About
Hydra’s story is a simple one.
Three former colleagues came together with a vision for the kind of studio they would like to work in. Our experience told us there was an alternative and more flexible way to do things without the confines of a large studio infrastructure.
After many years being in senior positions within a large company, our desire was to return to a smaller studio dynamic that would allow us to focus on quality over quantity. We wanted to work with a tight and passionate team of artists, all playing to their strengths and supporting each other in a collaborative environment.
In some ways it was going back to the small team set ups of our earlier careers, but with the added benefit of 20 years of experience to make the best of both worlds.
We also wanted to make the most of technical advances with cloud-based infrastructures that provided flexibility and practical solutions for working with remote artists. Something that coincidentally worked perfectly when we launched during covid restrictions.
Hydra Studios was formally launched in the summer of 2020 and we went straight to work!
Meet Our Founders
Debbie Ross Producer
Debbie has been producing content for 30 years, starting in live action before moving on to CGI / 3D animation and working with some of the biggest names in the games industry.
Debbie likes to maintain a close and consistent relationship with our clients from the pitch stage right through to the final delivery of our projects. Her approach to production is to keep things simple and real, whilst maintaining a focus on quality across Hydra’s content and the service we provide.
Sergio Caires CG Supervisor
Sergio has been creating CGI content and supervising teams of artists and technicians for more than 20 years. He leads our CG teams and works closely with Debbie and Mikas to ensure every project is set up for success.
Sergio is always raising the bar, with a critical eye for detail and a love for developing new tools and methodologies for the studio. As an early adopter of Houdini in 2008, his passion for pushing visual quality has now also expanded into Unreal Engine.
Mikas Sadauskas Pipeline and RnD
Every successful CGI studio needs a solid pipeline and great tools. Mikas created the backbone of Hydra’s virtual and cloud-based infrastructure, providing our teams with the systems and technical support they need.
Having been an artist himself for many years, Mikas understands what’s required, why and when. He also works with Sergio to have any project-specific needs in place and offering a flexible and adaptable approach whenever possible.
Shannon McDonald Financial Controller
Shannon is Hydra’s Financial Controller, specialising in creative industry finance. She provides our clients and artists with a person and not a system to interact with when it comes to invoicing and payment, resulting in a more friendly and accessible experience for all.
Shannon also works in collaboration with Debbie on contracts and official paperwork, to provide a cohesive and common-sense approach to formal and legal documentation.
The Studio
Hydra works with an international team of artists, but our core team is based in our Glasgow studio. It’s a quirky and fun place to be, situated in the creative community of The Hidden Lane – an 19th century collection of buildings that house over 100 creative companies. The Lane is so full of character, history and talent – not to mention its own organic brewery. What’s not to love!
Our studio is an optional space for artists as we have intentionally developed our pipeline and project communication to support remote work. This also allows us stay flexible and adaptable in an increasingly unpredictable world and industry.
