Toronto-based visual effects company MARZ (Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies) said it has secured over $5 million in Series A funding round to grow its core business and research its AI for visual effects solutions for TV, furthering its goal of providing feature film effects on TV production timelines.
The company's clients since it opened shop in 2018 have included Netflix (The Umbrella Academy), Apple TV (Invasion) and HBO (Watchmen).
That shop also includes a new "character and creature" division specifically for all those needed monsters, aliens, robots and zombies.
While the company currently employs 145 people, the plan is to add 100 new staffers by next year, with a quarter of those staffers concentrating on R&D into machine learning and AI.
MARZ has already released a beta version of its AI for VFX" tech, which is said has benefitted clients including "Disney, AMC, Peacock."
“MARZ is one of the fastest growing VFX studios in the industry with a reputation for leveraging technology to deliver a best-in-class product within record timelines,” said Brahm Klar, partner at Round13 Capital, one of the Series A funders. ■
