Glassworks has become the latest VFX house to close down, citing dwindling opportunities and a competitive global market.
Founded in 1995, the company worked with clients across commercials, film and TV.
Its notable credits include Clerkenwell Films’ Netflix drama series Kaos [pictured], Wild Mercury’s Amazon Prime thriller The Rig and House of Tomorrow's interactive Black Mirror episode Bandersnatch, as well as movies including A Monster Calls and Society of the Snow.
Glassworks also developed the 'deepfake' technique deployed to portray Alcoholics Anonymous members in Daisybeck's 2022 BBC2 doc I'm an Alcoholic: Inside Recovery.
The company recently closed its Amsterdam office due to “exceptionally challenging market conditions” but had hoped to keep its original London office fully operational. It also operated in Barcelona.
However, the company has now entered liquidation, with Castle Hill Insolvency overseeing the process.
“The past 15 months have been a turbulent period in both the commercial and narrative spheres, with decreased opportunities exacerbated by the increased pressure of global competition,” Glassworks said in a statement.
“For a studio that has given so much to the world of visual artistry, to be forced to close its doors under such circumstances is truly heartbreaking.
“Glassworks wasn’t just a company; it was a vanguard of creativity. It fostered an environment where artistic boundaries were constantly pushed, and where the most complex visions were brought to breathtaking life. The name became synonymous with uncompromising quality, audacious innovation, and a deeply personalized service.”
Glassworks’ closure follows that of MPC and parent company Technicolor, as well as Dublin-based post house Windmill Lane Pictures.
Animation and VFX company Jellyfish Pictures won new backing from Troubadour Studios in June, three months after it had halted operations.
