AFX Creative
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2008
- Employees
- 11-50
- Offices
- 1
About AFX Creative
AFX Creative was a multidisciplinary visual effects and post-production studio based in Santa Monica, California. Its work combined commercial VFX, computer-generated imagery, design, motion graphics, color grading and finishing for advertising and entertainment projects. Founded in 2008 by Flame artist and managing director Mark Leiss, the business originally operated as Arsenal FX, subsequently used the Arsenal Creative name, and rebranded its commercial operations as AFX Creative in March 2021.
The studio focused on projects that brought visual effects and creative development together with the final stages of post-production. Its capabilities included Flame and Nuke compositing, beauty retouching, 3D animation, branding, title animation, conform and commercial color work. It also offered concept development and post-production supervision, supporting assignments from early visual ideas through finished campaign assets.
Commercial and entertainment work
Automotive advertising was a prominent part of the studio's portfolio. Its credited projects included visual effects and finishing for General Motors' 2022 Super Bowl LVI campaign, “Dr. EV-il,” visual effects for Hyundai's 2020 Super Bowl commercial “Smaht Pahk,” and visual effects, color and finishing for Chevrolet's 2022 holiday commercial “Mrs. Hayes.” These assignments sat alongside work for digital brand campaigns, broadcast promotions, streaming platforms and music videos.
Earlier projects included an Amazon Prime musical advertising spot, Lexus's “RC Illusion” commercial and Diet Dr. Pepper's “Lil' Sweet Self-Employed.” Its broader post-production portfolio also included Canon's “Project Imagination” and visual effects for the 2013 feature film The Call.
The company's history spans successive public identities within its commercial business. The Arsenal Creative branding appeared in 2015, while the 2021 AFX Creative rebrand brought its commercial operations together under the later name. Its portfolio reflects a sustained emphasis on advertising, supported by selected entertainment and feature-film assignments.
More about AFX Creative
Production infrastructure
The studio introduced AFX Creative Remote in 2021 as an end-to-end calibrated pipeline that enabled directors and agency creatives to evaluate color-calibrated sessions during pandemic restrictions. Its artist-driven facility featured dark-fiber infrastructure, Flame suites and Tier-1 security.
Historical leadership
- Executive Creative Director Kaan Atilla and Executive Producer Cortney Haile were associated with the 2015 Arsenal Creative branding. Haile moved to ArsenalFX Color in early 2021.
- Toby Gallo was recruited as Director of Technology alongside the 2021 rebrand.
- Executive Producer Nicole Fina joined in July 2021 and departed for Zoic Studios in March 2025.
Recognition
The research identifies a Smartwater commercial with studio visual effects as a Telly Award winner. The award is attributed to the commercial; an award year or separate studio recipient is not supplied.
Notable credits
9 creditsOffices
Where AFX Creative is based
- Santa Monica, California, United States
Santa Monica office
Open roles
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