Star Wars VFX studio Whiskytree is bucking the downturn and expanding

VFX studio Whiskytree is on the rise and on the move. The visual effects house, which offers a mix of on-set VFX, compositing, effects simulations, environment creation and much more, and has work in recent Star Wars series and currently Master of the Air, streaming on AppleTV+, is expanding to a second location in Georgia, just outside of Atlanta in Alpharetta.

This is more good news for Atlanta and VFX jobs in the area and as someone who was fortunate enough to see for myself how this city is becoming a visual effects powerhouse, it's more proof something good is happening in the region.

I ask Whiskytree founder and CEO Jonathan Harb, why Georgia? He tells me this is partly a desire to return to his roots, explaining how his work in VFX has taken him to the Bay Area but he grew up in the South, and for years has wanted to spend more time there.

"Alpharetta has such amazing momentum. It has a thriving community that offers great access to a large city, access to a world class airport, outdoor activities and a very high standard of living," he says. "Georgia’s entertainment industry incentive scheme is renowned for its effectiveness and overall encouragement of businesses throughout the state. It will offer our clients a new way to work with us with a substantial economic advantage relative to other territories."

Georgia's VFX community is growing fast, and this is partly due to the close knit relationships that are enabling greater creativity and growth. The state is supported by colleges like SCAD that have deep connections to many visual effects, animation and film studios in the area, but it's also the people.

Jonathan lists off those who have already helped Whiskytree settle in, including Randy Davidson and Jezlan Moyet at Georgia Entertainment, who have "been instrumental in helping us make connections", as well as Barton Lowery, Haley Casola and Asante Bradford from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Lee Thomas in the Georgia Film Office, Dylan Horne at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Daniel Buitrago at Georgia Power and Chelsea Spivey at Rise Impact Capital.  

"The fact that I can rattle off all of these helpful people in such varying roles – and more – really demonstrates the business-friendly environment that is endemic in the state. There is also a distinct feeling in Georgia that a rising tide lifts all boats."

VFX on the move

There is something very interesting happening in the VFX industry right now. The average age of professional artists is rising, and many are seeking a better work and life balance. This is something Jonathan reflects on personally, explaining how he has spent his career in Northern California, but the pandemic made many question why.

"The pandemic had a major impact on the way VFX professionals work, especially in regards to where people can work from," he explains. "The fact that remote work is now widely accepted in the VFX industry naturally led people to make decisions about where they work in alignment with how they want to live." 

He continues: "Many of our staff made moves to be closer to family, and our team working out of our California studio is now spread all over the country. I’m happy to be able to support our crew in finding fulfilment in their personal lives, wherever that may be. 

He adds, "For VFX artists, location isn’t the defining factor that it once was, and Georgia’s business-friendly culture has had a lot to do with attracting talented people to the state."

VFX jobs and Whiskytree

The Whiskytree expansion and new studio comes at a time when many VFX studios are facing downsizing and redundancies. "I’m sure I speak for many in our industry when I say that we can use a break from existential threats to our businesses," says Jonathan explaining how the actor and writer strikes in 2023 have impacted many visual effects studios, but "there is light at the end of the tunnel".

He tells me: "I expect the industry as a whole to look somewhat different than it has in recent years, and even though work is slowly returning, there has been a pronounced toll that will continue to be felt for months, even years to come."

So what is Whiskytree doing to buck the trend and expand while over studios contract? "First and foremost, we’re very good at what we do. We have a reputation for producing world-class visual effects that oftentimes you can only find at the largest companies in the world, and we reliably deliver on time," says the studio founder. 

He reminds me that the fundamentals matter, saying: "We also strive to provide excellent customer service, work hard to treat people that work at Whiskytree well and maintain a company culture that is enriching. I am an entrepreneur at heart, and see a real opportunity in Georgia to expand our operations while offering our people an awesome place to live and work, and further grow the post-production industry in the state."

The VFX and AI question

Looking to the future, Jonathan is honest about a bumpy ride ahead. The studio has already begun forays into experimenting with generative AI and machine learning techniques to speed up workflows. "There are several areas of VFX work that will change as these tools and techniques become more prominent," he says.

Reflecting on the future and how AI will impact the VFX industry he says, "It will be some time before we see a loss of jobs to this stuff, but many tedious aspects of what we do will become easier, faster and significantly cheaper. Generative AI is already having an impact in some of our processes for concept art and design, providing new ways to quickly explore ideas."

As VFX film budgets have soared in recent years I ask Jonathan what studios, including Whiskytree, can learn from the smaller, agile VFX teams of The Creator and Godzilla Minus One. "Small teams of very capable people, provided with concise direction and advanced tools, can compete with the very best, including much larger organisations," reflects Jonathan. "Of note, the Academy should find a way to release the VFX Bake-Off presentation by the Godzilla Minus One crew – it was unbelievably entertaining!" 

Whiskytree is hiring

After months of bad news and threats to jobs, and studios and artists scratching to see how AI will affect livelihoods, the news of Whiskytree's expansion is a positive move for an industry still reeling from the pandemic.

The better news? Whiskytree is hiring. "We look for talented, friendly people that strive to solve problems," says Jonathan. If that's you, then head to the Whiskytree jobs board and see if a role is for you.