SCAN ENGINE
Scan Engine is a Paris-based 3D scanning studio that captures photorealistic digital humans and avatars for film, games, fashion, music, sports, and art clients using a 192-camera photogrammetry rig, serving as the scanning arm of Unit Image.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SCAN ENGINE does
Scan Engine is a Paris-based, project-based professional services studio that produces photorealistic 3D human scans for downstream use in film, television, streaming, AAA video games, luxury fashion, music, sports, and contemporary art. The studio operates from a single Paris facility that combines dressing rooms, meeting spaces, lounges, and a dedicated talent dressing room, and it caters to enterprise-level productions rather than self-serve or consumer demand. The company's value proposition is anchored on delivering production-ready digital human assets rather than raw data, supported by its integration with parent and strategic partner Unit Image — a Paris VFX studio credited on franchises such as Elden Ring, God of War, and Horizon Forbidden West.
The company's underlying technology is a proprietary 192-camera photogrammetry rig — described as the largest and most advanced civilian human scanning setup in France, with the rig concept attributable to Lee Perry-Smith — capable of simultaneously triggering all cameras in 1/100th of a second. The rig includes 36 Canon 5DS R cameras dedicated to facial capture at 50 megapixels each and additional Canon R5 cameras supporting 8K video. Capture is enhanced by cross-polarized LED lighting for true albedo extraction and OLAT (One Light At a Time) capture across 41 calibrated HDRI positions for relighting accuracy, with downstream deliverables integrating Symbiote's Hyperskin 2.0 and Hyperlook X skin enhancement technologies via a partnership with TexturingXYZ. Outputs span raw scans through fully rigged MetaHumans for Unreal Engine 5, plus Gaussian Splat representations for web/real-time visualization.
Scan Engine's business model is entirely services-led. Revenue is generated via quote-based, bespoke project engagements covering head and body scanning, multi-level cleanup (raw / simple / full production-ready), FACS expression scanning, hair grooming, clothing scanning and modeling, and custom MetaHuman creation. A separate support service assists international clients in claiming France's Credit d'Impôt International (C2I) tax credit, which can return 30–40% of eligible scanning expenses for productions filming in France. The company sells exclusively through direct inbound (request-a-quote) to enterprise buyers — film studios, VFX houses, AAA publishers, luxury brands, music labels, and athlete IP holders — with no self-serve, e-commerce, or channel-partner model. Marketing relies on a high-profile project portfolio, organic social, and Cannes-recognized film credits (Titane, The Substance, Alpha) rather than paid acquisition. Scan Engine is a private subsidiary of Unit Image, with no external equity funding disclosed.
SCAN ENGINE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SCAN ENGINE
- Legal name
- Scan Engine
- Website
- https://scan-engine.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Scan Engine is a Paris-based 3D scanning studio that captures photorealistic digital humans and avatars for film, games, fashion, music, sports, and art clients using a 192-camera photogrammetry rig, serving as the scanning arm of Unit Image.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SCAN ENGINE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- 3D Scanning & Digital Human Production Services
- NAICS
- Photographic Services (54192), Commercial Photography (541922)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CG Asset Creation (Modeling, Texturing, Lookdev, Rigging) (MPAHABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- VFX Pipeline, Tools & Workflow Engineering (Automation, Asset/Shot Tracking) (MPAHABAH), Motion Capture & Performance Capture (Body/Face, Cleanup, Retargeting) (MPADAHAC), 3D Scanning Hardware (Handheld, Desktop, Long-Range, In-Line) (IMAAAHAA)
Keywords
Where SCAN ENGINE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
SCAN ENGINE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- 3D Scanning Services: Project-based professional services providing high-quality human 3D scans for film, TV, games, fashion, and music industries. Services include raw scan data delivery, simple cleaning, full cleaning (production-ready), blendshape creation, custom metahumans, hair grooming (spline/haircards), and clothing scan/modeling. Pricing is quote-based per project.
- Custom MetaHuman Creation: Conversion of realistic 3D scans into rigged MetaHumans compatible with Unreal Engine. Includes skeleton retargeting, facial rig expression tuning, functional blueprint delivery, Maya rigging scene, custom hair, and clothing. Premium service targeting game developers and virtual production clients.
- French Tax Credit (C2I) Eligible Services: 3D scanning services qualify as VFX expenditure under France's Credit d'Impôt International (C2I) program, providing up to 30-40% reimbursement on eligible French spending for international productions filming in France. This expands client value proposition and enables competitive pricing for international film/VFX projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing — no published tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
SCAN ENGINE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Scan Engine is a Paris-based 3D scanning studio that operates a 192-camera photogrammetry rig to capture photorealistic digital humans, faces, expressions, hair, clothing, and objects for downstream use in film, games, fashion, music, sports, and art. Deliverables range from raw scan data to production-ready retopologized assets, FACS expression blendshapes, hair grooming (XGen/spline/haircards), clothing modeling, and fully rigged custom MetaHumans compatible with Unreal Engine. Engagements are bespoke and quote-based, with scanning expenses eligible for France's C2I international tax credit for foreign productions.
Product overview
Scan Engine is a 3D scanning studio providing photogrammetry-based human scanning services for creating photorealistic digital humans and avatars. The core offering consists of Head & Body 3D Scanning, 3D Scan Processing (raw to production-ready), Expressions & FACS Scanning, Hair & Grooming, Clothes Scanning & Modeling, and Custom Metahumans for Unreal Engine. The studio operates from Paris using a 192-camera photogrammetry rig and serves industries including Games, VFX, Music, Fashion, Sports, and Art. Founded by Unit Image, the company leverages parent company's VFX expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Head & Body 3D Scanning Full-body and facial photogrammetry scanning using a 192-camera setup with 36 Canon 5DS R cameras at 50 Mpx resolution and Canon R5 cameras for high-resolution video up to 8K. Used by film studios, game publishers, fashion brands, and artists needing lifelike digital human capture.
- 3D Scan Processing Multi-level post-processing of raw 3D scan data including simple cleanup for turntables or 3D prints, and full cleaning with retopology, texture projection, and baked displacement/normal/AO maps for production-ready avatars used by VFX and game pipelines.
- Expressions & FACS Scanning Facial expression capture using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) methodology, with options for expression wrapping, rig-resolution blendshapes, and high-poly blendshapes carrying detailed skin texture information. Used for animation, VFX close-ups, and MetaHuman integration.
- Hair & Grooming Manual hair creation using XGen for Maya to generate realistic spline-based hair grooms, with options for haircards and alpha textures for real-time engines such as Unreal Engine. Used for digital humans in games, music videos, and fashion visualization.
- Clothes Scanning & Modeling 3D scanning and manual retopology of clothing items with attention to pattern-making and natural fabric folds, plus custom clothing creation using CLO/Marvelous Designer for fashion, game, and film clients.
- Custom MetaHumans
Quantifiable outcome
- Scan used in close-up VFX sequence for David Fincher's The Killer on Netflix
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use SCAN ENGINE
Customer profileNamed customers41 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
SCAN ENGINE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature8 records
SCAN ENGINE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.
- Bounce RocksminorProduction company that partnered with Scan Engine for the Numéro Art Magazine X Hideo Kojima editorial feature, bringing together Scan Engine's 3D scanning, Frederik Heyman's artistic direction, and Numéro Art's editorial platform.
- Frederik HeymanminorVisual artist who used Scan Engine's ultra-high-precision 3D scan of Hideo Kojima to create hyperreal digital visuals for the Numéro Art Magazine cover feature, blending Kojima's creative universe with cutting-edge 3D scanning technology.
- Quentin Deronzier / La PacminorDirector Quentin Deronzier and production company La Pac collaborated with Scan Engine on Orelsan's Oreltour 2022 concert visuals, creating motion design LED visuals from Scan Engine's facial expression capture data.
- Reef StudiosminorItalian studio Reef created concert motion design visuals for Salmo's Flop Tour 2022 and an avatar for Italian rapper Manuelito using Scan Engine's 3D scan data.
- WoodkidminorMulti-year collaboration with artist/director Woodkid spanning multiple projects: Mylène Farmer L'emprise campaign, Woodkid's own Pale Yellow music video (full avatar creation), and concert visuals. Woodkid directed, animated, and rendered final outputs using Scan Engine's 3D data.
- Unit ImageflagshipScan Engine was founded in 2017 by the founders of Unit Image, a world-renowned 3D animation and VFX studio known for Elden Ring, God of War, Horizon Forbidden West, and other AAA game trailers. Unit Image is both the parent company and primary strategic partner, providing production pipeline feedback and access to world-class modeling, animation, and rendering expertise that continuously improves Scan Engine's deliverables.
- SymbiotecoreThrough partnership with TexturingXYZ, Scan Engine offers Symbiote's Hyperskin 2.0 and Hyperlook X skin enhancement technologies as part of its deliverable suite. Cross-polarized and OLAT capture data is processed using Symbiote's technologies to provide enhanced skin textures and comprehensive lookdev maps for clients.
- TexturingXYZcoreScan Engine's technology partnership with TexturingXYZ enables integration of Symbiote's skin texturing technologies (Hyperskin 2.0 and Hyperlook X) into Scan Engine's deliverable pipeline, providing clients with enhanced skin textures and lookdev-ready maps.
- Lee Perry-SmithcoreScan Engine's 192-camera photogrammetry rig concept is based on a design by Lee Perry-Smith, whose pioneering approach to multi-camera human capture underpins the studio's core scanning technology.
- Epic Games / MetaHumancoreScan Engine specializes in converting its photorealistic 3D scans into fully rigged MetaHumans compatible with Unreal Engine 5, leveraging the MetaHuman framework and 3Lateral's human rig technology for facial and body animation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SCAN ENGINE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Luma AI: AI-driven 3D capture and Gaussian splat generation company pursuing video-to-3D workflows for human and object capture — emerging threat and adjacent capability that could displace parts of photogrammetry-based scanning with neural reconstruction.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Mixed Reality Capture Studios: Established global network of volumetric capture studios operated by Microsoft, providing turnkey capture services and HoloToolkit integration; broader incumbent with significantly more scale and enterprise backing than Scan Engine.
- Weta FX: Major VFX and digital human powerhouse with in-house facial/body capture capabilities used across blockbuster film production; a broader incumbent that competes for high-end digital human work as part of a wider VFX portfolio.
- Industrial Light & Magic (ILM): Lucasfilm's VFX arm with proprietary in-house photogrammetry and digital human systems used on Star Wars, Marvel, and other tentpole productions; comparable competitor that delivers scanning as part of integrated VFX pipelines rather than standalone service.
Others
- Unit Image: Parent company and strategic partner of Scan Engine; Paris-based CGI/animation studio with AAA game trailer credits (Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, God of War) — comparable downstream consumer of scan data and integration partner.
- Symbiote / TexturingXYZ: Technology partner providing Hyperskin 2.0 and Hyperlook X skin texturing technology used in Scan Engine's deliverable pipeline; an enabling technology partner whose complementary capabilities make it a natural adjacent peer in the digital human stack.
Direct peers
- Dimension Studios: London-based volumetric and photogrammetry capture studio serving film, gaming, fashion, and music clients with bespoke 3D human capture — directly comparable to Scan Engine in service offering, target verticals, and luxury/fashion brand relationships.
- Ten24: UK-based photogrammetry and 3D scanning services provider with strong character and digital human scanning capabilities for VFX and game studios — comparable in service model (bespoke scan delivery) and target clients.
- Metastage (formerly 8i): Volumetric video and human capture studio specializing in photorealistic digital humans for film, games, and XR applications — most direct US-based competitor to Scan Engine for high-fidelity human reference capture.
- 4DMax / Mixed Dimensions: Specializes in photorealistic full-body and facial 3D scanning for games, VFX, and medical applications — overlapping capability set with Scan Engine in high-fidelity human capture for entertainment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SCAN ENGINE social profiles
Digital presenceSCAN ENGINE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SCAN ENGINE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
SCAN ENGINE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SCAN ENGINE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SCAN ENGINE
What does SCAN ENGINE do?
Scan Engine is a Paris-based 3D scanning studio that operates a 192-camera photogrammetry rig to capture photorealistic digital humans, faces, expressions, hair, clothing, and objects for downstream use in film, games, fashion, music, sports, and art. Deliverables range from raw scan data to production-ready retopologized assets, FACS expression blendshapes, hair grooming (XGen/spline/haircards), clothing modeling, and fully rigged custom MetaHumans compatible with Unreal Engine. Engagements are bespoke and quote-based, with scanning expenses eligible for France's C2I international tax credit for foreign productions.
Is SCAN ENGINE a public or private company?
SCAN ENGINE is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SCAN ENGINE founded?
SCAN ENGINE was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SCAN ENGINE based?
SCAN ENGINE is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does SCAN ENGINE make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. 3D Scanning Services are the primary driver. The others are custom MetaHuman Creation and french Tax Credit (C2I) Eligible Services.
Who are SCAN ENGINE's main competitors?
Luma AI is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Microsoft Mixed Reality Capture Studios, Weta FX and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Others are Unit Image and Symbiote / TexturingXYZ. Direct peers are Dimension Studios, Ten24, Metastage (formerly 8i) and 4DMax / Mixed Dimensions.
Does SCAN ENGINE have an API?
No public API is recorded for SCAN ENGINE.
What industry is SCAN ENGINE in?
SCAN ENGINE's product category is 3D Scanning & Digital Human Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHABAE, CG Asset Creation (Modeling, Texturing, Lookdev, Rigging), with a secondary code of MPAHABAH, VFX Pipeline, Tools & Workflow Engineering (Automation, Asset/Shot Tracking). Its NAICS code is 54192 and its SIC code is 7812.