'The Wild Robot' VFX studio STIM opens Tenerife hub
French animation and VFX company STIM, known for the wild robot vfx work including facial and body rigging for DreamWorks' hit, is opening a Tenerife production center in Spain's Canary Islands. The studio plans to create more than 100 jobs, begin operations in August, and hire about 60 people by the end of 2026 as it expands across Europe.
Key Takeaways
- STIM, the French studio behind key The Wild Robot character rigging, is launching STIM Tenerife in Spain's Canary Islands.
- Operations are set to start in August, with about 60 hires targeted by the end of 2026 and more than 100 jobs planned overall.
- The hub sits inside the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC), a low-tax regime for qualifying companies.
- STIM also cites credits on The Garfield Movie, Coyote vs. Acme, FX's Shōgun, and Girl in the Clouds.
- ZEC figures put the islands' animation and digital-arts workforce near 2,000 professionals across more than 30 specialist companies.
What is STIM announcing in the Canary Islands?
According to Variety, STIM is opening a production center on Tenerife as it grows its European footprint beyond France and Belgium.
Founded by Félix Ferrand, Jordan Soler, and Benoit Gielly, the company specializes in 3D animation, visual effects, and digital production for film, TV, and advertising. It has moved from a character-focused shop into a studio that can take projects from design and pre-production through final delivery.
STIM Tenerife CEO Amélie Houpline called the launch "a strategic stage in STIM's evolution," saying the islands offer talent, development potential, and a dynamic creative community. She added that the base will help raise production capacity without sacrificing artistic and technical excellence.
Why does the wild robot vfx credit matter here?
Fans following Streaming & TV Alerts know DreamWorks' The Wild Robot as a major animation release. STIM collaborated on facial and body rigging for several characters on that film, giving the Tenerife news a clear Hollywood hook.
Its other reported credits include Sony's The Garfield Movie, Warner Bros.' Coyote vs. Acme, FX's Emmy-winning Shōgun, and the Annecy-selected Franco-Belgian feature Girl in the Clouds.
Recruitment is already underway for character modelers, set and prop modelers, look-development artists, supervisors, and other high-skilled roles. The Tenerife site is also meant to support financing structures spanning France, Belgium, and the Canary Islands, giving producers more ways to assemble European animation and VFX packages.
How big could the Canary Islands animation boom get?
STIM is locating inside the ZEC low-tax zone as the archipelago builds its animation, VFX, and digital-arts sector. ZEC data cited by Variety say the islands now host more than 30 specialist companies and close to 2,000 professionals, up from a much smaller industry less than a decade ago.
Peers already on the islands include Fortiche (behind Arcane), Atlantis Animation, 3 Doubles Producciones, Tomavision, Gigglebug, Amuse Studios, and Ánima Kitchent. Recent moves also include Surfing Giant Studios' Tenerife operation and DNEG's investment in Ánima Kitchent, backed by Spain's SETT.
ZEC President Pablo Hernández said the islands have shifted from promise to an established part of the international animation industry, with permanent centers for decision-making, production, and creative development. Industry projections cited in the report suggest 3,000 to 4,000 specialized animation and digital-arts jobs could arrive in the coming years.
Houpline said STIM's ambition is not only to produce international projects from the islands, but to build a long-term studio, create highly qualified jobs, and help grow the Canary Islands ecosystem.