Meet The Yardeners – the passionate team at The Yard, dedicated to cultivating creativity and transforming it into stuning visual effects, inspiring collaborations, and unforgettable stories.
We are pleased to introduce Marie Afriat, whose leadership bridges strategy and operations to drive The Yard’s growth and innovation. Since joining the studio, Marie has played a key role in shaping its trajectory, fostering a collaborative environment, and ensuring that every project meets the highest creative and technical standards.
Hello Marie ! Could you please describe your role at The Yard ?
Hello everyone !
As the General Manager of The Yard, my role is to oversee operations and work closely with Laurens Ehrmann, The Yard’s founder, to define the studio’s growth and budget strategy. Essentially, I serve as a bridge between strategy and operations, ensuring we deliver the desired level of image quality within the established budget while driving the studio’s ongoing development.
This requires close collaboration with The Yard’s executive team, which includes representatives from the creative, production, technology, finance, and human resources departments. Additionally, I oversee all administrative services, which are crucial for keeping the studio running efficiently.
Ultimately, my work revolves around safeguarding the studio—its people, investments, and future—by carefully evaluating and making the right decisions to achieve our goals and foster collective success.
The Yard’s Executive Team
What do you find great about your current role ?
I love working in such a dynamic and inspiring industry. The VFX field constantly challenges us to adapt, both as a studio and as individuals. At The Yard, we’ve set ambitious goals to sustain growth, which keeps me motivated and keeps me aware of what is happening externally and internally.
Since joining, there’s never been a moment of pure contemplation—there’s always something new happening, whether it’s improving our processes, meeting milestones, or tackling fresh challenges. I enjoy the combination of short-term problem-solving and working toward long-term objectives that are set collectively.
Above all, I’m passionate about creating a positive working environment. Listening to feedback from our team and clients helps us refine our processes, improve organization, and make everyone’s jobs easier. It’s incredibly rewarding to see people thrive and work together toward a shared vision.
The Yard’s 10th anniversary celebration in Montpellier
When I joined The Yard, it was a fresh start. At that time, the studio was involved in a major project, Minuscule 2 and Laurens wanted to structure the studio’s operations to support its growth. And I was drawn to the challenge !
My initial mission was to save Laurens time so he could focus on his craft, and as the studio expanded, my responsibilities grew. It’s been a fascinating journey of building a company, one step at a time, alongside an incredibly talented and motivated team.
The Yard’s VFX Showreel of its work on Minuscule 2
What makes this experience particularly inspiring—even now—is Laurens’s ambition to achieve a market position no one has reached before. That vision quickly became a shared goal for all of us. As we’ve grown, we’ve focused on adding the right skills and expertise, bringing in team members with diverse perspectives who align with our collective vision. This deliberate approach has enabled us to build a dynamic, talented team, turning our shared ambition into reality step by step.
What were the greatest challenges you met ?
One of the greatest challenges I faced was starting from a blank slate, without prior knowledge of how a VFX studio should be run. It was a completely new environment for me, but working alongside Laurens, with his deep experience as an artist, gave me confidence in the decisions we needed to make.
Though, I believe coming from outside the industry was also a real asset, opening up broader opportunities by tackling issues from a fresh perspective, exploring possibilities that might not typically be considered by those already embedded in the field.
Another challenge has been understanding and adapting to the unique mindset of artists, particularly those working as freelancers or intermittent artists. Their status fosters a dynamic approach to work, constantly pushing them forward to explore new projects and environments, which also influences how we approach human resources, recruiting process, and studio environment. We wanted to create a workplace that not only appeals to their creativity but also aligns with their values. From the start, we’ve aimed to work with people who see themselves as part of an adventure and are true contributing team players. Through all this, the rapid pace and dynamics of the industry have been both challenging and invigorating. It has required us to maintain agility in our decision-making—acting quickly to adapt to immediate needs while simultaneously laying the groundwork for long-term growth.
The Yard has celebrated its 10th anniversary. What does this milestone represent to you ?
The Yard’s 10th anniversary was a truly special milestone. It was an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come, but also to celebrate the incredible journey we’re still on. The event was particularly meaningful because it took place during a peak period for the studio, both in terms of staffing and projects. I felt immense pride in what we’ve accomplished—the talented people we’ve brought onboard, the amazing films and series we’ve contributed to, and the quality of work we’ve delivered over the years.
For me, it’s a mix of emotions. On one hand, it feels like the seven years I’ve been part of The Yard have flown by, packed with constant growth and achievement. On the other hand, it’s exciting to look ahead at the road before us, filled with so many opportunities still to seize and goals to reach.
The anniversary wasn’t about nostalgia; it was about celebrating everyone who has contributed to this collective effort. I was particularly happy for Laurens, who has been the driving force behind this adventure and who brought us all together to make it happen.
Founder and Senior VFX Supervisor, Laurens Ehrmann at The Yard’s 10th anniversary celebration in Paris
It reminded me of moments like winning a César—it’s a fantastic recognition of what we’ve achieved, but it’s never the ultimate goal. The real success is in the journey itself and the continuous drive to move forward.
Looking ahead, what are your personal goals for The Yard and yourself?
Looking ahead, my personal goals for The Yard revolve around strengthening our presence and impact within the industry ecosystem while maintaining the studio’s core values and culture.
We’ve already built strong partnerships as part of our strategy, such as our collaborations with schools like ArtFX and Creative Seeds, business partners like Pics Studio, and research institutions like INRIA. These relationships, along with our alignment with initiatives like ‘La Grande Fabrique de l’Image’ under the France 2030 plan, are critical in supporting both our growth and the broader development of the industry.
Moving forward, I want to deepen these connections and expand our local presence in the regions where we operate, including Montpellier, London, and other regional sites we plan to establish in the future. A personal challenge I embrace is ensuring that our diverse team continues to thrive by integrating their varied experiences and cultures while maintaining and enriching The Yard’s unique studio culture.
Additionally, I aim to keep fostering an environment that encourages creativity and collaboration, where new members—wherever they work—can seamlessly join and contribute to our shared vision. This includes continuing our commitment to sustainability, such as our energy-saving initiatives, and bolstering The Yard’s visibility and reputation locally and internationally, particularly in London, while adapting to and respecting cultural nuances. Ultimately, I want to see The Yard flourish as a place where both creativity and values come together to drive excellence and innovation.
Do you have a favorite saying or phrase you often use at work?
While I don’t have a specific saying, the word collective resonates deeply with me. At The Yard, everything we do is centered around collective success. It’s about working together as a unified team, where everyone feels part of a shared adventure, contributing their unique strengths, sharing knowledge, learning from feedback, and growing together to achieve our common goals.
Photo Credits : © naïri