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Digital Hollywood - Friday, December 3, 2004

Wild Brain - Profile

HQ: San Francisco, CA

Founded: 1994

Management: Creative founders were refugees from Collosal Pictures. Hired CEO Scott Hyten, who most recently fouded Interface Capital Partners, an entertianment focussed VC firm.

Investors: Company was bootstrapped by founders and in November 2004, it raised $30M from Valence Capital and previous investor Syntek Capital AG.

Business Model: Me-too Pixar set-up. Company has been doing 3D CGI animation for commercials but recently landed a feature film deal with Miramax Films and Dimension Films. Company is currently in production on "Opus" which Craig Mazin ("Scary Movie 3") will adapt from an idea by Berkeley Breathed.

From Nike Commercials to the Big Screen
Competitors: Blue Sky Studios, Pixar, Dreamworks.

Dirt: We have seen enthusiasm for CGI animation companies come and go for such companies as Collosal Pictures. We have no reason to believe that WildBrain will become the next Pixar. The business is just too challenging. Talent leaves to start their own ventures, deal flow is unreliable, and bombs can kill the company.