Smoke! | Special Effects Company | Miramax Films |
| 1999 | The Incredible Genie | Digital Effects | N/A |
| 1999 | Strange Planet | Title Design And Production, Visual Effects | New Vision Films |
| 1999 | The Matrix | Special Effects Company | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| 1999 | Farscape | Visual Effects | The Jim Henson Company |
| 1998 | The Thin Red Line | Special Effects Company | 20th Century Fox |
| 1998 | Babe: Pig in the City | Special Effects Company | Universal Pictures |
| 1998 | In the Winter Dark | Special Effects Company | Goalpost Pictures |
| 1997 | Mouse Hunt | Additional Visual Effects | DreamWorks Pictures |
| 1997 | Heaven's Burning | Digital Opticals | N/A |
| 1997 | Thank God He Met Lizzie | Title Design | N/A |
| 1997 | Face/Off | Additional Visual Effects, Titles | Paramount Pictures Touchstone Pictures |
| 1997 | Blackrock | Special Effects Company | PolyGram Filmed Entertainment |
| 1995 | Babe | Special Effects Company | Universal Pictures |
| 1994 | Little Women | Title Design | Columbia Pictures |
| 1991 | The Girl From Tomorrow | Visual Effects | Film Australia |

## Awards
### Film

| Year | Award | Title |
| 2018 | APDG Award in Visual Effects Design | Peter Rabbit |
| 2018 | APDG Award in Drawing, Concept Illustration & Concept Models for Screen | Peter Rabbit |
| 2018 | AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation | Peter Rabbit |
| 2015 | AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation | The LEGO Batman Movie |
| 2014 | BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film | The LEGO Movie |
| 2014 | AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation | The LEGO Movie |
| 2014 | Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature | The LEGO Movie |
| 2014 | BAFTA Children's Award for Best Feature Film 2014 | The LEGO Movie |
| 2014 | New York Film Critics Circle for Best Animated Film of the Year | The LEGO Movie |
| 2013 | AACTA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Visual Effects | The Great Gatsby |
| 2013 | AEAF Award for Visual Effects | The Great Gatsby |
| 2011 | AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole |
| 2009 | AFI Award for Best Visual Effects | Australia |
| 2008 | Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects | Australia |
| 2007 | Washington, DC Area Film Critic Award for Best Animated Film of the Year | Happy Feet |
| 2007 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award: Best Animation | Happy Feet |
| 2007 | Academy Award for Best Animated Feature | Happy Feet |
| 2007 | New York Film Critics Circle for Best Animated Film of the Year | Happy Feet |
| 2007 | New York Film Critics Online for Best Animated Film of the Year | Happy Feet |
| 2005 | Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects | House of Flying Daggers |
| 2005 | AIMIA Awards, Finalist – Best Entertainment Award Category | Stealth |
| 2003 | Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects | Moulin Rouge! |

### Design

| Year | Award | Title |
| 2012 | Silver Award Awards for Craft in Film (Animation) | SBS: Seven Billion Stories and Counting |
| 2007 | World Gold Medal for Most Innovative Music Video | Telemetry Orchestra, Under the Cherry Tree |
| 2006 | AEAF Award, Best Music Video | Telemetry Orchestra, Under the Cherry Tree |
| 2005 | Digital Imaging Awards for Best Print Advertising Melbourne | Smirnoff, Letterbar |
| 2005 | ATV Award for Best Program Subtitle Sequence | Spicks and Specks |
| 2005 | ATV Award for Best Image Promotion, Highly Commended | Cartoon Network |
| 2005 | ATV Award for Best Program Subtitle Sequence, Highly Commended | Margaret and David at the Movies |
| 2004 | New York Festivals Award for Best Promotions Spot | Cartoon Network |

### Industry

| Year | Award |
| 2014 | Inaugural NSW Creative Laureate |
| 2013 | 51st Australian Export Awards, Creative Industries Award |
| 2013 | 51st Australian Export Awards, Creative Industries Award |
| 2013 | Premier's NSW Exporter of the Year Award |
| 2012 | Australia Network Arts and Entertainment Exporter of the Year Award |
| 2012 | Premier's NSW Exporter of the Year Award (Arts and Entertainment) |
| 2010 | AFI Byron Kennedy Award for Outstanding Creative Enterprise |