Blacksmith: 10 Years In And No Signs of Slowing Down

You would be hard-pressed to find three people more determined to succeed than Charlotte Arnold, Iwan Zwarts and Tom Bussell. Hard working and tenacious, they met during their time at The Mill, where they acquired an appetite for deep collaboration on first-rate creative. Hungry for more responsibility on their own terms, in 2015 the trio decided to pursue a dream which, at the time, was considered unprecedented. A boutique VFX shop fit to compete in the big leagues. To pull this off - and to make its mark - respect and trust amongst leadership was imperative. Luckily, this was something the three friends had in abundance.

Many told them it couldn’t be done, insisting that the larger commercial work required a large team. And back then, that was indeed the case. Deadset on proving the naysayers wrong by rewriting the playbook, Charlotte, Iwan and Tom stuck to their guns, forging close relationships with creative teams and collaborating with massive entities in multiple industries. From crafting creative for global brand campaigns for Apple, adidas, Delta, Macy’s, NBA and Under Armour, to working on beloved gaming franchises like Call of Duty, Halo and Diablo, not to mention a vast array of TV, film, and music video IP for some of the biggest artists in the world – Blacksmith is living, breathing proof that the relentless pursuit of a vision can pay off.

What began in New York with humble beginnings - renting space from award-winning edit house, WORK Editorial - now boasts a bicoastal offering with dozens of worldclass collaborations under its belt. Sitting down with the team off the back of their 10 year celebration last week, LBB’s April Summers learns that Blacksmith’s guiding force has and will always remain the same: careful selection of the best work to ensure the best people enjoy their time working together.

LBB> What was the original vision behind Blacksmith, and how did you all come together to start it? Were there any defining moments or challenges in those early days that made you think, 'Yes, this is our calling'?

Charlotte> The original vision for the company was to build a boutique VFX shop focused on craft, doing only the best work with people we enjoy working with. To stay small and agile so we didn’t have to fill our docket with work we didn’t want to do. It sounded simple, but it was not.

It was daunting to go out there alone as the first boutique studio. People were sceptical. The landscape solely consisted of big VFX companies, with armies of artists. Convincing people we could execute their projects at a smaller studio was challenging at first, but we had solid client relationships with people who trusted us and you only need one or two good jobs to get you going.

As partners, we had immense trust in each other and a lot of ambition, plus we believed the craft-based boutique idea was a winner.

Tom> Our beginnings were humble, but our vision was ambitious. The goal was clear to us all: produce VFX at the highest level and strip away anything non essential in pursuit of that. This was the motivation but we knew we would have to sacrifice comfort to build it.

I remember taking inspiration from the network we had built trust with, we really valued work editorials approach in craft and culture and wanted to provide that same level of creative support for visual effects.

Iwan> The beginning moments of Blacksmith were indeed challenging, we had absolutely no guarantees, no backups and many naysayers amplifying our fears. The only thing we could really ascribe it to was courage and ignorance of not really knowing how tough it would be. If we had fully known we might not have made the jump. But we had each other, all sharing a common vision and drive to become an agile creative team.

LBB> How did you navigate those early years without a blueprint, and what kept you motivated to push forward? Looking back, were there any key moments or decisions that you now see as pivotal in establishing the company’s identity?

Charlotte> We didn't have an exact blueprint to follow as there were no other VFX companies in NY running a boutique style model that we could aspire to. Instead, we aspired to do a certain kind of work. The taste level between the three of us is very similar and we set the bar high from the start. We always agreed on what work we should be doing, and what work would not be suited to this style of VFX model.

Iwan> The ethics and taste we shared as partners were, and still are, the guiding force behind building the brand and the culture within Blacksmith. It was always about the best craft, the best work, and the best people having fun doing it. We always wanted to be in a position where we could choose the work carefully and enjoy the work.

Tom> Our collective years at The Mill were enough of a blueprint. What better education can you get than 10 years in a company widely considered the best? We contributed at the highest level, we saw what worked and what didn’t, which gave us perspective in how we wanted the experience to be moving forward.

We’re all highly motivated, naturally, and nothing got us fired up more than the challenge of the project in front of us. When you’re a small team, and all the comfort of a big facility is behind you, you become laser focused on solving the big picture concepts without wasting resources.

LBB> Building a business from the ground up takes an incredible amount of drive. How did your backgrounds and skills complement each other in the beginning? What strengths did each of you bring to the table that helped lay the foundation for Blacksmith's success?

Charlotte> When we formed Blacksmith we had the key skill sets covered: 2D, 3D and production. We each drew experience from our respective roles and brought that together. But there are so many other parts that go into a business so we divided up the other tasks and all lent into other areas we felt comfortable with.

Iwan> We possess a really good tri-factor of complementary traits and skills to fill in each other's weaknesses. There was a lot of ground we had to cover between us, and we didn't have the luxury of funding to acquire the necessary talent, but between the three of us we had the ability to wear multiple hats which helped get us off the ground.

Tom> We really had to wear every hat. There was no safety net, no back office.You have to learn quickly when everything depends on you.

LBB> What were some of the first projects you worked on, and how did you go about securing that initial business? Were there any surprising clients or unexpected breakthroughs that helped you get your foot in the door?

Charlotte> Our first job was a Halo project with Rupert Sanders. We'd worked with him on multiple projects in the past and had built trust with him and his team. He really went to bat for us and convinced the agency to use this unknown VFX shop.

The agency was 250 McCann. They came in from San Francisco and sat with us in our one suite for the three week schedule. We were concerned at first about feeling a bit lo-fi for them. We only had one room which was within WORK's space and didn't have our own client service person, for example. But the agency loved it. There were no frills, they felt like they were in the trenches with us making something great, like a Blacksmith in a workshop crafting something amazing.

We were excited to show the Halo piece to our industry peers after it was completed. We used it to then help get the next projects as we didn’t have a website at the time. It's funny to think back to this now because we didn't even have a website for the first 18 months of Blacksmith — we really hustled hard to get work. We locked in on who to approach and how.

We also wouldn't be where we are today without WORK. They did more than just rent us a room. They were a great sounding board in the early days, as their company was built on the similar principle of a boutique studio focusing on craft, and we all shared a similar taste level.

It was great having space in their studio as we were getting started, it felt like we had an extended office family to hang out with. We still share a floor with them in that building and work together frequently.

Iwan> Halo was a very ambitious first project for a startup and we were pitching against industry giants. We had to lean a lot on personal relationships and trust we had built over the years to get that project in the door. We were very grateful even to this day for the trust that Rupert and the agency team invested in us to execute that project.

Tom> This project ticked all the boxes: great concept, great director, great team— it just needed great VFX. You have to take big swings when these opportunities come around and this was the perfect opportunity for us to put our plans to test.

We had confidence in our business model but we had no idea how the industry would respond. Would people really trust a handful of artists in a small suite to deliver top-level VFX? Turns out, yes. What we were doing at the time was a bit different, but there was a hunger for that. We went for a quieter promotion style, letting the work do the talking and focusing on that, and slowly our network grew.

LBB> Over the past decade, Blacksmith has been part of some incredible projects. What are a few that stand out as particularly memorable or significant, and why?

Charlotte> One of the standouts for me is the Michael Phelps Under Armour spot we did with Martin De Thurah and Droga. It was the experience we were all looking for when making work at Blacksmith. The final film was so elevated from the original script and it was fun to be part of that creative process with that team.

Another one I love is the adidas work we did with Terence Neale and Johannes Leonardo, 'Done Before'. This stands out for a similar reason to Under Armour — the final piece was so different to the original script and it was inspiring to be part of that process.

Macy's 'Spacestation' is also a special one as it won us our first VFX award -- I loved that spot.

Iwan> Under Armour with Micheal Phelps also stood out to me, as it was such a great project in terms of a real story leading up to the Olympics. After the public crucified Phelps, he had a lot to prove to the world and his critics and seeing him go through all that brutal preparation and mental battle with himself felt very real. Then he went on to absolutely dominate the Olympics to become the world's most awarded olympian. And then the extra icing on the cake was the commercial taking home the Grand Prix at Cannes.

Tom> As cheesy as it sounds I still feel like every project is significant, the old adage you’re only as good as your last job really does apply. I get excited when things run smoothly. I know we can do the work to the highest standards, while making sure the experience is enjoyable — and that’s always been our goal.

The Diablo project we did last year was a great experience, not an easy project but one with a remarkable amount of trust between everyone involved. From the director Jon Watts to the creatives and producers at 72, beginning to end it was a really good experience on one of the most challenging projects to pull off.

LBB> What’s one project that tested your team the most, either in terms of technical challenge, tight deadlines, or client demands? Were there any ‘Aha!’ moments during those projects where the solution came together in an unexpected way?

Iwan> We probably have at least one of these ‘testing’ projects per year. We know it's going to be hard, long hours, challenges etc, so before we take those on we put it to our team to see if people want to ‘sign up’ for the pain. These sorts of projects are important to build team spirit and camaraderie, and it also results in a lot of growth as artists and producers generally level up during these experiences. There is always an ‘Aha!’ moment during the last few days of the project, when everything starts looking really good, but up until that point it's usually a lot of grit and faith before you actually see it.

Charlotte> So many projects have tested us. The first Halo project tested our nerves, and then each time we took on bigger VFX projects, our nerves were tested further. But each project brings with it a lesson, either good or bad.

The Zillow project we did in 2021 was challenging but also a favourite. We knew it was going to be difficult with only four weeks to do an epic amount of VFX. The team came together - the artists and producers - to discuss how tough it was going to be, but also what a great project it was. It was a script we just couldn't turn down. It’s important to us that we make those decisions together and include the artists who will be giving up their nights and weekends on a project — we all have to be on board.

Most recently, the Diablo IV cinematic we finished last October. You don't often see those kinds of VFX projects coming out of a smaller studio but Tom Bussell and team crushed it.

LBB> In 2022, you made the decision to expand to Los Angeles. What prompted this move, and what kind of opportunities or challenges did it present for Blacksmith in terms of operations, talent, and client relationships?

Iwan> The decision to open LA came from having some success in NYC and almost naively thinking we could replicate this in a different location. Again it was harder than we imagined especially after the global shock the industry experienced during the pandemic. We were building a steady relationship with agencies and clients on the West Coast and it seemed like the next logical step to provide those clients with a more convenient experience in their location.

Tom> LA was a natural coming of age. We wanted to keep NYC relatively small but still wanted to expand our reach, so opening a site in LA and growing another small team out there felt right.

We have had a fair amount of setbacks, from covid to construction delays, but all the trauma from the challenges we faced seem worth it every time I’m at the office over there. It’s such a great space and I’m incredibly proud of it.

We’ve worked hard to make sure it’s one team between the two sites, pushing us to invest in tech which allows us to share work globally. There really is no difference between a project done by Blacksmith NYC or Blacksmith LA, we are the same team and we share the work as it logically needs to be.

LBB> The landscape for VFX, post-production, and creative services has changed drastically over the past ten years. How do you see the role of boutique studios like Blacksmith evolving in this space in the next ten?

Charlotte> As more agencies are being bought by the big corporations and combined to form these mega-agencies, there has been an insurgence of boutique agencies forming. Creative teams building small shops that focus on craft, much as we did 10 years ago. Places like these want likeminded partners for their projects which puts Blacksmith in the perfect position.

Iwan> We've always believed that the boutique model is the future: small, efficient, highly skilled teams. Moving into the current landscape, with AI and all the acceleration it brings, being agile and efficient is even more relevant. Building relationships and trust with our clients, and innovating around efficiencies, we see a future where a team the size of Blacksmith can compete with industry giants even more competitively.

Tom> 10 years ago we were one of the only boutiques, we stood out from the status quo. We broke the rules and were rebellious in our approach. Now there are a number of boutique facilities doing great work. We rewrote the rule book, now it feels like time to rewrite some of the pages.

LBB> As a team that has worked together for so many years, what have you learned about collaboration and leadership throughout Blacksmith’s journey? Do you have any advice for aspiring business founders or entrepreneurs looking to build a successful company?

Iwan> Lead by example, culture, ethics and taste come from the top. Be brave, take risks and be nice.

Charlotte> Make sure you and your partners are fully aligned on your vision for the company. Everything comes from the top and if the partners are not aligned, the rest of the company will feel it. Tom, Iwan and I have always had the same intuition when making company decisions and there is a lot of trust between us to divide and conquer company tasks. You can often ask all three of us the same question separately, and we will all give the same answer. It's reassuring for the company to know its leaders are all unified.

Tom> We would not have lasted this long if we were pulling in different directions, respect and trust have to be within the DNA of the partnership.

There was an element of serendipity to the beginnings of Blacksmith and I think most success stories have some of that. Those who know us know we’re very different from one another but we naturally align on the core fundamentals of our business and always have, each offering a slightly different angle.

The one piece of advice I feel comfortable giving is: don't listen to anyone. Do your thing the way you want to do it. Most will go to great lengths to tell you how it will fail. Most of the time they might be right, but if I had listened then there would be no Blacksmith.

LBB> What’s next for Blacksmith? Are there any new areas of VFX or technology you're particularly excited to explore? Do you see any emerging trends in the industry that will influence the way you approach VFX work in the future?

Iwan> As everyone flocks towards all the new possibilities that AI will unlock - which we are excited about too! - we want to focus even more on the relationships and human interactions that come with the craft. The culture and creative dynamics that exist within small highly skilled teams is one of the original reasons we started Blacksmith. Becoming a highly sought after creative partner that can be agnostic of advertising, or any specific lane in visual media. A team that can back creative projects across all platforms and outlets. As always, we want to be creative and have fun, while making spectacular images with friends.