London post house Unit has spent £2.5m on new premises and software as it attempts to secure more VFX work.

The Final Cut-based post house will complete the move from its Carlisle Street premises to a 9,400 sq ft facility on Great Marlborough Street on 28 February.

Unit has invested in Autodesk Smoke and Flame finishing software, while the new premises will see the post house increase its VFX bays by 14 to 24, which Unit chief executive Adam Luckwell said would enable the post house to take on more broadcast work.

“We have been successful in all areas apart from VFX for broadcast,” Luckwell told Broadcast. “We nailed VFX on the commercials side and do a lot of regular post work for broadcast and commercials.”

“We will use After Effects, Maya and Nuke, and we are maintaining our Apple presence with all of the offline editing still completed on Final Cut,” he added. “And we will also have the ability to use Final Cut in the VFX bay, because it’s useful for reversioning.”

One of the White Mark-designed, Pro Tools-equipped audio suites is already live, with a second due to be finished by the time the facility opens. A third is set to be completed “in a few months”.

Luckwell is providing the “lion’s share” of the money needed for the move and new kit in the form of a director’s loan and investment.

Topics