It’s understandable to think of Industrial Light and Magic as one, single entity, creating magic for half a century and pushing along the boundaries of what visual effects can do from project to project, and while ILM is indeed a single entity, it has locations scattered around the world. From Mumbai to London, San Francisco to Sydney, ILM bring together the best talents in the VFX world to make magic, and here Jamie Benning visits their HQ in Vancouver to talk with the team about what makes their Canadian base so special.
When you arrive at Industrial Light & Magic’s Vancouver office, located in a unique skyscraper known as “The Stack,” the lobby displays creatures, props, and costumes tied to the company’s history, while the view beyond the windows reveals one of the most distinctive environments in the ILM network. Glass, steel, ocean light, and mountain silhouettes frame a workspace where some of the most technically complex and creative imagery in modern filmmaking is created. The Vancouver studio is shaped by its artists, influenced by its location, and sustained by a culture built on collaboration and shared purpose.
This portrait of ILM’s Vancouver studio emerges from conversations with people working across very different roles inside the studio: senior visual effects trainer Matt Leonard; lead animator Wesley Chandler; senior talent management coordinator Riya Ramani; and visual effects production coordinator William Wu. Their perspectives are reinforced by insights from Toban Taplin, executive in charge at the Vancouver studio, whose role bridges creative leadership, operations, and long-term studio strategy. Across these conversations, a consistent theme emerges. The Vancouver studio is a place defined by people who support each other, a city that inspires them, and a culture that reflects the best of ILM’s past and present.
