FuseFX has hired veteran visual effects supervisor and executive Jason Dowdeswell to lead its facility in Vancouver. Previously Vice President of Production Operations at Sony Pictures Imageworks, Dowdeswell will supervise current production activities and oversee a planned expansion of the FuseFX operation in Vancouver. Dowdeswell’s background also includes senior posts with Digital Domain, Image Engine and Rainmaker, and credits on such films as Edge of Tomorrow, Immortals and Twilight.
FuseFX is continuing to focus on visual effects for episodic projects as its primary business and is currently doing work on such shows as Salem (Fox), Backstrom (Fox), The Returned (A&E), The Magician (Syfy), Zoo (CBS) and X-Files (Fox) through its Vancouver facility. The addition of Jason Dowdeswell adds senior leadership to the company’s initial foothold in Vancouver and lays the foundation for additional growth in both episodic work and potentially features.
David Altenau, the company’s president, says he expects operations in Canada to experience steady expansion. “We are very happy with the reception we’ve received in Vancouver and see great potential for that office,” he said. “Jason brings the leadership skills and experience to accelerate our growth in Vancouver without sacrificing quality or the individualized attention we provide to our clients. Having Jason at the helm gives us great confidence moving forward.”
Dowdeswell led operations at Sony Pictures Imageworks in Vancouver for the past two years and oversaw an expansion that saw its staff grow from 300 to more than 1000. Prior to that, he was Head of Production at Digital Domain, Vancouver. He served as Head of Studio at Image Engine Design for two years and Head of Digital Studio at Rainmaker for four years.
A native of Vancouver, Dowdeswell began his career as a digital artist at Boss Films in Los Angeles in 1993. He was also employed as an artist as Sony Pictures Imageworks and Industrial Light & Magic. He returned to Vancouver in 2002.
“FuseFX is a very focused company that knows what it wants to do and does it very well,” said Dowdeswell. “They are intent on the quality of the work, something that is also close to my heart.”
Dowdeswell added that his goal is to create a structure to support growth while maintaining the company’s boutique culture. “We are looking for experienced people who have the right skills and love what they do,” he said. “We’re building a team of people who enjoy collaboration and are driven to produce great work.”
FuseFX http://fusefx.com/