Crafty Apes LLC Receives Strategic Investment

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Crafty Apes, a full-service visual effects powerhouse with eight global studios in New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Canada and London, among others, received a strategic investment from a consortium of institutional investors led by investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Camberline Capital Management.

The investment focuses on Crafty Apes' strategic growth in the areas of global facility expansion, increasing headcount in key markets, and production infrastructure. The strategy and capital investment were developed in close partnership with the Crafty Apes board and executive leadership team, including the original founders and the company's officers. The capital is designed to strengthen operations, ensure long-term growth, and enhance service offerings in response to the evolving needs of the entertainment industry.

CEO Alana Newell commented on the investment: "Our investors are global leaders in strategic investment, and we are thrilled that this partnership will enable Crafty Apes to be where our clients need us most while strengthening our existing teams and infrastructure across North America and Europe. As the industry begins to recover from recent challenges, content creation is beginning to crescendo again, and we will continue to serve the creative needs of our clients as the industry picks up globally. This investment is a testament to Crafty Apes' resilient business model and our commitment to navigating industry challenges with strength and agility."

Jonathan Spivak, Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, said: "We believe Crafty Apes has a reputation for delivering top-tier digital work on many of the most well-known IP's. As we have watched and worked with management for several years, our confidence in the team has only strengthened with their navigation of the business during the industry's recent strikes." Jens Ernberg, Managing Partner at Camberline Capital Management added: "We look forward to continuing to support the management team as they capitalize on the entertainment sector's recovery and participating in Crafty Apes' long-term success."

About Crafty Apes
Crafty Apes is a full-service visual effects company with studios in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Vancouver, Montreal, London, Albuquerque, New York, and Louisiana. Founded by Chris LeDoux, Jason Sanford and Tim LeDoux, Crafty Apes has a talented roster of creative and production supervisors that offer a full suite of VFX services, including set supervision, VFX consultation, 2D and 3D compositing, digital cosmetics, machine learning solutions and CG imagery. Crafty Apes' work can be seen on such titles as La La Land, Spider-Man: No Way Home; Hidden Figures, Justice League: Snyder Cut; The Holdovers and The Boys. For more information, visit www.craftyapes.com.

About Morgan Stanley Investment Management
Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has more than 1,300 investment professionals around the world and $1.5 trillion in assets under management or supervision as of June 30, 2024. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide.

For further information about Morgan Stanley Investment Management, please visit www.morganstanley.com/im.

About Camberline Capital Management
Camberline Capital Management is an independent asset management firm that partners with management teams and company owners to deliver private capital solutions that support the successful execution on their strategic ambitions. The Camberline team draws upon over 80 years of collective investing experience to structure capital solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of companies operating in underserved segments of the middle market.

For further information about Camberline Capital Management, please visit www.camberlinecapital.com.

Crafty Apes Media Contact:
Storyline Public Relations
Marilyn Lintel
[email protected]

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SOURCE Crafty Apes