The Heist, a Thinkingbox-owned company focused on branded storytelling through animation, motion graphics and live-action campaigns, is kicking off a major expansion with roughly 30 key hires from The Mill, which folding last month following the implosion of parent company Technicolor.
Paris-headquartered Technicolor had reorganized several times in recent years and closed abruptly in February amid financial difficulties. At that time it was the parent company of VFX giant MPC, commercial VFX and design studio The Mill, Mikros Animation and Technicolor Gaming.
The team from The Mill includes its former executive creative director Patrick Coleman, who joined The Heist in the same role, along with what he says is the majority of his Mill North American design team members. Coleman will lead The Heist’s creative team across North America, based in its newly-launched Chicago office. “I’m beyond excited to join the ThinkingBox family. It’s an incredible opportunity to bring along so many talented friends to strengthen an already thriving studio and help elevate it even further,” he said.
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“In an era of transformation, talent remains the driving force behind innovation,” said Amir Sahba, CEO of Thinkingbox. “Bringing in Patrick and his team of designers and animators represents more than just growth. It’s a bold investment in the future of storytelling. Their combined experience and creative leadership raise the bar for what’s possible across our studios and our clients.”
The Heist and Thinkingbox operate in Los Angeles, New York, Salt Lake City, Vancouver, Toronto and Mexico City. With the addition of the former Mill employees, it now includes Chicago.
New hires from The Mill team, Blake Nickle and Jason Esser, who came aboard as director of production, Chicago, and creative director, respectively, will lead the Chicago office. In addition, Justin Inman joined Thinkingbox as senior vice president of business development. He most recently led direct-to-client growth efforts at The Mill.
The Mill, which was founded in London during 1990 and was a leading VFX company dedicated to commercial and other advertising work, had won countless awards including Cannes Lions, Clios and Visual Effects Society Awards. “The recent news of Technicolor’s bankruptcy was a shock to many in the industry,” said Sahba. “We have a deep respect for The Mill’s legacy and the incredible talent that has shaped it. Our goal is to provide a new home at both Heist and Thinkingbox, ensuring their craft continues to thrive in an environment that values artistry, innovation, and collaboration.”
Thinkingbox acted quickly, exploring acquisition of The Mill in its entirety before making agreements to hire the group of talent amid a period of confusion surrounding the sudden Technicolor shut down. Amid the uncertainty, another team of Mill employees banded together to form a new company, ARC Creative, backed by Dream Machine FX, a group holding company for VFX brands. VFX company Rodeo FX acquired Mikros Animation, and language translation and AI tech business TransPerfect acquired Technicolor Games.
Thinkingbox is currently in discussions with additional former talent from The Mill, both in North America and in Europe. It also aims to open a Europe-based studio.
