Eyeline
Corporate brand
UnclaimedEyeline is a Netflix-owned visual-effects and animation company formerly known as Scanline VFX.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Eyeline is a visual-effects and animation company whose origins date to a studio founded in Munich in 1989 by Thomas Zauner, Peter Claridge, and Stefanie Stalf. The business became widely known under the Scanline VFX name and developed a specialization in technically demanding effects, particularly large-scale water, fire, destruction, environmental simulation, and other effects that require sophisticated computer-generated physical behavior. Its work has appeared in feature films and television productions spanning superhero, science-fiction, fantasy, action, and prestige-drama franchises. The company’s creative and technical identity was strongly shaped by visual-effects supervisor Stephan Trojansky, who led the studio from the mid-2000s. During this period, Scanline developed a reputation as a boutique effects vendor capable of handling unusually complex simulation-heavy sequences. A central part of that capability was Flowline, proprietary fluid-simulation software developed internally by Scanline. The technology supported effects such as the water creature in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, tsunamis in 2012 and Hereafter, large-scale destruction in Battleship and San Andreas, and fire effects in Game of Thrones. Flowline received a Scientific and Technical Achievement Academy Award in 2008. Scanline’s film work included projects connected with Marvel and DC, including Spider-Man: Far From Home, Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, The Suicide Squad, and The Batman. Other cited credits include Terminator: Dark Fate, Gemini Man, Godzilla vs. Kong, Free Guy, and Don’t Look Up. The studio also worked on major television productions, including Game of Thrones, Shadow and Bone, Foundation, Cowboy Bebop, and Stranger Things. Scanline had a particularly close working relationship with director Zack Snyder. It served as a lead vendor on the 2017 production of Justice League and later completed or revisited unfinished sequences for Zack Snyder’s Justice League, released by HBO Max in 2021. The company’s television work also brought major industry recognition, including Emmy Awards for its contributions to Game of Thrones. In November 2021, Netflix announced an agreement to acquire Scanline. The transaction closed in the first quarter of 2022, with Scanline intended to continue operating as a standalone business serving multiple clients rather than exclusively producing Netflix content. Netflix subsequently integrated Scanline into Eyeline Studios and recruited computer-graphics researcher Paul Debevec as chief research officer. In October 2025, Netflix merged Scanline VFX with Eyeline Studios under the unified Eyeline name and branding. Eyeline therefore represents the continuation of Scanline’s production capabilities within Netflix’s broader visual-effects, animation, and research organization.
History
Eyeline traces its history to a visual-effects and animation studio founded in Munich in 1989 by Thomas Zauner, Peter Claridge, and Stefanie Stalf. The company later operated internationally under the Scanline VFX name and expanded its production footprint to locations in Munich, Stuttgart, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, London, and Seoul. From the mid-2000s, visual-effects supervisor Stephan Trojansky played a major leadership role in shaping the studio’s identity. Scanline differentiated itself through a boutique production model and an emphasis on simulation-based effects. Rather than concentrating only on conventional compositing or character work, the studio became especially associated with technically complex depictions of fluids, natural forces, fire, destruction, and other large-scale phenomena. Scanline’s principal proprietary technology was Flowline, an internally developed computational fluid-simulation system. The software supported a range of productions and helped the company create physically convincing water and environmental effects. Its use included the water creature in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, tsunami sequences in 2012 and Hereafter, destruction in Battleship and San Andreas, and fire effects in Game of Thrones. Flowline earned a Scientific and Technical Achievement Academy Award in 2008. The studio built a substantial filmography during the 2000s and 2010s. It was the sole visual-effects vendor on Hereafter, which received an Academy Award nomination for visual effects, and it contributed to projects such as Iron Man 3 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Its broader feature work included Marvel productions, DC adaptations, Terminator: Dark Fate, Gemini Man, and other effects-intensive films. Scanline also became an important supplier to television productions. Its work on Game of Thrones included both the fourth and eighth seasons. The company received Emmy recognition for special visual effects for its work on the series, including the eighth-season episode The Iron Throne. Additional television credits included Shadow and Bone, Foundation, Cowboy Bebop, and Stranger Things season four. Zack Snyder’s productions formed a notable strand of the company’s history. Scanline worked as a lead vendor on Justice League, with Bryan Hirota serving as an internal visual-effects supervisor. When Zack Snyder’s Justice League was completed for HBO Max in 2021, Scanline again acted as lead vendor and completed or revised unfinished sequences. In November 2021, Netflix announced that it would acquire Scanline VFX. The transaction closed in the first quarter of 2022. Netflix stated that Scanline would retain a standalone operating role and continue working with varied clients. The business was then integrated into Eyeline Studios, a Netflix organization focused on visual effects, animation, and related research. Netflix also hired computer-graphics and imaging pioneer Paul Debevec as chief research officer. In October 2025, Netflix combined Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios into a single organization branded Eyeline. The change unified the company’s visual-effects production heritage with Eyeline’s broader studio and research activities while preserving Scanline’s established technical capabilities under a new corporate identity.
- 2025
Eyeline unified brand launches
[1]Netflix merged Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios under the unified Eyeline name and branding.
- 2022
Acquisition closes and Scanline joins Eyeline Studios
[1]Netflix completed the acquisition in the first quarter and integrated Scanline into Eyeline Studios.
- 2021
Netflix announces Scanline acquisition
[1]Netflix announced its plan to acquire Scanline while maintaining the studio as a standalone supplier to multiple clients.
- 2017
Lead-vendor work on Justice League
[1]Scanline served as a lead visual-effects vendor on Justice League, working before and after the change in directing responsibilities.
- 2008
Flowline receives a Scientific and Technical Achievement Academy Award
[1]Scanline’s proprietary fluid-effects software was recognized for its technical contribution to computer-generated visual effects.
- 1989
Studio founded in Munich
[1]Thomas Zauner, Peter Claridge, and Stefanie Stalf founded the company that later became known as Scanline VFX and ultimately Eyeline.
Products and positioning
A technically advanced visual-effects and animation partner focused on complex simulation-driven work for major film and television productions.
Fluid-simulation software
Flowline
Flowline is Scanline’s proprietary computational fluid-simulation technology, developed internally to generate complex water and fluid effects. It supported work on tsunamis, water creatures, environmental forces, and other effects requiring detailed physical behavior. The system was central to Scanline’s reputation for simulation-heavy visual-effects work and received a Scientific and Technical Achievement Academy Award in 2008.
Visual-effects production
Feature-film visual effects
Eyeline and its predecessor Scanline have supplied visual effects for major feature films across superhero, science-fiction, fantasy, action, and disaster genres. Its credited work includes Marvel and DC projects as well as Terminator: Dark Fate, Gemini Man, Godzilla vs. Kong, Free Guy, and Don’t Look Up.
Television production services
Television visual effects
The company produces visual effects for serialized television and streaming productions. Its credits include Game of Thrones, Shadow and Bone, Foundation, Cowboy Bebop, and Stranger Things season four, with its Game of Thrones work earning Emmy recognition.
Brand decisions
2025
Unification of Scanline VFX and Eyeline StudiosStrategyBackground
Netflix had incorporated the acquired Scanline business into Eyeline Studios after completing the acquisition.
Action taken
Netflix merged Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios and adopted Eyeline as the unified brand.
Aftermath
The reorganization combined Scanline’s established visual-effects production capabilities with Eyeline’s wider studio, animation, and research activities.
2021
Netflix announces Scanline VFX acquisitionM&ABackground
Netflix sought to expand its access to advanced visual-effects production and related technical capabilities while preserving Scanline’s ability to work with external clients.
Action taken
Netflix announced an agreement to acquire Scanline VFX and said the business would operate as a standalone studio.
Aftermath
The transaction closed in the first quarter of 2022, after which Scanline was integrated into Eyeline Studios.
Recent events
Sources3 sources
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