Man, the visual effects on Life of Pi are easily some of the best I've seen. Somebody rescue these guys.

gossi | February 12, 09:46 CET

Hi, long time follower, first time posting.
Not to mention R&H worked on Serenity: http://www.rhythm.com/features/credits/serenity/

shakabraw | February 12, 09:50 CET

These guys are incredibly creative and capable, I cannot believe they are going to be forced to shut down! Didn't they just win the BAFTA the other night?! They have had huge successes and I would think Hollywood would recognize their value for the future (since 3D seems to be an on-going format, and special effects just keep getting more elaborate and demanding).

embers | February 12, 09:54 CET

They also worked on Incredible Hulk(Marvel connection).

eddy | February 12, 10:06 CET

They could win an Oscar in less than two weeks, then go out of business? And people think the recession is over.
Once people know about this, they'll get work really quickly. This shouldn't wind up as an example of the "Oscar jinx".

impalergeneral | February 12, 10:10 CET

shakabraw - good catch on Serenity,. thanks. I amended the entry accordingly.

Simon | February 12, 10:11 CET

Very sad to hear.

Shapenew | February 12, 10:12 CET

Can't Joss just buy them? After all, he can afford a really nice meal these days :P This is sad news though, too many small companies are closing :(

Ktara | February 12, 10:12 CET

Whoa, shades of my day job here.

“People that have been around a long time are not necessary getting picked up,” VFX vet Colin Ritchie—owner of technology supplier Aarmadillo—told THR at last week’s VES Awards. “It’s great if they are in Vancouver or Shanghai or Chennai. But [jobs] are shrinking here at a rapid rate. … When are the studios going to say enough’s enough? When will they be satisfied that they are getting value and good product?”

Sounds like globalization is working its way through this industry just as it is every other. I'm in Vancouver and have a friend working for Zoic — the shop that worked on Firefly and subsequently Battlestar Galactica. The local film industry here is lobbying for additional tax rebates to match what is being offered back east in Toronto and Montreal.

Doesn't sound like there are any easy answers or clear heroes to be found anywhere. While Marvel had large parts of the Avengers production in Cleveland, they also sought financing from a Chinese studio for Iron Man 3 which also stipulated bringing some of the production to Shanghai. Kind of fascinating (and occasionally tragic) to me.

counti8 | February 12, 11:33 CET

This is sad. They gave us the scary chasm of certain death at the end of Serenity. And the little videos on the top of the grave markers, I think.

Sunfire | February 12, 13:02 CET

They also gave us the first (utterly terrible) landing shot in Serenity and the snake-opening-mouth shot in Cabin... both of which are literally my only personal "DO NOT WANT" shots in those movies.

apollo11 | February 12, 13:25 CET

Sadly not surprised as companies on this side of the pond have often similar problems as well and it often doesn't matter how known they are etc. Media is a hard market. But there have been resurrections. You never know.

Kessie | February 12, 15:32 CET

counti8, IIRC, Marvel went after China not as a way to add financing, but to open up a channel for Chinese distribution. China is a massive market and giving Chinese studios co-producer credit also allowed them to distribute the movie in China with less hassle.

the ninja report | February 14, 11:49 CET