Crafty Apes Continues Global Expansion with Australian Opening, Promotes Dave Morley to Executive Creative Director

Globe and Mail

18-03-2025

LOS ANGELES , March 18, 2025 /CNW/ -- Crafty Apes, a leading provider of high-end visual effects services for the entertainment industry, is thrilled to announce the opening of new offices in Australia . With key supervisors and management already in place, this expansion marks a significant milestone in the company's continued global growth, bringing Crafty Apes' total number of offices to seven across North America , Europe , and now Oceania.
The new facilities, drawing talent from the booming production hubs of Sydney and Adelaide , will serve to offer Crafty Apes' expanding roster of clients the trusted creative collaboration they've come to expect over the company's 14-year history. The Australian locations were chosen for their world-class talent and the significant advantages offered by the local visual effects tax credit programs, making Australia an ideal destination for both physical and post production.
"Having spent a decade of my career in Australia , I am excited to open our doors here and continue our mission to deliver world-class visual effects for our clients worldwide," said Alana Newell, CEO of Crafty Apes. "This expansion allows us to tap into Australia's growing talent pool, state-of-the-art facilities, and the generous regional and federal tax incentives offered, creating a solid foundation for future growth and collaboration. Expanding Crafty Apes' global footprint to include Australia is a natural next step in our growth."
The Australian territories of New South Wales and South Australia offer some of the most lucrative and competitive visual effects tax credits in the world. The government-backed programs are designed to attract international production and enhance the local VFX industry, making it a prime location for Crafty Apes to build a presence, while also contributing to the development of the local creative economy in Australia .
"It's incredibly exciting to be part of establishing our presence in Australia , first in Sydney and beyond as we grow," added Dave Morley, who will be opening the Sydney facility and has also been promoted to the role of Executive Creative Director for Crafty Apes. "Returning home to work alongside old friends and colleagues and injecting fresh energy into the vibrant Australian VFX scene fills me with immense pride."
After successfully growing Crafty Apes Vancouver to the company's largest facility, Morley recently served as the show-side VFX Supervisor for Paul Feig on both A Simple Favor 2 and the upcoming The Housemaid. Morley will be assuming the Executive Creative Director role, working closely with A-list directors and showrunners in creative look development on new projects, while also mentoring the global team of VFX Supervisors at the company.
Including projects that Morley will be supervising, Crafty Apes has already received multiple feature awards for the Sydney facility that are currently shooting both in Australia and globally, with the visual effects work to begin starting the second quarter of 2025.
About Crafty Apes
Crafty Apes is a full-service visual effects company started in Los Angeles , with additional studios in Atlanta, New York , London , Montreal , Vancouver and Australia . Beginning as a VFX studio for film and TV, Crafty Apes has grown to include a talented roster of creative supervisors and production management that offer set supervision, VFX consultation, and high-end CG and previsualization services. Crafty Apes' work can be seen on fan-favorite and critically-acclaimed films such as The Creator, The Holdovers, Justice League: Snyder Cut; and Violent Night, as well as top episodic series including The Bear, Only Murders in the Building, The Walking Dead: Dead City, and Foundation, to name a few . For more information, visit craftyapes.com.