Netflix is consolidating its VFX holdings, merging the internal Eyeline Studios unit it created in 2019 with Scanline, the visual effects house it acquired in 2021 into a new entity called Eyeline. “Merging Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios under one brand enables us to pioneer new tools, facilitate creative collaboration, and drive the future of filmmaking for the most ambitious storytellers around the world,” Eyeline CEO Jeffrey Shapiro said of the realignment. Eyeline’s initial plans include a focus on areas such as visual effects, virtual production, volumetric capture, generative AI, machine learning and computer vision.

“By combining Scanline’s award-winning visual effects with Eyeline’s cutting-edge production capabilities and innovative lab tools, we’re uniting two industry-leading teams under a single vision: to push the boundaries of what’s possible in production,” Shapiro added in a blog post announcing the news.

Eyeline Studios was an early entrant in the areas of virtual production and volumetric capture, earning the Visual Effects Society’s inaugural Groundbreaking Technology Award for its stage technology, recently showcased in the creation of Professor Orloff in “Wednesday,” Season 2.

Scanline’s work over 36 years of operation has been showcased in such global hits as “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Last month, the company won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or Movie for “Andor” Season 2.

“Eyeline Studios’ The Light Dome — which the company claims is the first of its kind to replicate any real-world lighting conditions with ‘exacting realism’ — was recently used on ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ and the upcoming ‘A House of Dynamite,’” writes Variety, noting that Eyeline has also used generative AI in production, “most notably in Netflix’s Argentine sci-fi series ‘The Eternaut.’”

“Moving forward, Eyeline will focus on three core divisions — Visual Effects, which will be responsible for the work done by Scanline; Studios, which focuses on the application of tools such as virtual production, volumetric capture and generative AI; and Labs, which conducts and publishes research in areas such as machine learning and computer vision that can later be applied to current VFX tools,” explains The Wrap, noting that “the rebrand includes a new logo and website.”

Eyeline’s Head of Studio Kevin Baillie explained it to The Wrap this way: “Technology innovation is happening so quickly, both in the broader industry and also internally,” that joining the two units will better serve filmmakers, allowing a single group to focus on what they need and the best tool for the job, as “one team.”

In July Bloomberg reported Netflix was experimenting with Runway’s generative AI tools. In August the streamer published partner guidelines for GenAI production use.