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Framestore hires first Group CTO
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Lincoln Wallen joins Framestore Company 3 Group from multinational technology company Improbable.
A creative powerhouse working across film, TV, advertising, immersive experiences and theme park attractions, Framestore Company 3 Group (FC3) today announces its first Group Chief Technology Officer: Lincoln Wallen.
Wallen is a perfect fit for a tech-forward studio operating at the creative intersection of art, science and technology. A lifelong pursuit of innovation and how it best applies to business has seen him take on leadership roles in entertainment, games, academia and technology, and he has helped lead, grow and future-proof companies as diverse as the software unicorn Improbable, Dreamworks Animation and Electronic Arts (EA).
Wallen's most recent role saw him as CTO of Improbable, a hugely successful British tech/software company whose technology and services supporting complex simulations have enabled businesses across the games, defence and virtual world markets.
Prior to his private sector career, Wallen completed a PhD in artificial intelligence at the University of Edinburgh, and subsequently taught at the Oxford University Computing Laboratory.
“As the worlds of business, entertainment and technology have evolved we’ve been there to help guide the way,” says Framestore Company 3 Group Chairman Sir William Sargent. “From changing the way films are made to transporting household-name IP to theme parks and VR headsets, our artists, colourists and technologists have helped reframe the possible. At Company 3 and Framestore we have developed key enabling technologies to support ambitious film and experience making.
“In Lincoln we’ve found a kindred spirit in terms of both outlook and ambition, and he joins the Group at a critical time for our industry and for every single company looking to scale their business by way of compelling, meaningful storytelling. With the landscape shifting yet again it’s vital to have the right strategic minds onboard, and we’re delighted that Lincoln will be the one helping our Group, collaborators and clients forge new partnerships and navigate each fresh technological advance.”
As Group CTO for the Framestore Company 3 Group, one of Wallen’s key roles will be to identify new strategic partnerships across business, technology and academia, from bluechip, household name companies to emerging start-ups developing the very latest tools and software. He will work to strengthen and develop existing relationships with the Group’s wide-ranging client base, helping elevate these existing partnerships as studios, institutions and brands explore new ways to lever and maximise their IP.
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Internally, Lincoln will work with Mel Sullivan, CEO of Framestore and Company 3 CEO, Stefan Sonnenfeld and their management, production and technology leaders to support the Group’s overall strategy, while helping to assess the future impact of new technologies and the new markets they can create.
“Technology disrupts markets creating new exciting opportunities, and the creative industries have been at the forefront of absorbing and exploiting such changes throughout the digital age," says Framestore Company 3 Group Chief Technology Officer Lincoln Wallen. "At these moments of inflection, I've always tried to find that special environment - the place with the greatest artistic, technological and commercial depth - where the potential of new technology can find its most powerful expression. Whether that's been the impact of computer simulation, the advent of mobile computing, or the exploitation of compute-scalability. Framestore Company 3 Group has long been a market leader across film, TV, advertising and immersive experiences. The company's technological strength, commitment to the creative artist, and excellence in innovation will allow it to play a pivotal role in harnessing the power of silicon and machine learning to enhance the creative process, the media business and the consumer experience.”
