Introducing new cloud-based creative studio Preymaker
This article originally appeared in AWS Blogs, December 4, 2020.
The New York ad scene has received an infusion of technology-powered creativity with the official launch of Preymaker, which was recently announced following months of confidential production. Together with industry veterans Melanie Wickham and Verity Grantham, Preymaker is founded by Angus Kneale, former chief creative officer and co-founder of The Mill New York. Rather than purchase extensive physical infrastructure, the trio instead looked to the cloud and built a custom platform on Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Embracing the cloud extends Kneale’s reputation for creative innovation through advanced technologies. While at The Mill, he helped lead the creation of two of the studio’s most notable developments: The Blackbird and Mascot. Using real-time game engine technology and precise environment tracking, The Blackbird is an adjustable car rig that enables filmmakers to insert any photoreal CG vehicle into the shoot. Similarly, Mascot is a real-time animation system that allows for CG characters to be performed and animated live.
Kneale commented, “We love what we do. Mel, Verity and I built The Mill for many years, and are proud to have had a hand in its legacy of work, caliber of artists and producers and the creative culture that inspired and supported them. We’re continuing that spirit of innovation and pushing beyond at Preymaker with our focus on creativity, technology and people.”
