“Fox Renderfarm has been at Annecy’s MIFA like a force of nature for many years,” said Rachel Chen, marketing director of the cloud rendering service provider, in an interview with AnimationXpress at Annecy Festival’s film market MIFA (International Animation Film Market).
This year, the company returned to MIFA with its team, where Chen discussed the impacts of media and entertainment industry dynamics on technology firms.
Established in 2011, Fox Renderfarm boasts a team with over 20 years of experience in the CG industry, delivering high-quality, reliable, and cost-effective render solutions for studios worldwide. However, the global economic slowdown has posed challenges for technology service providers. Highlighted Chen, “Industry-wide disruptions, like mass layoffs and the Hollywood Writers Strike, have been major setbacks, making the past year tough for everyone in the industry, including service providers like us.”
Fox Renderfarm serves VFX and animation studios across more than 100 countries and regions, with a strategic focus on expanding into the European market. “As a relatively young player in the industry, we’re eager to network with more companies and filmmakers, collaborate with industry leaders, and diversify our portfolio,” she explained.
As a result, Annecy’s MIFA proved to be fruitful for the company. “We connected with so many talented animators and animation companies at the MIFA symposiums and parties, resulting in several new projects lined up for the coming year.”
The company has contributed to notable animated projects like Oscar-winning animated short Mr. Hublot for a Luxembourgish animation studio, the “Three Robots” episode of Love Death + Robots for a Spanish animation studio, Oni: Thunder God’s Tale for a Japanese studio, Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal for a Malaysian studio, Wish Dragon (USA & China), and live-action projects such as The Wandering Earth 1&2 (China), Sweet Home (South Korea) and more.
The company has also collaborated with Indian studios and production houses for films like Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, 2.0, Mission Mangal, and Krrish 3. With India’s thriving animation and VFX industry, Chen is optimistic about securing more projects from the country.
Although Fox Renderfarm is not integrating AI technology, Chen acknowledged its future potential. “AI will undoubtedly shape the industry’s landscape. It’s exciting to see new technologies emerging,” she remarked.
Summing up her outlook, Chen expressed hope for a stronger market ahead. “All exhibitors at MIFA are expecting better economic conditions next year. We look forward to contributing to the growth of the CG industry, building global partnerships, and creating a meaningful impact in the industry!”