The Rogue Initiative

Established in 2015, The Rogue Initiative operates at the intersection of Hollywood storytelling and AAA video game development. The company was founded by CEO and Creative Director Pete Blumel and Chief Production Officer Cathy Twigg, who envisioned a studio where accomplished filmmakers and veteran game developers could collaborate to build expansive narrative worlds. Blumel's background includes over two decades in feature film, animation, and interactive production, notably serving as a key producer on the multi-billion dollar "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" series at Infinity Ward and holding positions at Dreamworks SKG and Amblin Entertainment. Twigg's career spans roles at MTV Films, Dreamworks Animation, and Sony Pictures Television, where she worked on acclaimed projects like "Kung Fu Panda" and "How to Train Your Dragon".

The Rogue Initiative's core business involves developing and producing intellectual properties for film, television, and interactive platforms. This transmedia approach allows the company to create and co-own the properties it develops, offering a model where creative talent can retain ownership and participate in the success of their creations. The studio's business model encompasses creating original content, adapting existing properties for virtual reality and other digital mediums, and providing production services to select clients. Their services have expanded to include pre-visualization and virtual production for feature films, leveraging their expertise in game engine technology. This is demonstrated through their partnership with Area of Effect (AoEfx), a realtime visualization studio, and collaborations on projects with high-profile filmmakers like Michael Bay for Sony Pictures.

The company's offerings are geared towards next-generation game consoles and immersive reality platforms. By using game engines like Unreal Engine, they develop assets that can be leveraged across different mediums, from game development to movie production and marketing, optimizing production costs and workflow. This strategy enables a unified virtual art department, creating environments, locations, and action sequences for previs with an eye toward final pixel assets for films. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, with teams in the UK, Hong Kong, and Beijing, and has received venture capital funding, including a Series A round in 2017.

Keywords: transmedia production, AAA game development, virtual production, interactive entertainment, world building, intellectual property development, game engine technology, film production, television production, immersive reality, VR content, cinematic video games, pre-visualization, Unreal Engine, narrative-driven games, digital storytelling, content creation, Hollywood collaboration, next-gen console games, entertainment software