Companies Technicolor, MPC, and The Mill are readying themselves for a full shutdown.
In a troubling turn of events, Technicolor Creative Studios, a globally renowned name in visual effects and digital production, is currently grappling with a significant crisis. The company, which includes subsidiaries such as MPC (Moving Picture Company), The Mill, Mikros Animation, and Technicolor Games, among others, is facing the possibility of closure, affecting thousands of visual effects workers across the US, UK, Canada, and India.
The crisis began in early July 2025, when Technicolor Group filed for court-supervised recovery procedures in France due to an inability to find new investors despite extensive efforts. This move signals a potential total shutdown of MPC and Technicolor’s operations, with the future of The Mill, Mikros Animation, and Technicolor Games hanging in the balance.
The CEO, Caroline Parot, has communicated internally that legal frameworks are being established in each country to manage orderly protections and possible solutions. However, the situation remains dire, with MPC potentially facing total shutdown, and the future of other subsidiaries uncertain.
The visual effects community has been left in a state of alarm and sadness, given Technicolor's long heritage in visual effects and digital production. Some commentators suggest that corporate management of Technicolor’s VFX brands was flawed, with criticism pointing to poor corporate governance and a failure to understand the realities of the VFX industry’s challenges. The consolidation of separate entities under the Technicolor name was also questioned, as Technicolor itself lacked strong brand recognition in the VFX domain.
The visual effects sector has been overbuilt since the mid-1990s digital explosion, and recent years have seen several VFX company closures. The shutdown of MPC earlier this year, and now the potential closure of Technicolor, join other high-profile cases like Rhythm & Hues. This trend puts additional pressure on other studios and workers in the ecosystem.
As of now, meetings are underway with MPC staff, and they will reportedly receive severance pay. However, no new information regarding severance pay for MPC staff has been provided. Attempts to reach out to Technicolor for comment have gone unanswered.
The French divisions of Technicolor Creative Studios are moving towards receivership, and Technicolor Creative Studios UK Limited is already set to enter administration today. Technicolor has exhausted restructuring initiatives, discussions with potential investors, and exploring acquisition opportunities. The outlook for MPC and sister companies within Technicolor Creative Studios remains very uncertain and potentially bleak.
| Company | Status/Impact | |------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | **MPC** | Facing total shutdown, thousands affected globally[1] | | **The Mill** | Included in Technicolor’s crisis, uncertain future[1][2] | | **Mikros Animation** | Also part of Technicolor’s group, impacted by closures[1][2] | | **Technicolor Games** | Affected by group-wide financial distress and potential closure[1] |
This is a developing story, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
The financial crisis facing Technicolor Creative Studios, a leading force in the visual effects and digital production industry, has raised concerns for subsidiaries such as MPC, The Mill, Mikros Animation, and Technicolor Games, with the potential closure of MPC impacting thousands of visual effects workers worldwide.
The predicament of Technicolor Group, which began in July 2025 with the filing for court-supervised recovery procedures in France, also puts the future of The Mill, Mikros Animation, and Technicolor Games in limbo.
