• By RICHARD BURGESS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Nov 7, 2009 - Page: 1BA

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A California-based digital effects company with a résumé that includes the movies “300,” “The Last Samurai,” and “Spiderman” is opening shop in Lafayette.

Pixel Magic has been working in Lafayette on the Walt Disney Pictures production “Secretariat” but is now preparing to settle into a home at the LITE Center in the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Research Park, company officials announced Friday.

“They are one of the top digital effects companies in the entire country,” Gov. Bobby Jindal said at a news conference to announce Pixel’s plans.

“This is exactly the type of company that will attract the best and brightest in the state.”

The opening of Pixel’s new digital media studio in Lafayette will create 12 jobs within a year and up to 40 jobs over the next three years, most of those for people with experience in digital effects, according to information from the company.

Pixel General Manager Ray Scalice said the decision to locate here was based on a combination of factors, including tax incentives and programs that provide work-force training, the fact that Louisiana is becoming the setting for more and more movies, and the warm reception he received from local officials.

“My experience was overwhelming. There was a shared vision, focus to succeed,” Scalice said.

The technology available at the LITE Center also played a role, offering Pixel the digital infrastructure of high-speed computing, a screening room and a tech-savvy staff, said Pixel Vice President Raymond McIntyre Jr.

Scalice said the only downside is the area seems to lack workers with the experience in digital effects.

“There is not a pool of digital artists, and we need to create that,” he said.

Pixel’s first major project will be post-production work on “Secretariat,” a movie about a legendary horse that won the Triple Crown in 1973 and its owner.

Most of the race scenes for the movie are now being shot at the old Evangeline Downs racetrack in Carencro.

McIntyre said extensive digital effects will be used to make it appear that the racing is taking place at four different tracks.