Animal Logic

**Animal Logic** is an Australian animation and visual effects studio based at Fox Studios in Sydney and Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles. Established in 1991, Animal Logic has produced visual effects and animation for feature films such as *The Great Gatsby*, *Walking with Dinosaurs 3D*, *The Matrix*, *300*, the Academy Award-winning *Happy Feet*, *Moulin Rouge!* and *Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole*. Animal Logic also produced the animation on *The Lego Movie*, directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and released in February 2014. Animal Logic was recognised for its work as lead visual effects vendor on Baz Luhrmann’s *The Great Gatsby*, when it won Outstanding Achievement in Visual Effects at the 3rd AACTA Awards ceremony.

## Overview

In 1991, Zareh Nalbandian and Chris Godfrey formed and founded a digital studio in Crows Nest, Sydney, Australia. The company was named Animal Logic and was born out of the now defunct Video Paint Brush Company. Animal Logic moved to Fox Studios Australia in Moore Park, Sydney, in 1998.

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 many large budget feature film projects, including *Moulin Rouge!*, *The Matrix*, *Babe: Pig in the City*, *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 most recently *The Great Gatsby*.

In 2002, Animal Logic began work on its first computer-animated feature film, the Academy Award-winning *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 inaugural 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 stereoscopic.

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.

2012 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 cinema release.

2012 also saw Animal Logic collaborate as Creative Partner with the Sydney Opera House to produce a two-minute short film to promote the 2012 GRAPHIC festival, an animation and music festival.

Most recently the company led animation and visual effects work on BBC Earth and Evergreen Films' 3D live action feature *Walking with Dinosaurs 3D*. Animal Logic was the animation studio for the 2014 American computer-animated adventure comedy film, *The Lego Movie* directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The film is based on the Lego line of construction toys.

In 2014, the company was split into three subsidiaries operating under the Animal Logic's group: Animal Logic Animation, Animal Logic VFX, and Animal Logic Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based arm tasked with developing animated, VFX and hybrid feature films for the company.

In 2015, the company opened a 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) facility in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Its first project will be *The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part*, the first in a three-film deal with Warner Bros., all of which will be produced in Canada.

In 2017, Animal Logic has signed a deal to produces films for Imagine Entertainment. Imagine will develop, finance, and produce six live-action/animated films.

## Companies

### Fuel VFX

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*. In 2014, Fuel VFX merged with Animal Logics's visual effects department, forming Animal Logic VFX.

## Awards

### Industry

 2013
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 2012
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 2010