Elephant Goldfish Launches in Dublin: Exciting New Post-Production & VFX Studio from Industry Leaders Deborah Doherty and John Kennedy
We are thrilled to share the news that two of Ireland’s most respected post-production leaders, Deborah Doherty and John Kennedy, have officially launched Elephant Goldfish — a new post-production and VFX studio based in Dublin, created in partnership with the renowned UK-based Molinare Creative Group.
With a bold creative vision and decades of combined experience, Elephant Goldfish is set to deliver world-class post and VFX services to international film, television, and animation projects — all from a dynamic new base in Dublin’s Docklands.
Please join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter for Irish post-production talent!
Read the full press release below for more about the studio’s team, ethos, upcoming projects, and global reach:
Deborah Doherty and John Kennedy, former senior figures at the renowned Windmill Lane Pictures announce the Launch of Elephant Goldfish, a New Post-Production and VFX Studio in Dublin in partnership with multi award-winning UK powerhouse Molinare Creative Group.
Dublin, Tuesday 10th June 2025 – Deborah Doherty and John Kennedy, two of Ireland’s most respected post-production leaders are excited to spearhead Elephant Goldfish, a new post-production and visual effects studio, in partnership with cutting edge Molinare Creative Group.
Bringing decades of combined experience across high-end film, TV, animation, and advertising, Elephant Goldfish has been created to meet the evolving demands of the global screen industry. Full post-production and high-end VFX, the studio offers creative-first solutions, backed by leading edge infrastructure and seamless remote workflows across Dublin and London.
Deborah Doherty, Managing Director and Executive Producer, joins Elephant Goldfish after nearly 20 years at Windmill Lane, where she played a pivotal role in expanding the studio’s audio and post-production services. Her impressive credits include projects for Netflix, Disney+, Sky, and BBC, spanning titles like Wednesday, Steve, My Little Pony, Kizazi Moto, Doctor Who and KIN. Deborah also sits on the board of Women in Film and Television, Ireland, actively championing creative talent and industry initiatives.
Joining her is John Kennedy, Managing Director and VFX Supervisor, who transformed Windmill Lane’s VFX division during his tenure, growing the team tenfold and delivering standout work for international productions. With over 30 years of creative experience and recent credits including American Primeval, The Tourist, Bodkin and A Discovery of Witches, John brings a wealth of expertise in creative direction, on-set supervision, and VFX production.
Also joining the team are Ed Smith and Dave Hughes. As Head of Studio, Ed will be instrumental in ensuring the smooth operation of Elephant Goldfish, supporting project management, creative, and technical teams while overseeing facilities, infrastructure, and day-to-day logistics. Heading up the colour department is Dave Hughes, a highly regarded colourist and Windmill Lane veteran, known for his collaborations with acclaimed directors of photography such as Bob Richardson, Mikhail Krichman, Seamus McGarvey, and Sean Bobbitt. He most recently delivered Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon.
“We started Elephant Goldfish on the belief that great work comes from great relationships, when people feel trusted, creatively challenged, and truly part of something,” says Kennedy. “We place a high value on personal connection. It’s a big part of why people enjoy working with us. Being part of the Molinare Creative Group allows us to offer clients highly personalised, creatively led work, something Deborah and I have worked hard to be known for, backed by the strength of scalable support, technical reliability, and deep expertise when needed.”
Looking ahead to an exciting slate, across film, tv, documentary and more, Elephant Goldfish is currently collaborating with the acclaimed horror studio Blumhouse on two highly anticipated feature films, showcasing their ability to deliver top-tier VFX and post-production for major international projects.
Elephant Goldfish is setting up in Dublin’s Docklands, breaking away from the city’s traditional post-production hubs, putting them in the middle of Dublin’s fast-growing creative and tech scene surrounded by innovation, not convention. With world-class infrastructure, easy airport access, and flexible, future-ready space, it’s a location that reflects how Elephant Goldfish works: modern, collaborative, and built for scale. It’s also a natural fit for like-minded clients who value creativity, agility, and doing things differently.
A Strategic Advantage for International Productions
With its Dublin base, Elephant Goldfish offers productions access to Ireland’s Section 481 tax credit, providing up to 40% on eligible Irish spend for film, TV, and animation.
Post-production and VFX services qualify independently – meaning productions can unlock valuable incentives without needing to shoot in Ireland. The team provides hands-on guidance to simplify the process and maximise returns.
A Seamless Global Offering Under Molinare Creative Group
As part of Molinare Creative Group – home to Notorious DIT, Molinare TV & Film, Sound Warriors, and Pip Studios – Elephant Goldfish is backed by a connected, scalable network offering DIT, dailies, VFX, sound, editorial, grading, and localisation services, delivered by award-winning teams across Dublin, London, Liverpool, Bedfordshire, Reading and beyond.
“We’re incredibly proud to welcome Deborah, John, and their team into the Molinare family,” says Nigel Bennett, CEO of Molinare Creative Group. “Elephant Goldfish embodies our commitment to expanding creative opportunities for clients and talent alike, and reinforces our position as a diversified facility.”
For more information, visit elephantgoldfish.com
Media Enquiries:
For Elephant Goldfish:
For Molinare Creative Group:
georgiac@molinare.co.uk
