Rise sets up Munich animation arm

Rise, the German visual effects studio used by Marvel for series such as Loki and WandaVision, has set up a new animation division in Munich focusing on high-end feature film and series production.

Sinje Gebauer (photo: Luis Zeno Kuhn)

Rise Munich will be headed up by Sinje Gebauer, head of studio at Munich-based Isar Animation, who joins the company in August.

It will operate as an independent creative unit within the Berlin-based Rise Group, which also has offices in Cologne, Stuttgart and London.

As well as multiple Marvel productions, Rise has been behind the VFX on series from Amazon, Netflix, Apple TV+ and HBO, such as Babylon Berlin, Stranger Things, Dark and Westworld.

The new division will see Rise expand the size of its existing studio in Munich, which has been overseen by MD Dominik Trimborn since 2016.

Trimborn has decided to leave the company, with Gebauer taking on responsibility for all operations at Rise Munich, including management of both the Munich-based VFX office as well as the new animation studio.

Rise Munich will primarily handle animation projects from the production slate of Rise Pictures, with a particular focus on visual development and concept art.

The available space at Rise Munich will have increased threefold by the end of July, initially for up to 80 new employees, with the aim being for the animation studio to have a workforce of 120.

Prior to Studio Isar Animation, Gebauer had been working as a senior VFX producer responsible for visual effects on films such as Aquaman and Tomb Raider.