Ten Years of The Orphanage
Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at 8:00PM 
Today I had the heart-wrenching task of joining my co-founders Scott Stewart and Jonathan Rothbart in announcing that The Orphanage will be suspending operations indefinitely. We started the company ten years ago, tripled in size each year for our first three years, and worked on some of the biggest and best effects movies made. We produced shorts and even features, we spawned a commercial division and an animation company, and we hung out in the halls with Frank Miller, Ethan Hawke, and M.C. Hammer. We did DI before it was called DI, we gave birth to Magic Bullet, and we did really, really good work.
But that's not what matters the most.
It's no accident that our company's name described a place for people, people who may be thrown together, but who ultimately create their own destinies. Scott once described his vision of an orphanage as "a hundred success stories waiting to happen," and that is exactly what came to pass inside our offices. We have had the privilege of working with many "Orphans" over the years, and watching them grow and take on new responsibilities has been the single greatest part of coming to work every day.
A message to the visual effects industry: You will never find a better employee than a former Orphan.
And to the Orphans: It has been a privilege and an honor to work with you.
Reader Comments (142)
Truly sad. I was only at the O for a couple months, but I really liked the folks I met there, and learned a lot of different ways to do things. Hopefully they will be back! Good luck in future and beyond.Go HUD at the VES & Iron Man at the Oscars!
Sad indeed. And I was getting ready to send my reel over.
Really sad to hear about this. The Orphanage was a place I dreamed of working at. I hope the best for you Stu, and the rest of the Orphans.
all those times i read about the orphanage in various mags that it never seemed like a real place until now.....its like sitting in front of the tv and seeing a news reel of the medics carrying santa out to a van in a bodybag....
police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen an agry elf driving a white ford escort and a reindeer described as between 30 to 35, 5'11" and wearing a red nose
I hate to ask it, but is this news related in any way to Red Giant Software?
I recently went thru a similar thing with my company of 10years. we weren't anywhere nearly as successful as the O but I can say that the freedom from the beast is greatly freeing in alot of ways and i know that you and your family there will make the best of the lessons learned good and bad and continue the march forward in whatever you do. thanks for setting the benchmarks so high, and for me thanks so much for Magic Bullet in all its forms.
Best of Luck to you all.
The Orphanage gave me soooooo many good times. so much laughter. so many valuable tools. it was a pleasure to go to work there every day. it was family.
iSad.
\\ ivan
Such a shame... :/ I wish everyone the best for the future!
Stu,
Whats your future plan?
Are you interested in working in Indian films if given offer?
You were great inspiration for me man and would like to know your future plans?
Stu,
Whats your future plan?
Are you interested in working in Indian films if given offer?
You were great inspiration for me man and would like to know your future plans?
Stu,
Sorry to hear the news. Best of luck now, adn in the future.
Doug
Stu, Scott and the rest of gang...
I'm so very sad to hear about this...
I was honored to stand in the Orphanage office just once after moving to California. You guys are the best...
Thank You, Orphanage, you will be missed
Mike J. Nichols
Because of the "O" I was able to accomplish a life long goal of working in the vfx biz. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to live my dream man. The friends I made there will be lifelong and the memories never forgotten.
Stu, the Orphanage was a symbol of collaborative genius. If it never comes back, I know the orphans will be around for a long time. Movies, in general, are better because of you - and that's not meant to sound trivial. Thank you for continuing to guide and inspire me and thousands more like me.
The excitement we experienced while huddled around the HD monitors up on the second floor of the old barracks in the Presidio could only be rivaled by the digital dawn in D building at Kerner Optical with Spaz, Jimmy Mitchell and Carl Frederick. There hasn't been a company to come out of the BulbWerks that rivaled the energy, talent and sheer ball-size the Orphanage has displayed over the past decade.
More than their high quality work and smart, lean technical development their teams pursued, the Orphanage's will be remembered for their important contribution to education and the young careers of domestic and international students ready to join the industry each year.
It is no coincidence that, soon after the announcement, some rather large studios were tossing preservers, and interviewing the talented crews of the O!
I've been a fan of yours and The Orphanage since Adobe Magazine featured "The Last Birthday Card" way back in the day. I was just starting out and the work you were doing inspired me to believe that maybe it wasn't so far out of reach after all. Beyond my present abilities, yes, but maybe someday!
Later, when I found the blog I became an avid reader and I snapped up The Guide as soon as it was available. Between the work you've done pushing the technology forward for us indie types and your continued outpouring of knowledge, you've done more for this community than any one person I can think of.
I've also just loved the films The Orphanage has been a part of. You set a gold standard and never rested on your laurels. I was always impressed.
That's why I was really saddened to see your post and want to thank you and all the Orphans for the enjoyment I've gotten from your work these last 10 years.
It's the end of an era for sure, but congratulations on a decade of killer VFX work and pushing the indie community forward! I know you'll all go on to plenty of great projects, and I'll continue to watch, always excited for your next big reveal.
Stu,
Sorry to hear about the sad news… I still left in my heart in San Francisco - I mean The Orphanage. In 2006, I spent 4 month at O for the Mimzy. It was truly wonderful time to me. Also I met nice and talented people, made new friends at the bay area. In these days I was keep seeing the “mandala” & “crystal card” dream almost every night, but it was a fun. I really miss O. Please take care of yourself and good luck in your future. - Jun Watanabe
Wow Stu - I am totally speechless! =:o
You guys have been leaders/innovators in the filed and secretly always wanted to be an Orphan too!
Thank you for all the wonderful work you did collectively and the inspiration you've given so many over the last decade.
Here's to better and brighter days ahead for you all!
The O gave me my west coast start, with a plane ticket and a room at the travelodge. The O also gave me my feature film start, Spy Kids 3d.
Thank you for the start of a lifetime.
As a Rebel fan and aspiring visual effects artist I'm sad to hear the news, y'all will be missed. I'm convinced, however, that brighter things are in store and look forward to seeing where you're headed. Godspeed.
Just heard the news, Stu. I'm both shocked and saddened.
I hope that when the economy picks up again, that you'll get the gang back together and continue to make magic.
Best of luck to you and the other Orphans.
Damn, I was getting my reel together to come apply to you guys. Ugh, this sucks massively. Live long and prosper, one and all.
*Why* is the Orphanage closing?
Sending my best wishes, and deep thanks for all your support and sharing. There are many, many people that wish you well and strong hopes for something to turn up.
Stu,
Darn, bummed to hear the news. I'd like to say thanks for all your incredible contributions over the years; you guys ROCK no matter what!!! You've made us all better artists in one way or another.
I wish you and all the Orphans the best of luck and no doubt you'll be back at it in no time at all..
Cheers,
Leo Versola
I feel lucky to have met Scott at Sundance this year. I never would have thought this would happen but I guess if you are gonna burn bright you risk burning out.
Wow. I was shocked when a VFX colleague told me about this. I was really hoping to work at the Orphanage someday. It would've been a great privilege. Thanks for the inspiration, Stu. And thanks to all the "Orphans" for all your amazing work over the years. Will miss you all. Peace and success.
Too bad. You guys did great jobs and this is something unexpected!
Man - this sucks. My stomach cringes at the thought of seeing something that you put your heart into go up in smoke like that. The Orphanage was a kick-ass vfx house, but more than any other posthouse I've always felt that the Orphanage still had a connection to the DV-rebel attitude. Keep up the blog and I hope to read about your new endeavors soon.
I am so sorry to read this news. I hope that things will pick up and that the Orphanage will open its doors again soon.
i'm so so sorry
who am should i rave about now at the end of a movie??
as mere fan can i ask you all to come back soon
hugs to all the orphans may soon find mummys and daddys
To all the folks of The Orphanage,
As a small business owner, within the entertainment business, within the Bay Area, this saddens me tremendously. I have never met you folks but have only heard great things about your work and how you came to be...
The best to all.
Tim Ranahan / Ranahan Production Servies
Stu and colleagues,
Sorry about your news. There's no point in pointing out that a collection of so many raw bundles of talent will find new avenues of creative expression, no matter what the economy...so, uh, I won't. May there be many perfectly-motion-blurred 32 bit chopper blades in your future.
NOOOOOOOO!
This is the one place that I wanted to work so badly, this was my dream job.
I will surely miss The Orphanage, and good luck to you and all of your endeavours!
Never a fun day, and glad to see you're handling it in such a classy way.
When you have some time and some mental/emotional space from the event, I think there are many of us that would appreciate knowing a bit about what went right and what went wrong-- so we can hopefully decrease the chances of having to make a similar announcement about our companies.
Best wishes to all the orphans, if I was in your industry I'd be soliciting their resumes!
What happened? what is the reason behind the sudden suspension of operations.
Hari
What happened? what is the reason behind the sudden suspension of operations.
Hari
Good luck with any future endeavors my friends! I read that Genndy will still be doing the Dark Crystal, which is good news. Congrats on all your success thus far and here's to more of the same, what ever happens.
That is sad! I remember the first time I used the Magic Bullet. My experience from this company is small, but I really have enjoyed their work.
Stu,
Im living just across the continent, but the there's no boundaries for the magic and the inspiration that The Orphanage bring to every single visual artist around the globe. Thanks for everything!
I was visiting your site from the first years to get inspiration and to have fun with your incredible work.
Sad to see the orphans get "adopted" elsewhere.
Best of luck for your future projects.
Hi Stu, just wanted to let you know I'm a big fan, and I hope you continue doing this blog, because every time I'm on it, I learn something. I hope you are onto bigger and better things, and I wish you the best.
There are lots of people out there who are learning and pushing the industry based on a lot of what the Rebel Guide is all about. Gear is cheap nowadays, it's time for the creativity and resourcefulness and intelligence and hard work to rise to the top.
Keep up the great work. Thanks for being an inspiration.