From Lag Markets to Lead Markets

Abstract

In Slavic folklore, the Firebird is a highly coveted magical bird with feathers that glow brightly. The bird symbolizes both a blessing and an omen of doom. The Firebird stories — many versions of which exist in other cultures — follow a classic scheme: a lost, brightly glowing feather is the premonition of a hard journey. The story’s hero sets out on a difficult quest to find and capture the live bird. Initially charmed by the wonder of the feather, eventually the hero blames it for his troubles. Along the way, he meets magical helpers and, hopefully, eventually returns from a faraway land with the prize.¹

In late February 2013, Kristijan Danilovski, co-founder of Fx3x, a visual effects company, sat with its team watching the Academy Awards ceremony. Three of the movies they had worked on in the last year were nominated for Oscars. The night ended well, with Fx3x winning an Oscar for visual effects for their work on the movie The Aviator. While the Fx3x team, especially the artists whose names appeared on the credits, celebrated their achievement, Kristijan already began thinking about what was next for Fx3x.

Source: CASE 5: Fx3x: Star Performance without a Star Attitude; p. 179