At BIG 2024, Europe’s largest business event organized by BPI France, Laurens Ehrmann, Founder and CEO of The Yard, was invited to speak about the studio and its latest activities.
On October 10th, Nicolas Dufourcq, Chief Executive Officer of BPI France, introduced Big 2024 event with under the overarching theme of Progress. The event placed a special spotlight on entrepreneurs who push the boundaries of emancipation, particularly through technology, with the aim of building a better, fairer, and more open society, driven by determination and optimism.
Yes, we have chosen the theme of Progress. Because we believe in it, like Robinson Crusoe on his island. We love the present, but we love the future even more. We believe in the new frontiers of emancipation. We believe that entrepreneurs are one of the major solutions to the problems of our society, as they put their lives on the line every day in the service of Progress. Like them, we love to dream and envision great possibilities. I repeat: we love to dream. We believe, in particular, that technology will surprise us by radically changing our way of being in the world. And it will be up to us to channel this energy towards building a better world—less violent, more equitable, open, cultured, tolerant, and appreciative of nuance. We know that to uphold such a belief, two values are essential: determination and optimism. We have them.
During the event, Laurens Ehrmann, Founder and CEO of The Yard, was interviewed in a special session where he reflected on the studio’s 10th anniversary and highlighted its recent projects, including The Rings of Power – Season 2, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, John Wick: Chapter 4, The Gray Man, and Enola Holmes 2.
He also discussed the studio’s expansion, such as the opening of its London location following the launch of the Montpellier studio, aimed at attracting top talent in an international film and audiovisual industry still feeling the effects of last year’s Hollywood strikes.
Laurens Ehrmann further addressed the role and impact of Artificial Intelligence in the VFX industry, stating that AI is not a tool to be feared but rather one that, if properly used and mastered, could be particularly valuable during the project preparation phase.
Watch the full replay of the interview (in French only) of Laurens Ehrmann at BIG 2024 below :