Feb 29, 2012 

by Rob Krieger

BATON ROUGE - Pixomondo, a visual effects company which won an Academy Award this year, says it will spend $1.2 million to create a studio in Louisiana.

Plans call for the company to use about 6,000 square feet at the Celtic Media Center in Baton Rouge, and add 75 jobs in film, television and commercial production.

"When I came here a couple of months ago, Patrick Mulhearn showed me around I was sold that this is a great idea, but the incentive makes it attractive to come here, but this is not the driving force behind the business," said Pixomondo CEO Thilo Kuther, who claims Baton Rouge is already a viable movie town.

The Baton Rouge location will be the German company's 12th international location, with studios already in international strongholds like London, Toronto, Beijing and Munich.

The company said annual salaries will average about $65,000.

Pixomondo won an Oscar for its visual effects work on "Hugo" in Sunday's awards. The company will work on the upcoming Tom Cruise movie being filmed in town now.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/oscar-winning-studio-making-home-in-baton-rouge/