One of Us, the VFX studio whose recent titles include The Sandman, Fantastic Beasts, The Matrix Resurrections, and Bridgerton, has appointed Co-founder and Director Rachael Penfold as Chief Executive Officer.
Over the last few years One of Us has focused on increasingly ambitious work, tackling projects of greater complexity and scale, and untangling trickier design challenges. At the same time it has opened a studio in Paris, a territory which has an abundance of world class talent, while offering tax incentives comparable to Quebec.
Rachael, alongside co-founders Dominic Parker and Tom Debenham, set up One of Us in 2004. Now home to around 400 people, the studio has built a reputation for quality and creativity, picking up numerous accolades along the way.
As CEO, Rachael will head a hand picked band of new appointments in addition to the existing members of the senior team, reinforcing the leadership structure. She will continue to work closely with her fellow co-founders – the three of them retaining ownership of the company.
“We go from strength to strength as a studio, our reputation is strong, and we have a collective confidence in our approach. With growth in Paris, and an ever stronger presence in London, we have made careful strategic decisions to ensure that we have the best possible structure to support the next phase of our development.”
Neil Boughen will be taking on the role of CTO, supporting and developing the studio’s infrastructure, and guiding its engagement with emerging technologies.
Rob Shears brings his experience and insight to the role of Head of Production, with Aimee Dadswell moving to Production Executive, working alongside Louise Hastings to build on and develop the special relationships which the studio has with its creative filmmaking partners. Ben Harrison takes on Head of Resourcing, playing a key part in nurturing the talented team that is the vital force of One of Us.
“We are really excited about the future of One of Us, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have such a wonderfully talented and knowledgeable team around me.” Rachael said. “There are so many fantastic projects happening in the industry, and we want One of Us to be able to compete for the choicest work – to win it, and to execute it beautifully.”
About One of Us
One of Us is a visual effects studio working across film and TV, from concept through planning, photography and post-production. Their clients encompass Hollywood studios, streamers, independents, and the art world.
Founded in London in 2004, they have seen the studio continue to grow, with new offices in Paris, a growing presence in London, and an ever strengthening team of artists.
Their focus on collaboration and reputation for creative engagement offers a high quality, high involvement approach. That’s why, despite their successful expansion, One of Us retains its unique creative partnership, crafting award winning output and outstanding visual effects, earning them a global reputation.
Author: Tanya Combrinck
Tanya is a writer covering art, design, and visual effects. She has 15 years of experience as a magazine journalist and has written for publications including 3D World, 3D Artist, Computer Arts, net magazine, and Creative Bloq.