DNEG Fortifies Leadership Team in Sydney, Hires Alaric McAusland as Managing Director

Former Executive Director for Australia’s Directors’ Guild Joins Leading VFX & Animation Company

LOS ANGELES & SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DNEG, a leading visual effects (VFX) and animation studio for the creation of feature film, television and multiplatform content, today announced industry veteran Alaric McAusland as Managing Director of the company’s new VFX and animation studio in Sydney, Australia. McAusland will take up his new post with DNEG in January 2023, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry to the role.

Throughout his career, McAusland has held significant entertainment industry leadership roles in both Australia and the United States. Most recently, he served as Executive Director for the Australian Directors’ Guild, the body representing the interests of Australia’s leading Screen Directors, and previously as Chief Operating Officer for the Emmy^® award-winning, Los Angeles-based production house, Grace: A Storytelling Company. McAusland has also served as Managing Director of Deluxe Entertainment Service Group Australia and is a past Chair of Ausfilm.

DNEG Sydney’s first project is leading the visual effects work for George Miller’s highly anticipated Mad Max prequel, Furiosa. Furiosa is being produced in Australia by Miller and Oscar^®-nominated producer Doug Mitchell and stars Anya Taylor-Joy in the titular role alongside Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke. The film is a Warner Bros. Pictures production in association with Village Roadshow Pictures (US) and is expected to premiere in 2024.

“I am delighted to welcome Alaric onboard to lead our new DNEG Sydney team,” said Merzin Tavaria, President Global Production and Operations, DNEG. “Alaric has an impressive history of significant contributions to the film industry, including his most recent work as Executive Director for the Australian Directors’ Guild. His wide industry experience and extensive list of contacts will be a much-valued asset to DNEG as we continue to establish our local presence in Sydney and integrate our new studio into our global network. I look forward with great anticipation to what we will achieve together over the coming years.”

“The opening of DNEG Sydney is a tremendous opportunity to bring DNEG’s filmmaker-focused, collaborative approach to Australia-based productions,” said McAusland. “Off the back of a record year for the Australian Visual Effects Industry and with the filmmaking industry in Australia going from strength-to-strength, attracting more international tentpole movies and series, in addition to fostering a slate of amazing homegrown projects such as ‘Furiosa,’ I cannot think of a better time for DNEG to be opening its latest global studio in Sydney. It’s an absolute privilege to be part of the foundation team, and I cannot wait to start helping to establish DNEG’s tenth global facility in this wonderful city of ours.”

As Managing Director of Deluxe Australia, McAusland was responsible for building its local VFX and post production presence, which included Iloura in Melbourne and Method Studios in Sydney. Earlier in his career, McAusland was a foundation team member, VFX Producer and General Manager of Australian VFX company, DFILM, which was awarded an Academy Award^® for Best Visual Effects for its work on The Matrix.

McAusland is a past Chair of Ausfilm, the body for marketing Australia's production capabilities and incentives to the Hollywood Studios and worldwide. He has also served as a Non-Executive Director of The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), and a Councillor of Screen Producers Australia (SPA) which represents the interests of Australia’s leading screen producers.

DNEG would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land where we get to live, create and tell our stories, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We recognize the strength and enduring connection to the land and culture. This is and always will be Aboriginal land.

About DNEG DNEG (www.dneg.com) is one of the world’s leading visual effects (VFX) and animation companies for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content. DNEG employs nearly 8,000 people with worldwide offices and studios across North America (Los Angeles, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver), Europe (London), Asia (Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai and Mumbai), and Australia (Sydney).

DNEG’s critically acclaimed work has earned the company seven Academy Awards^® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY^® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Current and upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (December 2022), “The Witcher: Blood Origin” (December 2022), “The Last of Us” (January 2023), Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 2023), Fast X (May 2023), The Flash (June 2023), Oppenheimer (July 2023), Coyote Vs Acme (July 2023), Meg 2: The Trench (August 2023), Haunted Mansion (August 2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 2023), Nimona (2023), Borderlands (2023), Garfield (February 2024), Mickey 17 (March 2024), and Furiosa (2024).