VFX Biz Gains Big Boost from New French Production Policies
variety.comBen Croll For some time, the French VFX sector suffered an acute case of brain drain, as young professionals would graduate from internationally admired institutions and nearly immediately take their talents abroad.“Years ago, when I spoke with students from [the renowned school] ArtFX, something like 95% of them planned to leave after graduation,” says VFX supervisor Emmanuel Pichereau. “Only when I consulted with this year’s graduating class, I saw many of them change their mind about staying in France.”What changed, of course, has much to do with France’s newly revamped tax plan, which now offers a 40% rebate to productions that spend at least $2.27 million with local VFX studios.
In the two years since the plan went through, projects including “The Last Duel,” “John Wick: Chapter 4” and six other large international productions were persuaded to bring substantial visual-effects slates to Gaul.
French animators are also in demand.And as new work bids continue to fly in (though unable to share names, sources from France’s national film body CNC indicate that the number of foreign projects could easily double by the end of 2022) so too might the scores of French professionals currently living abroad.First among them is Emmanuel Pichereau.
After leaving for England in 2011, the VFX artist was able to assist films directed by Ridley Scott, the Wachowskis, Tim Burton and Jonathan Glazer, giving the French native a taste for splashy productions and the highly structured workflows that allow such projects to see the light of day.
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