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2016 | Doing Business in Connecticut 31 Film, TV & Digital Media A bout 10 years ago, Brian Keane had a big task: Find a new home for one of the preeminent digital animation studios in the country, Blue Sky Studios. While the company's name may not be widely known, its movies are. Blue Sky Studios was behind the 2002 hit "Ice Age," Dr. Se- uss' "Horton Hears a Who" in 2008 and subsequent "Ice Age" sequels. With a string of hits, the company was growing fast and running out of space at its White Plains, N.Y., offices. As a digital animation company, Blue Sky Studios thrives on creativity, so Keane — the company's chief operating officer — knew he needed to find a space that fit the personality of the studio and its employees. He searched all over the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut area and finally found a spot in Greenwich — a building surrounded by greenery, with massive floor space available for custom build-outs. "We fell in love with the space and location," Keane said. "e space was a good fit for our company and the foot print provided room for growth." Blue Sky Studios moved to Connecticut and hasn't looked back. Right place, right time Since calling the Nutmeg State home in 2009, Blue Sky has blos- somed. It was nominated for its first Golden Globe for e Peanuts Movie this year and has doubled to employ more than 500 workers. It occupies 150,000 square feet and is in the midst of a 10-year lease. It's invested in state-of-the-art computer equipment and is attracting some of the most talented animators in the world to work in its quirky Con- necticut offices. Blue Sky Studios represents another thing, too: It's one of the many success stories in Connecticut's thriving film, television and digital media industry. Connecticut is "riding a wave of inevitable growth" in the media industry, according to George Norfleet, director of the state's Office of Film, Television and Digital Media. "Today, content is king," said Norfleet, whose office helps match tax incentives and skilled workers in the state with media companies looking to do business here. "e industry is learning how to monetize content across many new plat- forms — from cable and Internet, to smartphones, tablets and whatever comes next. We want to be there to help facilitate production of that content, and we're poised to partner with media companies to help them succeed." e Motion Picture Association of America estimates that the Continued on page 32 > PHOTO/BLUE SKY Taking Center Stage State proves fertile ground for creative endeavors By Brandon Butler Blue Sky's office space in Greenwich is as creative as its films.