Waterproof Studios

Waterproof Studios is a Canadian computer-graphics production studio focused on high-end animation and cinematics for games, film, and television. Founded in 2012 by veterans of the animation, gaming, and visual-effects industries, the studio creates both pre-rendered CG work and real-time, in-engine sequences for major interactive productions.

Its work spans the development of launch trailers, story cutscenes, marketing assets, and integrated gameplay cinematics. The studio supports projects from creative development, previs, and layout through character animation, lighting, visual effects, rendering, compositing, and final engine integration.

Real-time and character-driven production

A core area of practice is AAA game cinematics built for real-time pipelines, including Unreal Engine 5 production. Waterproof Studios combines keyframe animation with body and facial performance capture, motion-cleanup work, look development, grooming, cloth and hair simulation, shading, lighting, and compositing. Its pipeline work also extends to console optimization and in-engine support for cinematic implementation.

The studio has contributed to franchises and productions including:

• Gears of War: E-Day and Gears of War: Tactics
• Mortal Kombat 1, Mortal Kombat 11, and Mortal Kombat X
• Hogwarts Legacy and Gotham Knights
• Mario Strikers: Battle League and Mario vs. Donkey Kong
• Injustice 2, XCOM 2, and Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide

For Gears of War: Tactics, the studio delivered more than 45 minutes of real-time, in-engine cinematics, working across the cinematic pipeline from layout and previs through animation, lighting, and final visual effects.

Waterproof Studios also works beyond game production, with experience in short-film, episodic television, and virtual-production-oriented work. Its project portfolio includes the Dolby and Moonbot CG short film Escape, for which it provided animation, hair simulation, and compositing. The studio remains active in the AAA cinematics market, combining artist-led visual storytelling with technical production for real-time and rendered content.