Award-winning visual effects studio Framestore welcomes Lara Hopkins into the role of Head of Studio in Melbourne.

The Melbourne studio has been a fully-integrated part of Framestore’s global creative and technological ecosystem since July 2022. As Head of Studio, Hopkins will focus on the future, cultivating a talented team, maximising the opportunities of Framestore’s global network and opening new creative possibilities for both talent and clients.

Lara’s appointment marks a return to Framestore after four years at Industrial Light & Magic in Sydney, most recently as Director of Talent Management.  One of the first two employees, Lara leaves ILM having helped expand and establish the Sydney studio. She brings a passion for identifying the best talent, building and managing creative teams and shaping workplace culture to Framestore’s Melbourne studio.

Joining Framestore feels like coming home. I’m excited and honoured to be returning to Framestore, and for the opportunity to continue to build on the excellent work of the Melbourne team. I’m also looking forward to working closely with other Framestore studios to deliver stunning work.

Lara Hopkins

Lara brings over 30 years of international animation and VFX experience to the role, having worked in Australia, UK, USA, and Canada in both production and talent roles. She started working in traditional animation in 1992 at Adelaide’s Anifex, before moving to Animal Logic as a Producer in Sydney in 1997. Her journey with Framestore started in 2001 as a Senior Producer in the London Advertising division, before moving to a CG manager role in the Film and Episodic division which is where she started her career in VFX management. 

In 2005, Lara returned to Sydney with her family, heading the Rising Sun Pictures Sydney studio and then joining Dr D Studios, until a call to help staff up for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty brought her back to Framestore in 2012 – this time in the New York studio, growing the film division and working with Framestore’s management team to establish studios in Montreal, Los Angeles and Chicago.  

Lara moved back to Sydney in 2013, consulting exclusively for Framestore and continuing to build and manage the teams in LA, New York, London and Chicago. 

Fiona Walkinshaw, CEO Film & Episodic, said: “Lara has built her career around her passion for unearthing the best talent, building teams and creating cultures that make people want to stay. We have a hugely talented team in Melbourne who have delivered award winning work from Elvis, Christopher Robin and Mad Max: Fury Road. Lara will continue to build on this so clients can benefit from the creativity, expertise and scale available across Framestore.” 

Framestore combines talent and technology to bring life to everything it creates. Driven by creativity and inspired by the future, Framestore collaborates with the world’s greatest storytellers to reframe the possible every day.