Character Animation & Stop-Motion
The pick of the world's best motion design studios. Part one here: Motion Design Studios Worth Knowing: Part 1 of 5
Character Animation
2veinte
2veinte.com.ar A heavily awarded Buenos Aires studio renowned for distinctive cel animation, represented by Hornet and balancing major commercial campaigns with deeply personal non-commercial shorts.
7NIGHTS Studio
7nights.studio A Turkish studio specialising in character-driven CG animation and cinematic storytelling for games and entertainment, known for their Teamfight Tactics Bubbles cinematic.
Animade
animade.tv A London animation studio bringing irresistible personality to character-driven work with pixel-perfect motion for Apple, LEGO, Meta, Netflix and Dropbox.
Animagic
animagic.io A creative studio specialising in animation that blurs the line between advertising and entertainment, crafting memorable characters and stories for brands and game companies.
Andy Baker Studio
andy-baker.com A London animation house led by director Andy Baker, known for distinctive 2D cel animation, vibrant colour palettes and meticulous world-building for Apple, Nike and Adidas.
Artbelly Productions
artbellyproductions.com An award-winning studio that has mastered rotoscope animation through their proprietary Rotobelly software, creating living, breathing painted films including three seasons of Adult Swim's Dream Corp LLC.
Beast Collective
beastcollective.com A lean London animation studio known for character-driven work and playful sensibility, delivering standout campaigns for Casumo, UEFA, Disney and YouTube.
Brikk Animation
brikk.se A character-driven animation studio specialising in high-end storytelling for game trailers and commercial work, with clients including Amazon, IKEA, Volvo, Overwatch and Minecraft.
Buda.tv
url not confirmed A Buenos Aires studio built on obsessive craft — from character design and texture to the smallest blink — creating work for Nike, Google and Aeromexico with festival recognition worldwide.
Bungalow
wearebungalow.com A Stuttgart character animation studio known for vibrant, personality-packed commercial work for European consumer brands including Naturgy, Colacao and Primavera Sound.
Cabeza Patata
cabezapatata.com A Barcelona studio founded by illustrator Katie Menzies and 3D artist Abel Reverter, known for playful character work for Spotify, Costa Coffee and The Grinch.
Cartel
wearecartel.co A character-driven animation studio built on the philosophy that scalable remote teams can tackle any motion challenge with heart, serving clients including Adobe and HBO.
Clubcamping
clubcamping.tv An award-winning Buenos Aires studio specialising in high-energy, character-driven 2D cel animation, represented by Hornet and Jelly for advertising clients worldwide.
Cub Studio
cubstudio.com A Brighton studio specialising in vibrant sports content and brand storytelling, known for injecting personality into mascots, athletes and products across 2D and 3D.
Dirty Puppet
dirtypuppet.com A Melbourne animation studio led by director Cameron Gough, known for vibrant character work for brands and cultural institutions including AFL and Museums Victoria.
Flamboyant Paradise
flamboyantparadise.com A Buenos Aires studio known for vibrant, character-driven animation and bold visual storytelling for clients including Del Valle and Gatorade.
Hippie House Studio
hippiehouse.tv A Buenos Aires motion design studio with over 15 years of experience spanning on-air rebrands for AMC, explainer videos for Apple PayJoy and commercials for UNICEF and Coca-Cola.
Hool & Co.
hooland.co A design and animation studio specialising in playful, character-driven motion work that brings warmth and personality to commercials, branded content and social campaigns.
Igor + Valentine
iggyvee.com A Charleston motion design studio known for sophisticated visual storytelling and high-profile work for IBM Cloud, with a dedicated experimental arm called The Lab.
Kong Animation Studio
kong-studio.com A London studio founded by Bill Elliott and Tom Baker, known for beautifully crafted 2D animation for Disney, Intel, BBC Ideas and children's entertainment.
Linetest
linetest.tv An award-winning studio bringing brands to life through beautifully crafted illustration and character-driven storytelling for Home Depot, WWF and Netflix.
Lasso Studio
lassostud.io A Nashville studio working at the intersection of art and strategy, delivering vibrant, character-driven work with distinctive visual warmth for commercial and brand clients.
Moth Studio
moth.studio A London animation studio known for perceptive storytelling and character-driven design, with award-winning work for Google Pixel, Netflix, Monument Valley 3 and Sky Kids.
Move Animation Studio
moveanimation.com A Brighton collective specialising in character-rich, playful content for major brands, studios and agencies, combining technical craft with emotional resonance.
Musclebeaver
musclebeaver.com A Munich character animation and illustration studio with an international reputation for brand storytelling for Visa, Mercedes, Google, Adidas and BMW.
Naive
naive.se A Stockholm production house known for a wonder-fuelled approach to animation and storytelling, working across advertising and gaming for Klarna, Lidl and Raw Fury.
Nathan Love
nathanlove.com A character-driven studio renowned for giving brand mascots genuine personality and soul, with over two decades of work for Pokemon, Amazon Prime and Mr. Clean.
Nebula Studios
nebula-studios.com A Lisbon animation house specialising in character-driven storytelling across 2D, 3D and live action for FIFA, UEFA, Vodafone and Unilever.
Noodle
noodleanimation.com A Chicago motion design studio known for warm, high-craft brand work for Duolingo, Discord, Netflix and Hulu, specialising in brand motion toolkits.
OH.STUDIO
url not confirmed A Leeds animation collective bringing together a rotating roster of talented artists to create vibrant, character-driven work for IKEA alongside original content and social campaigns.
Ordinary Folk
ordinaryfolk.co A lean, globally distributed team of eight from six countries delivering finely crafted animation for Google, Webflow and Procreate.
Picasso Pictures
picassopictures.com One of the UK's leading independent animation production companies, representing a diverse roster of directing and design talent across commercial and branded content.
Picnic Studio
picnicstudio.tv A London animation house led by Mina Song and Liam O'Connor, known for imaginative, character-driven storytelling blending Asian and European influences for Amnesty International and CALM.
Polyester Studio
polyesterstudio.com A character-driven animation powerhouse specialising in memorable brand mascots and personality-filled motion work for DoorDash, Fidelity and State Farm.
Rocketpanda
therocketpanda.com A vibrant Verona animation studio bringing playful, character-driven energy to every project for Discord, McDonald's and Corona.
Roof Studio
roofstudio.tv A Brooklyn collective whose whimsical, spirited approach to commercial work blends 3D animation, VFX and stop-motion with a human quality that stands apart.
Seed Animation Studio
seedanimation.com A London Soho studio renowned for distinctive character design and emotionally resonant storytelling, crafting commercials and branded content with personality and wit.
STUDIO AKA
studioaka.co.uk A multi-BAFTA, Emmy and Oscar-nominated London animation studio renowned for distinctive character-driven storytelling and an eclectic visual range.
Studio Krokodil
studiokrokodil.de A Berlin animation studio specialising in charming 2D animation, motion design and illustration for broadcast clients including Arte science series and music videos.
Studio Soi
studiosoi.de An independent animation studio in Ludwigsburg serving as a creative haven for artists, known for contemplative narrative work and large-scale art installations screened at the Berlinale.
Strange Beast
strangebeast.tv A London production studio bridging artful storytelling with commercial firepower, building campaigns for McDonald's, EA and Mango across 2D, CG, mixed media and stop-frame.
Taiko Studios
taikostudios.com A studio bridging Eastern and Western sensibilities, delivering award-winning character animation across offices in Los Angeles and Wuhan for major brands and entertainment partners.
THE LINE Studio
thelinestudio.com An East London 2D animation studio known for distinctive, boundary-pushing character work since 2013, serving Gucci, Mercedes-Benz and Channel 4.
Tonic DNA
tonicdna.com A full-service Montreal animation studio advancing the art form since 1983, with a technique-agnostic roster delivering work for Meta, Coca-Cola, Netflix and Disney.
WeCanMake
wecanmake.co.uk A London motion design studio specialising in character-driven 2D animation that feels genuinely human, with clients including BBC, TikTok, Ancestry and Business of Fashion.
Wednesday Studio
wearewednesday.com A London animation house led by Daniela Negron Ochoa and Iria Lopez, known for visually distinctive short-form 2D content for Netflix, YouTube and LA Philharmonic.
Yeah Haus
yeahhaus.com A director-driven Ferndale studio with a playful multi-technique approach spanning 2D, 3D, stop-motion and hand-drawn animation for commercial brands and festival short films.
Stop-Motion & Handcraft
A+C Studios
aplusc.tv A specialist stop-motion studio known for meticulous craftsmanship across claymation, papercraft and tabletop animation for Adidas, Pepsi and Wimbledon title sequences.
Aardman
aardman.com The studio behind Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and Chicken Run, transforming stop-motion into a globally beloved art form over four decades of handcrafted storytelling.
Bent Image Lab
bentimagelab.com A powerhouse mixed-media studio with deep roots in stop-motion, spanning puppet work, strata-cut animation, CG and live-action hybrids for major brands and cultural organisations.
Big Object Studio
bigobjectstudio.com A Frisco, TX studio dedicated to the meticulous art of physical, frame-by-frame animation, celebrating the dimensional warmth only hands-on craft can deliver.
Dwarf Studios
dw-f.jp The Japanese studio that brought Pokemon Concierge to life for Netflix, blending tactile craftsmanship with heartfelt storytelling to create visually magical worlds.
Hunter Gatherer AHP
huntergatherer.net A full-service design agency known for their long-running Behind the Cover series with the New York Times Magazine, combining stop-motion storytelling for Google and Nike.
Inspira Animation
inspiranimation.com A Spanish stop-motion specialist studio known for bringing tactile charm and meticulous craftsmanship to commercial and entertainment projects for major brands and agencies.
Jackknife Films
jacknifefilms.com A Bristol stop-motion studio led by award-winning director Chris Hopewell, renowned for distinctive work for Radiohead, Run The Jewels, Avenged Sevenfold and John Lewis.
Jam Factory
jam-factory.com The creative studio of Gavin Strange — director, designer and Aardman Animations employee — celebrated for vibrant character-driven work and inspiring design industry talks.
LAIKA Studios
laika.com The world's most acclaimed stop-motion feature studio, with every film from Coraline to Missing Link earning an Academy Award nomination through handcrafted artistry and technical innovation.
Manuel Cam
manuelcam.fr A specialised stop-motion studio bringing tactile artistry to commercial and narrative projects, known for meticulous volume animation from brand campaigns to atmospheric film collaborations.
MoSoMos
mosomos.com A multidisciplinary studio led by Mathew Amonson blending stop-motion, 2D animation, mixed media, practical effects and motion control across Tokyo and New York.
North Boy South
northboysouth.com A Sydney animation studio known for tactile, handcrafted animation techniques and purpose-driven storytelling with a strong festival track record.
Picturesmith
picturesmith.com A London animation studio bringing brands to life through tactile, memorable storytelling across stop-motion, puppeteering and 2D animation for Disney, LEGO, Google and Diageo.
Rocketscience Lab
rocketsciencefilms.com An award-winning mixed-media studio whose eclectic blending of live action, stop-motion, animation and graphics earned recognition from D&AD president Laura Jordan Bambach as masters of the ident.
Studio Gruff
studiogruff.com An award-winning studio specialising in stop-motion and hand-drawn work with a wonderfully weird sensibility, delivering end-to-end creative for Adidas, Coca-Cola and Channel 4.
Studio Mals
studiomals.com A Rotterdam studio specialising in tactile stop-motion animation, film and photography, known for crisp, kinetic visuals for The Washington Post and Tony's Chocolonely.
Yamination Studios
yamination.com A Birmingham stop-motion studio led by Drew Roper and Juliet Carmen Teksnes, handling everything from puppet fabrication and set construction through to post-production since 2009.
Continues in Part 3: Brand Motion, Identity & Explainer.
