Reports of studios closing and laying off staff has been common news in the industry of late, but Brussels-based nWave Studios is bucking that trend and actually hiring more people.
The 30-year-old prodco, which specializes in CG-animated feature films, plans to double its workforce over the next few months. One of its newer studios in Liège will reportedly expand from 30 to 60 workers in order to support a growing production slate.
The company also plans to beef up resources at its other two studios as well, including the one in Roubaix, France that it operates with sister company Octopolis. It’s all part of a strategy to secure more co-productions and animation service work, according to nWave CEO Matthieu Zeller (who acquired a majority stake in the company six years ago through his MZM shingle, which also owns Octopolis).
“Opening up to other projects allows us to diversify our revenue streams and mitigate the risks, while expanding to a broader scope of activity by promoting our know-how and resources,” he said in a Cartoon Brew article that nWave has reposted in its social media channels.
Among the company’s current projects is a sequel to 2022 feature film Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness, which it produced with Octopolis. Based on a range of graphic novels, this film about a half-chicken/half-hare adventurer grossed nearly US$11 million at the global box office.
More recently, nWave rolled out its CG-animated film The Inseparables (pictured) worldwide in late 2023. With a premise involving a puppet and a stuffed animal becoming friends, the family feature has grossed US$2.7 million to date.