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Realtime creating 50 new jobs following War of the Worlds contract

War of the Worlds

North West digital animation, cinematics and visual effects studio Realtime is creating 50 new jobs over the next two years following its work on BBC sci-fi title The War of the Worlds.

Twenty-five jobs will be created in Westby near Lytham in Lancashire, with a further 25 new positions in Manchester. The recruitment campaign will see the studio become one of the largest in the North West, employing a mix of up to 100 full-time staff and freelance digital artists by the end of 2021.

The studio’s growth has coincided with its work on a major new three-part BBC adaptation of the classic The War of the Worlds. Realtime was a key VFX partner for the production, creating visual effects for the first British television adaptation of H.G. Wells’ iconic novel. 

Realtime CEO Tony Prosser, said: “The work we created for War of the Worlds is a direct result of the Government’s recent focus on regional creative talent. The project represents the very best of Realtime’s technical knowledge, artistic flair and proven expertise; the on-screen results speak for themselves.


“The new roles we’re creating here at Realtime represent a significant growth phase for the studio. The talent recruitment will align Realtime even more closely with the specialised demands of increased TV work.

“The North West is home to some of the most skilled and imaginative digital storytellers in the world. At Realtime, we can help them share their skills with as wide an audience as possible. We craft belief. And that goes for everyone who works with us too!”

Jane Forsyth, head of production at Realtime, added: “It was an honour to be involved in such a prestigious BBC drama adaptation. As well as being part of British literary history, War of the Worlds includes all the fun sci-fi elements our team of artists love to create. We produced key digital sequences in the production which completely aligned with our skillset. 

“The broadcast coincides with a time of significant growth for our cinematic arm and our latest recruitment drive reflects that growth. This is an inspiring time to be part of the North West creative sector so we are looking forward to welcoming more talented and creative artists into the Realtime family in the coming months.”

Realtime was founded in 1996 and creates digital experiences across media, from online to TV and cinema. It has recruited more than 10 permanent creative and production staff over the last two months. 

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