by FilmInk Staff
Australian VFX production studio, Stage23 has bolstered its international presence with the appointment of Michelle Martin as UK based Executive Consultant and Head of International Business Development.
Martin joins the Stage23 team as an international VFX executive consultant, with over two decades of specialist experience within VFX, working across senior roles with global studios including Framestore, Milk and Pixomondo.
Her seasoned career in VFX production includes contributions to critically acclaimed projects The Crown, Black Mirror, The Witcher, Luther and Lovecraft Country.
In this newly created role for Stage23, Martin will develop international creative opportunities and co- production partnerships for the studio in addition to building its presence in the UK and European sector. Martin is based in London.
Stage23 co-owners Jonathan Hairman and Christian Debney said: “It is a coup to access the talents and depth of experience that Michelle has internationally across the VFX sector. As our Australian team of creatives grows, committed to the intent of delivering world-class VFX, we welcome the leadership and global insights that Michelle brings as we pursue more co-production and global alliances across television and film.”
Drawing on her rich experience within the VFX sector, Martin is consulting with creatively driven, agile VFX teams providing guidance in navigating complex production challenges and delivering high-quality visual storytelling.
“The pace of change in our sector is frenetic with increasing competition, but at its core is the primacy of creative vision and innovation which Stage23 have forged impressively. I am delighted to join this talented artist-led, trailblazing team and assist in expanding the studio’s global footprint and drive new creative opportunities and partnerships,” said Martin.
The new appointment follows the completion of VFX work on Stage23’s first UK/Australian co-production project for the feature film Fing! The production, which was filmed in both Australia and the UK, required VFX/post-production in both Stage23’s London and Sydney studio facilities. Fing! is an official Australian UK co-production from London-based King Bert Productions and Australia’s Story Bridge Films.
Martin will be representing Stage23 at the Partner with Australia initiative in London, from 16–18 June 2026, which is hosted by Ausfilm and Screen Australia. The event has been designed to strengthen creative and commercial partnerships between the Australian and UK screen industries.
Stage 23’s recent slate of work includes complex creature and FX work for Studio Canal feature film Kangaroo, recreating the Amazon in Sony Pictures’ Queensland shot production Anaconda, heightening the intensity for the Philippou Brothers’ award-winning genre feature Bring Her Back, and working on the Amazon MGM Studios historical action/adventure, The Bluff.
About Stage23:
Created by the globe-trotting creative duo Christian Debney and Jonathan Hairman, Stage 23 is an artist-owned studio with a standout portfolio of work.
Stage23 has invested heavily in technology development, armed with its own in-house R&D team that aligns the best of emerging tech tools with decades of VFX experience that allows for a bespoke approach to each project’s distinctive needs.
With a team of leading VFX practitioners, seasoned by many years in global VFX facilities, Stage 23 offers feature quality creature work, FX, environment work and compositing with bespoke tools and a strong production team that makes the VFX experience more fluid, efficient and cost-effective no matter what the demands and scope of the project.
