CheckpointVFX

What CheckpointVFX does

CheckpointVFX is a boutique visual effects studio founded in 2016 by Andras Kavalecz and headquartered in Burlingame, California. The studio delivers VFX and CGI production services for television, film, and gaming clients, with notable work including Netflix's Black Mirror Season 4 'USS Callister' episode, the feature film TAKEOVER, National Geographic's MARS documentary series, Stranger Things, and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Its named enterprise clients include Netflix, HBO, Paramount+, National Geographic, and Marvel Entertainment. The studio is led by Founder/CEO/CG Supervisor Andras Kavalecz (30+ years industry experience), Creative Director Kino Scialabba (credits on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Loki, and Foundation), and Executive Producer/VFX Supervisor Mark A.J. Nazal (multi-nominated Emmy Award winner, also Founder of partner SurrealArts Group).

The studio operates on a 100% cloud-based production pipeline with integrated cloud render infrastructure, designed for rapid team scalability and continuity across distributed workflows. Core service offerings comprise Visual Effects Production Services, Creative Direction & Full Service Management, High-Volume Shot Production, 3D Asset Modeling & Texturing, and Look Development. Demonstrated production capacity includes 1,689 VFX shots and 138,050 rendered CG frames on TAKEOVER, 2 billion polygons and 116 8K textures on the USS Callister episode, and 64 unique sets across the TAKEOVER film. Supporting service components are delivered as integrated parts of full-service engagements rather than as discrete software products.

CheckpointVFX generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts with enterprise clients in entertainment, with pricing custom and quote-based on scope, complexity, shot volume, and deliverable requirements. The studio is small (1–10 employees per firmographics) and privately held, with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional investors. It operates a lean core team augmented by a strategic partnership with SurrealArts Group, which provides access to Ionart Studios and FABLEfx as an extended creative network and enables delivery across multiple rebate and incentive zones worldwide. Customer segments span streaming platforms (primary), feature film studios (primary), and the gaming industry (secondary).

Name

CheckpointVFX

Legal name

CHECKPOINTVFX LLC.

Website

https://checkpointvfx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CheckpointVFX is a boutique visual effects studio founded in 2016 that delivers VFX and CGI production services for film, television, and gaming clients, including Netflix, HBO, Paramount+, National Geographic, and Marvel, operating through a 100% cloud-based pipeline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Visual Effects Services

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

VFX Production & Supervision (2D/3D, Compositing, FX, CG) (MPADAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

VFX Pipeline, Tools & Workflow Engineering (Automation, Asset/Shot Tracking) (MPAHABAH), CG Asset Creation (Modeling, Texturing, Lookdev, Rigging) (MPAHABAE), VFX Production & Shot Work (CG Integration, Matte Painting, FX) (MPAHABAB)

Keywords

• Visual effects production
• VFX studio services
• CGI compositing
• Cloud-based VFX
• 3D asset modeling

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlingame

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Visual Effects Production Services: Project-based VFX production services for film, television, and gaming clients. Revenue generated through per-project contracts involving CG work, look development, and high-volume shot production.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

CheckpointVFX is a visual effects studio producing CGI, compositing, look development, and 3D asset modeling for feature films, streaming television, and games. The studio runs entirely on a cloud-based production and render pipeline, delivering high-volume shot work and full-service VFX management for entertainment clients.

Product overview

CheckpointVFX is a boutique visual effects studio offering a unified suite of production services rather than discrete software products. The core offering combines Visual Effects Production Services for film, television, and games with Creative Direction & Full Service Management and High-Volume Shot Production capabilities. Supporting these are 3D Asset Modeling & Texturing and Look Development services. All production runs through a 100% cloud-based pipeline enabling rapid scalability. The studio's work spans episodic series (e.g., Stranger Things, Black Mirror, Loki), feature films (Takeover, MARS), and game cinematics, delivering end-to-end VFX from creative concept through final render.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visual Effects Production Services End-to-end VFX production for feature films, streaming series, and games, covering shot creation, compositing, and delivery for entertainment clients.
• Creative Direction & Full Service Management Full-service VFX engagement management led by a Creative Director, covering bidding, look development, supervision, and final delivery.
• High-Volume Shot Production Scaled, high-volume shot production delivered through a 100% cloud-based pipeline with integrated cloud rendering for episodic and feature volumes.
• 3D Asset Modeling & Texturing 3D asset creation, modeling, and texturing services supporting film, TV, and game productions.
• Look Development & Compositing Look development and compositing services to establish and integrate photoreal CG elements within live-action footage.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4K close-up cinematic shots supported for spacecraft models
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SurrealArts GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides CheckpointVFX access to an extended creative network that brings together Ionart Studios and FABLEFX under a unified collaborative framework. Enables support for projects across episodic series, feature films, commercials, and gaming cinematics by pairing Checkpoint's experienced local team with SurrealArts Group's global network of boutique studios and award-winning talent. Also enables delivery across multiple rebate and incentive zones worldwide.
• Ionart StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoutique VFX studio within the SurrealArts Group collaborative network. Part of the extended creative network accessible through the SurrealArts partnership.
• FABLEfxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning visual effects studio within the SurrealArts Group collaborative network. Part of the extended creative network accessible through the SurrealArts partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Digital Domain: Digital Domain is a long-established VFX and visual content studio working across film, episodic, and game cinematics. It overlaps with CheckpointVFX in delivering CG and look-dev services for streaming and theatrical clients, including Marvel-adjacent productions.
• Luma Pictures: Luma Pictures is a boutique-style VFX studio delivering high-end CG, creature work, and look development for feature films and streaming series. It is a close comparable to CheckpointVFX in scale, episodic/marvel-style client base, and emphasis on creative supervision.
• DNEG: DNEG is a global, multi-service VFX and animation studio delivering CG, compositing, and virtual production for film and episodic streaming. It is a directly comparable VFX services peer serving the same Netflix/HBO/Paramount+ tier of clients on high-end episodic and feature work.
• Method Studios: Method Studios is a global VFX and post-production company serving feature, episodic, and advertising clients with CG and creative supervision. It is directly comparable to CheckpointVFX in offering VFX production, look development, and high-volume shot delivery to streamers and studios.
• Framestore: Framestore is an award-winning VFX and creative studio producing high-end CG and look development for feature films, episodic, and immersive content. Comparable as a tier-1 VFX services competitor pursuing similar streaming and film clients with full-service production capabilities.
• Rising Sun Pictures: Rising Sun Pictures is an Australian VFX studio providing high-end CG and compositing for film and episodic streaming content. Comparable to CheckpointVFX as a non-mega boutique competing on quality and creative supervision rather than scale.

Broad incumbents

• Weta FX: Weta FX is a leading feature-film VFX studio known for high-end CG and creature work. It competes for the same high-budget film and streaming VFX bids as CheckpointVFX but at substantially greater scale and with proprietary pipeline and toolsets.
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM): ILM is a legacy, Lucasfilm-owned VFX studio delivering CG, creature work, and virtual production at the highest end of film and series. It overlaps heavily with CheckpointVFX in scope (CG, asset creation, shot production) but operates as a much larger incumbent across a broader portfolio of IP and clients.

Emerging players

• Ionart Studios: Ionart Studios is a boutique VFX studio within the SurrealArts Group collaborative network. It is a closely comparable boutique peer, sharing access to the same talent pool and client relationships as CheckpointVFX through the SurrealArts alliance.
• FABLEfx: FABLEfx is an award-winning boutique VFX studio co-represented under the SurrealArts Group alongside CheckpointVFX. It is directly comparable as a partner-network peer offering high-end CG and VFX services to the same tier of streaming and film clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/checkpointvfx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/checkpointvfx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CheckpointVFX