About
Cgi without limits!
The Darkside team have been producing cutting-edge CG-VFX for Film, Television and Agency for nearly two decades. Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun!
Making it fun is one of the company’s vital elements, which we believe is key to the company’s continued success. After all, we are in the business of driving forward “Inspired Creatives” for the benefit of our clients! In order to maintain high standards, the animators need to enjoy coming to work…. and they do, but the key to that is creating a fun and inspiring place to work.
Creative talent is of course at the heart of our business. Our large full-time team of creative industry experts have all been carefully handpicked for their incredible skill and expertise in their respective fields. Our Concept Artists, Designers, Matte Paint Artists, 3D Modellers, Animators, Compositors, VFX Supervisors, Producers, Directors and Composers enable us to provide clients with a truly one-stop creative solution.
Cutting edge Cgi at industry leading prices
As with any industry, it’s all about getting the best value for money for the client. A key element of our business has been to re-invest profits back into the companies talent pool and underlying business infrastructure (Soft/Hardware). This strategy has enabled us to ensure that our clients get cutting edge results from some of the best creatives in the industry, but it also means we can ensure fast and efficient turnarounds for delivery using the very latest technology.
+44(0)20 3056 4741
Key People
Andrew Bishop
Managing Director
Andrew has worked in the animation industry for over 18 years producing work for many leading companies including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, New Line Cinema and Disney. Andrew has created and been involved in running some of London’s best known effects houses; amgFX & Film Factory (now called the Hive), Darkside at Molinare, and finally, Darkside Animation.
After merging several of VTR’s CG departments into the Hive, Andrew left to form Darkside Animation with Simon Percy which has become one of the most highly regarded studios in the UK.
Although Andrew is now more often involved with the client end of production, he still keeps his hand in on the practical side with his passion for animation and particle simulation work. He is never far from the front line, keeping a strict eye alongside business partner Simon Percy on the creative and quality output of the studio.
Simon Percy
Head of Studio
When Simon left university in 1990, it coincided with the start of the burgeoning 3D animation market. Simon joined fledgling 3D company Premier Vision, owned by Andrew Bishop, marking the start of a partnership that has lasted 18 years with both Simon and Andrew creating some of the UK’s leading animation companies.
The list of companies include VTR’s amgFX and the Hive, along with Darkside at Molinare and of course Darkside Animation – all of which have been instrumental in the development of CG in the UK.
Simon oversees all scheduling of jobs and the day to day running of Darkside, though as always, Simon still animates and models on the numerous shows and adverts produced within the studio. Indeed, many of the effects created for BBC1’s Outcasts were animated personally by Simon.
Highly regarded worldwide as one of the industry’s leading lights, several of the software companies that supply this industry have Simon as a prime Alpha and Beta tester for their software. Newtek, who create the highly acclaimed Lightwave 3D, have several interface elements designed specifically by Simon for use in high end production.