Heckler launches in Shanghai: The band is back together to redefine creative production in Asia

Pictured above (L-R): Barry Greaves, Lily Li and Steven Marolho.

Award-winning independent creative studio Heckler has officially opened its doors in Shanghai, marking an exciting expansion in the Asia-Pacific creative landscape.

More than a new studio, it’s also a reunion. Heckler Shanghai brings together three of the industry’s most respected leaders – Lily Li, Barry Greaves, and Steven Marolho – as partners, reuniting after more than a decade of shaping China’s production and visual effects industry. Their shared legacy includes founding Smoke & Mirrors Shanghai, launching MPC Shanghai, and leading The Mill Shanghai. Now, they’re back together under the Heckler banner and ready to raise the bar once again.

“Shanghai has always been a creative lightning rod for Asia,” says Will Alexander, Co-Founder & CEO of Heckler. “With Lily, Barry, and Steve leading our next chapter, we’re reigniting a culture built on artistry, independence, and fearless craft. This is Heckler’s biggest statement yet.”

Founded in Sydney in 2010, Heckler has built a reputation as one of the region’s most respected post, design, and VFX studios, delivering acclaimed work for Apple, Netflix, Mercedes-Benz, Amazon, Riot Games and Coca-Cola. The Shanghai launch establishes a powerful creative bridge to Heckler Singapore, creating a dynamic independent network in Asia – a regional engine driven by collaboration, creativity, and speed.

“This is about freedom,” says Lily Li, Partner & MD Heckler Shanghai. “Heckler gives us the independence to make bold, beautiful work on our own terms, with the best people in the business.”

“We’ve got the band back together,” says Heckler Shanghai Partner & COO Steven Marolho. “For us, it’s about showing up – for our clients, our team, and each other. Continuing to deliver the high-quality creative work we’ve dedicated our careers to bringing to the China market and across the region.”

“Heckler is the studio we always wanted to build,” adds Barry Greaves, Heckler Shanghai Partner & ECD. “One that puts people before process, and values creativity and collaboration above all else.”

Built for the next generation of creative production, Heckler Shanghai combines world-class VFX, design, and finishing pipelines with clean-room-grade security and cutting-edge AI-assisted workflows, empowering artists while pushing the limits of storytelling.

“AI isn’t replacing creativity,” says Jamie Watson, Co-Founder & CCO of Heckler. “It’s amplifying it and the future belongs to the studios that know how to harness these tools without losing their soul. The right alchemy happens where technology meets humanity, and that’s exactly where Heckler lives.”

According to the co-founders, Heckler’s arrival in Shanghai signals a new era for creative production in Asia.

“We’re here to make some noise,” says Alexander. “To push culture forward, to champion craft, and to remind the world that independence is our superpower. Asia just got its new creative heartbeat – one led by people who still believe in the magic of making.”