DALLAS & BOSTON & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zero VFX (“Zero”) and Mavericks VFX (“Mavericks”) are announcing the formation of a new visual effects group through a merger enabled by the investment of Arenova Capital (“Arenova”), a growth investment firm dedicated to partnering with founder-owned and founder-led companies. The investment brings together two talent-centric companies, each with a world-class reputation for delivering high-end visual effects in the feature, episodic and commercial markets. Together, the mission of the group will be to empower talent to pursue creativity and innovation in service of storytelling at the highest level.
Brendan Taylor, Founder, CEO and VFX Supervisor of Mavericks, commented, “Mavericks couldn’t be more excited to be teaming up with Zero, who share our dedication to storytelling, innovation, and the personal touch that has been the cornerstone of our success. In Arenova, we have found a partner who shares our vision and values and is deeply committed to the growth of the independent VFX model. This platform unites our talent and resources on a common foundation of creativity and dedication to our craft.”
Brian Drewes, Founder, CEO and VFX Supervisor of Zero, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Mavericks and Arenova to form this new platform. Our team is passionate about creating innovative visual effects that help bring stories to life, and we believe that this platform will allow us to continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the industry. This partnership brings greater strength and stability to each of the companies and further elevates two world-class brands.”
Zero and Mavericks will maintain full creative autonomy and continue to operate under their existing brands. The new platform will combine the talent and strengths of each studio to continue delivering exceptional visual effects services to clients while investing in and empowering talent.
David Li, Managing Partner of Arenova Capital, spoke about the vision behind the new platform: “Today's visual effects industry is a critical enabler of storytellers around the world, and we believe that in order to flourish, the industry needs more artist-centric companies of scale. We are honored that Zero, Mavericks and the amazing talent that call these studios home have chosen us to be their partner, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth and further additions into the group.”
About Zero VFX
Zero, founded in 2010, is the leading visual effects studio in Massachusetts and provides premium visual effects services to feature films, episodic television, and commercial video production. Zero has a long history of supporting the film and TV industry in Massachusetts and beyond and notably, was nominated for a Visual Effects Society award this past year for its work on I Wanna Dance with Somebody.
About Mavericks VFX
Mavericks is a full-service, award-winning visual effects studio based in Toronto that specializes in creating innovative and high-quality visual effects for film, television, and commercials. Founded in 2013, the studio has received critical acclaim for its work and has been nominated for five Emmy Awards and two Visual Effects Society Awards for its work on The Handmaid’s Tale and 11.22.63.
About Arenova Capital
Arenova Capital is a principal investment firm focused on founder-owned and founder-led companies in the middle market. We seek to catalyze growth in technology-enabled, media and communications companies through thoughtful partnership, support and investment, with the goal of building enduring industry leaders. Arenova Capital is based in Dallas, TX and was founded in 2022.