The Imaginarium

The Imaginarium, also known as Imaginarium Productions, is a production company linked to a digital performance-capture studio based in London, founded by actor-director Andy Serkis and film producer Jonathan Cavendish in 2011.

The Imaginarium Studios is a pioneering Performance Capture and Virtual Production facility based at Pinewood Studios in the UK and at Trilith Studios near Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Working across film, TV and games, our work helps bring to life characters of all kinds. Recent projects utilising our services include movies such as ‘Men in Black: International’ and ‘Spiderman: Far from Home’ and first-of-its-kind TV Shows such as Marvel’s ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’ and Netflix’s ‘Dance Monsters’.

Andy Serkis first became interested in "cyber-thespianism" when he worked with Peter Jackson at his Weta Workshop in New Zealand for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong (2005). Serkis stated, “People come out of film schools not equipped with the skills for doing anything other than shooting kitchen sink drama. We need to change our mindset, cross-fertilise our talent and encourage writers, directors and producers to think on a much larger scale.”

Serkis partnered with Jonathan Cavendish in 2009, opening The Imaginarium officially in 2011 after securing a permanent place at Ealing Studios in London. In January 2012 the studio signed an agreement with Vicon, the world's largest supplier of precision motion tracking systems.

In May 2017, The Imaginarium Studios was subject to a management buyout having lost £4.2 million over the preceding two years. The company went into administration on 15 May 2017 facing insolvency due to project delays.

The first feature film produced by The Imaginarium, Breathe, directed by Serkis (also the story of Robin Cavendish, the father of Serkis' business partner, Jonathan) and starring Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander, and Hugh Bonneville, was the opening night gala presentation of the 2017 BFI London Film Festival.

In May 2023, VFX and animation company Cinesite took a majority stake in the performance capture and virtual production outfit to work on a new animated adaptation of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm".

The mission of The Imaginarium is “to push the boundaries of storytelling by embracing cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches.”

Founded by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish, the studio seeks to revolutionize the art of performance capture and immersive storytelling. The Production Studio aims to bridge the gap between technology and creativity, fostering collaboration among writers, directors, and producers to think on a larger scale. 

By combining the artistry of performance with state-of-the-art motion capture and visual effects, the studio aims to redefine the possibilities of storytelling in film, television, and other mediums. The focus is not only on creating visually stunning and immersive content but also on conveying deep emotional connections and thought-provoking narratives.

With a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible, The Imaginarium strives to inspire and empower storytellers to explore new realms and unlock the full potential of their creative visions. By embracing emerging technologies and nurturing talent, their mission is to shape the future of storytelling and create unforgettable experiences for audiences worldwide.

The vision of The Imaginarium is to be a global leader in immersive storytelling. The studio envisions a future where boundaries between reality and imagination blur, allowing audiences to be fully immersed in captivating narratives that transcend traditional storytelling mediums.

With a strong belief in the power of storytelling, The Imaginarium aims to redefine the possibilities of visual storytelling by harnessing the potential of performance capture and cutting-edge technologies. Their vision is to create a new form of storytelling that goes beyond conventional boundaries, sparking the imagination and evoking deep emotional connections in audiences. By pushing the boundaries of what is creatively and technologically achievable, The Imaginarium seeks to inspire and challenge storytellers and audiences alike.

The Imaginarium specializes in the application and development of performance capture and virtual production tools to create emotionally engaging and believable digital characters for storytelling in various mediums such as film, television, games, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality. 

Their services include body capture, facial capture, full performance capture, and pre- and post-visualization, all supported by their custom virtual production toolkit. The studio offers a range of services, including consultation, casting, script and character development, rehearsal and movement coaching, and pre-production and principle photography, with the aim of bringing clients' virtual character concepts to life.

In addition to their studio services, The Imaginarium has an impressive filmography that includes notable projects such as "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens," "War for the Planet of the Apes," and "Breathe." They have also worked on TV shows like "Fungus The Bogeyman" and "Death and Nightingales," and collaborated on music videos like Coldplay's "Adventure of a Lifetime." 

The studio has ventured into the world of video games with titles such as "Battlefield 1," "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice," "Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier," and "Star Citizen." They have upcoming projects including "Next Goal Wins," "Animal Farm," and “The Last House on Needless Street.”