Frantic Films

Frantic Films Corporation is a Canadian film and television production company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Its activities have included branded entertainment, live-action television, reality programming, documentaries, feature-film visual effects, previsualization, and the development of software used in visual-effects production. The company was founded in 1997 by Ken Zorniak and Chris Bond, initially producing material for commercial clients including Procter & Gamble. An early technical credit involved computer-generated imagery for Stephen King's television miniseries Storm of the Century. The company became internationally visible in 2001 through its visual-effects work on Swordfish. During the same period, it established a research and development division devoted to software and production tools. That division developed Deadline, a commercial render-farm management system, and Flood, an in-house fluid-simulation tool. Flood was described in contemporary material as one of the leading tools of its type by 2004. The software activity gave Frantic Films a technology-development profile in addition to its production business. Jamie Brown joined the company as a partner in 2002. Frantic subsequently continued to expand its live-action and television-production activities while maintaining a presence in visual effects and previsualization. Its documented production slate includes reality and factual series, scripted and comedy programming, documentaries, television specials, and feature-related projects. Examples include Still Standing, Baroness von Sketch Show, Backyard Builds, Til Debt Do Us Part, The Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, and the documentary or factual productions Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Cartier and Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story. In 2007, the visual-effects and software research divisions were acquired by Prime Focus Group. Following that transaction, Frantic Films discontinued its visual-effects and previsualization projects and concentrated on live-action production and branded content. In 2010, co-founder Chris Bond established Thinkbox Software and reacquired the software research and development division from Prime Focus. Thinkbox later became part of Amazon Web Services, while software originally developed through the Frantic Films technology operation continued to be developed commercially. Frantic expanded its rights and production capabilities in 2009 by acquiring Red Apple Entertainment, obtaining access to Red Apple's syndication catalogue and production model. Its branded-content arm, Frantic Branded Content, focused on integrated entertainment designed for traditional and emerging media platforms. In 2009, it collaborated with advertising agency TAXI and commercial-production company Soft Citizen on Commercial Break, a branded-entertainment television property. In 2017, Kew Media Group acquired Frantic Films as part of a reported $108 million transaction involving several Canadian production companies, including Bristow Global Media and Our House Media. In 2020, Jamie Brown financed a transaction intended to enable Frantic Films to buy back its shares from Kew Media Group. Public reference material does not establish a definitive current ownership structure, operating status, or official website, so those fields remain unresolved here.

Frantic Films was established in Winnipeg in 1997 by Ken Zorniak and Chris Bond. The company began with commercial production work, including projects for Procter & Gamble, and also undertook early computer-generated imagery work for Storm of the Century, a television production associated with Stephen King. Its profile broadened through feature-film visual effects. In 2001, Frantic contributed effects to Swordfish, bringing the Winnipeg-based company international attention. That year it also created a research and development division to develop tools for visual-effects production. The division's best-known software initiatives included Deadline, a render-farm management application, and Flood, a fluid-simulation system developed initially for internal use. By 2004, Flood was being described as one of the leading fluid-simulation tools in the field. Jamie Brown became a partner in 2002. During the following years, Frantic worked on visual effects and previsualization for a number of feature films, including The Italian Job, X2, Paycheck, The Core, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Catwoman, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Cursed, Poseidon, X-Men: The Last Stand, Superman Returns, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Runaway. The company's broader production work included factual television, reality series, documentaries, comedy, and television specials. A major structural change occurred in 2007, when Prime Focus Group acquired Frantic's visual-effects and software R&D divisions. Frantic Films then stopped undertaking visual-effects and previsualization projects and concentrated on live-action production and branded content. The technology business later separated again: in 2010, Chris Bond founded Thinkbox Software and reacquired the software R&D operation from Prime Focus. Thinkbox was subsequently acquired by Amazon Web Services, and software originating from the Frantic technology operation continued in commercial development. Frantic strengthened its content and catalogue position in 2009 by acquiring Red Apple Entertainment. The transaction provided access to Red Apple's syndication catalogue and production approach. Frantic's branded-content division, Frantic Branded Content, pursued integrated entertainment for both conventional and emerging media. A notable initiative was Commercial Break, developed in partnership with advertising agency TAXI and commercial-production company Soft Citizen. The company's live-action slate has included programs such as Still Standing, Baroness von Sketch Show, Backyard Builds, Til Debt Do Us Part, The Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Buy It, Fix It, Sell It, Pitch'n In, High Maintenance, Stand!, Killer in Plain Sight, The Writers' Block, The Stats of Life, Verdict, and Of All Places. Its documentary and factual work has included Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Cartier, Keep Your Head Up Kid: The Don Cherry Story, Music Rising, Devil's Brigade, Retail, Princess, Breakbound, and Guinea Pig. In 2017, Frantic Films became one of several Canadian production companies acquired by Kew Media Group in a transaction reported at $108 million for the group of businesses. In 2020, Jamie Brown financed a buyback of Frantic Films shares from Kew Media Group. Available reference material does not provide enough information to confirm the company's present ownership, management, website, or operating status.

• 2020

  Shares are bought back from Kew Media Group

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Jamie Brown finances a transaction for Frantic Films to buy back its shares from Kew Media Group.

• 2017

  Kew Media Group acquisition

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Kew Media Group acquires Frantic Films as part of a broader purchase of Canadian production companies.

• 2009

  Red Apple Entertainment is acquired

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Frantic Films acquires Red Apple Entertainment and gains access to its syndication catalogue.

• 2007

  Visual-effects and software divisions are sold

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Prime Focus Group acquires the visual-effects and software R&D divisions, prompting a refocus on live-action and branded content.

• 2002

  Jamie Brown joins as a partner

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Jamie Brown joins Frantic Films as a partner.

• 2001

  Swordfish visual-effects work brings international attention

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Frantic Films contributes visual-effects sequences to the feature film Swordfish.

• 2001

  Research and development division is established

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  The company launches an R&D operation focused on software and tools for visual-effects production.

• 1997

  Frantic Films is founded

  [1]Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org

  Ken Zorniak and Chris Bond establish Frantic Films in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

A Canadian production company combining factual and entertainment programming with branded-content development; historically also a provider of feature-film visual effects, previsualization, and related software technology.

• Branded entertainment

  Frantic Branded Content

  The company's branded-content division developed original integrated entertainment for traditional television and emerging media platforms. Its work combined production expertise with advertiser and agency partnerships, including the Commercial Break property created with TAXI and Soft Citizen.

• Television production

  Live-action television and factual programming

  Frantic Films has produced a broad range of live-action programming, including reality series, documentaries, factual entertainment, comedy, lifestyle formats, television specials, and scripted projects. Documented titles include Still Standing, Baroness von Sketch Show, Backyard Builds, Til Debt Do Us Part, The Winnipeg Comedy Festival, and Todd and the Book of Pure Evil.

• Visual-effects production software

  Deadline

  Deadline was a commercial render-farm management tool developed through Frantic Films' visual-effects software operation. It was designed to help production teams manage and distribute rendering tasks across computing resources.

• Fluid-simulation software

  Flood

  Flood was a fluid-simulation tool first developed internally for visual-effects work. The software became part of the company's broader R&D output and was described in reference material as a leading tool in its field by 2004.

• Film production services

  Feature-film visual effects and previsualization

  Before the 2007 divestiture, Frantic Films provided visual-effects and previsualization services for feature films. Its credits included Swordfish, The Italian Job, X2, Paycheck, The Core, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Catwoman, Superman Returns, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

• 2009Commercial Break

  Canada

  Frantic Branded Content partnered with advertising agency TAXI and commercial-production company Soft Citizen to create Commercial Break, a branded-entertainment television property.

  Outcome. The project is documented as a branded television property; the available reference does not provide audience, revenue, or campaign-performance results.

  Source

• 2020

  Share buyback from Kew Media GroupM&A

  Background

  Frantic Films was part of Kew Media Group following the 2017 acquisition.

  Action taken

  Jamie Brown financed a transaction enabling Frantic Films to buy back its shares from Kew Media Group.

  Aftermath

  The available reference material does not establish the subsequent ownership structure or operating status.

  Source

• 2017

  Acquisition by Kew Media GroupM&A

  Background

  Kew Media Group pursued a group of Canadian production companies.

  Action taken

  Kew Media Group acquired Frantic Films along with other Canadian production businesses.

  Aftermath

  In 2020, Jamie Brown financed a transaction for Frantic Films to buy back its shares from Kew Media Group.

  Reported aggregate purchase price for the group of Canadian production companies. $108 million (2017)

  Source

• 2007

  Refocus on live action and branded contentStrategy

  Background

  Prime Focus Group acquired Frantic Films' visual-effects and software R&D divisions.

  Action taken

  Frantic Films stopped its visual-effects and previsualization projects and concentrated on live-action production and branded content.

  Aftermath

  The company's subsequent documented activities emphasize television, factual programming, documentaries, and branded entertainment.

  Source

1. 1Frantic Filmsen.wikipedia.org