What Rough Draft Studios does

Rough Draft Studios, Inc. is a privately held animation production studio founded in 1992 and headquartered at 615 Allen Ave., Glendale, California, with a headcount of 51-100 employees. The studio specializes in traditional hand-drawn animation and computer-generated animation for television and feature film, and operates one of the earliest Digital Ink & Paint and Camera facilities in the industry (established 1993). Its core competency is full-service episodic and feature animation production, integrating 2D and 3D pipelines with a senior creative team that has produced over 300 half-hours of primetime animation across three decades and accumulated multiple Emmy, Annie, Hugo, Annecy, and Reuben awards.

The company's product portfolio spans primetime animated series (Futurama for Hulu/Fox, Disenchantment for Netflix, Tarantula for TBS, Napoleon Dynamite, Sit Down Shut Up, Drawn Together, Star Wars: Clone Wars for Cartoon Network/LucasFilm, Baby Blues, The Maxx, Full English for Channel 4), feature films and title sequences (The Simpsons Movie, Pink Panther 2 titles, Looney Tunes theatrical shorts), direct-to-DVD Futurama features, mobile app content (Futurama Worlds of Tomorrow with Tinyco and Fox Digital), YouTube-native animation (Clash-A-Rama with Supercell and Tolerable Entertainment), branded commercials (Sprint, Wendy's, Nestlé Butterfinger), digital collectibles (Alesso NFT on Oneof), and a Fortnite crossover with Epic Games. Distribution is through clients' own platforms (Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, TBS, theatrical), positioning RDS as a B2B service provider rather than an IP owner.

Rough Draft Studios generates revenue primarily through project-based production contracts with major entertainment buyers, including streaming platforms (Hulu, Netflix), broadcast networks (Fox, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network/Warner Bros., Disney Television, TBS/Turner), film studios (20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., MGM), game companies (Supercell, Epic Games via crossovers), and brand advertisers. A bilateral production model with Rough Draft Korea (a regional production entity coordinated from LA since 1992) supports delivery through overseas capacity. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by project; terms are negotiated per production. The company is founder-managed, with no disclosed external venture capital, private equity, or parent-company ownership, no M&A history, and no public-market listing, indicating an organic, cash-flow-funded operating model.

Name

Rough Draft Studios

Legal name

Rough Draft Studios, Inc.

Website

https://roughdraftstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rough Draft Studios is a Glendale, California-based animation production studio founded in 1992 that produces traditional and CGI animated series, features, commercials, and digital content for major streaming platforms, broadcast networks, and film studios including Hulu, Netflix, Fox, Warner Bros., and LucasFilm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

3D/CGI Animation Production (MPADACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

2D/3D Rigging & Character Setup (MPAHACAE)

Keywords

• Animation production services
• Television series animation
• Feature film animation
• Traditional and CGI animation
• Animation studio services

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Television Animation Production: Produces animated television series on contract basis for networks including Hulu, Netflix, TBS, Fox, Comedy Central, and others. Revenue generated through project fees for series production.
2. Feature Film Animation: Provides animation services for feature films including The Simpsons Movie and direct-to-video features. Revenue generated through production contracts.
3. Commercial/Advertising Animation: Creates animated commercials for brands including Sprint, Wendy's, and others. Revenue generated through project-based contracts.
4. Mobile App Content: Produces animated content for mobile applications including Futurama Worlds of Tomorrow. Original content creation for digital platforms.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rough Draft Studios is an animation production studio that delivers full-service traditional hand-drawn and computer-generated (CGI/3D) animation for primetime television series, feature films, direct-to-video features, commercials, digital/YouTube content, and mobile app animation. It operates one of the earliest Digital Ink & Paint and Camera production facilities (established 1993) and a 3D Animation Department, and coordinates international production between Los Angeles and Rough Draft Korea. The studio works on a project basis for major entertainment clients on marquee franchises such as Futurama, Disenchantment, and Star Wars: Clone Wars.

Product overview

Rough Draft Studios is an award-winning animation studio specializing in traditional and computer animation for television and film. The company operates as a full-service animation production house offering both traditional hand-drawn animation and computer-generated imagery (CGI). Their portfolio includes primetime television series (Futurama, Disenchantment, Tarantula, Clash-A-Rama), theatrical feature films (The Simpsons Movie), direct-to-DVD animated features (four Futurama movies), mobile applications (Futurama Worlds of Tomorrow app), commercial animation work (Sprint, Wendy's, Nestlé Butterfinger campaigns), and digital collectibles (Alesso NFT on Oneof). The studio has produced over 300 half-hours of primetime animation and maintains active development projects for both film and television. The core offering is animation production services combining traditional and CGI capabilities, with a collective of directors, animators, storyboard artists, designers, painters, and storytellers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animation Production Services Full-service animation production offering including traditional 2D hand-drawn animation, CGI/3D animation, compositing, and visual effects for primetime television series, feature films, direct-to-video features, commercials, and digital content. Sold to entertainment networks, streaming platforms, film studios, and brand advertisers on a project basis.
• Primetime Television Series Animation Production of primetime animated television series on a contract basis for major broadcast networks, cable networks, and streaming platforms. Deliveries span series such as Futurama (Hulu/Fox/Comedy Central), Disenchantment (Netflix), Tarantula (TBS), Clash-A-Rama (YouTube/Supercell), Napoleon Dynamite (Fox), Star Wars: Clone Wars (Cartoon Network/LucasFilm), Drawn Together (Comedy Central), Sit Down, Shut Up (Fox), Baby Blues (The WB), Descendants Wicked World (Disney Channel), The Maxx (MTV), and Full English (Channel 4).
• Feature Film Animation Production Animation production services for theatrical feature films, direct-to-video features, and theatrical title sequences, including The Simpsons Movie for 20th Century Fox, four Futurama Direct-to-DVD features (Bender's Big Score, Bender's Game, The Beast With A Billion Backs, Into The Wild Green Yonder), and the opening title sequence for Pink Panther 2 (MGM / Imaginary Forces).
• Commercial / Advertising Animation Animated commercial and branded content production for major brand advertisers including Sprint, Wendy's, Nestl\u00e9 Butterfinger, Stern, Big Dreamers, and other advertising clients.
• Looney Tunes Theatrical Shorts Animated theatrical short film production for Warner Bros., including titles such as Duck Dodgers – Attack of the Drones and The Whizzard of Ow.
• Futurama Worlds of Tomorrow Mobile App Mobile game application featuring Futurama characters, produced with Tinyco and Fox Digital Entertainment.
• Alesso NFT Animated non-fungible token (NFT) collectible produced in collaboration with DJ/producer Alesso for the Oneof platform.

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Rough Draft KoreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOverseas production facility in Korea that coordinates with the Los Angeles headquarters for international animation production. Hyejoon Yun serves as International Liaison coordinating production between LA and Korea.
• HulucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurrent streaming home for new Futurama seasons. Distributes Rough Draft Studios-produced animated content to subscribers.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming platform for Disenchantment animated series. Distributes Rough Draft Studios content to global subscribers.
• Turner ProductionsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduces Tarantula animated series for TBS network.
• SupercellmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGame developer partnered with Tolerable Entertainment for Clash-A-Rama YouTube series. Joint development of animated content based on Clash of Clans game.
• Tolerable EntertainmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Clash-A-Rama animated series on YouTube.
• LucasFilmmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series for Cartoon Network. Long-standing creative partnership.
• Fox/20th TelevisioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing partnership for Futurama original series, Napoleon Dynamite, and multiple other animated productions. Also involved in Futurama DVD features.
• Warner Bros.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduced Baby Blues for The WB and multiple Looney Tunes theatrical shorts.
• Curiosity Co.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduction partner for Futurama seasons and direct-to-DVD features.
• Disney TelevisionChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduced Descendants Wicked World Season 2 for Disney Channel.
• Epic Games (Fortnite)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuturama characters featured as skins/crossovers in Fortnite Battle Royale game.
• Alesso/OneofminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced an NFT with Alesso for Oneof platform.
• NBC/UniversalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduced How Murray Saved Christmas prime-time holiday special.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Framestore: Global VFX and animation studio with episodic and feature work. Comparable in delivering high-end animation services to major entertainment buyers, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Warner Bros. Animation: In-house animation division of a major Hollywood studio producing primetime and franchise animation (including Looney Tunes work Rough Draft has contributed to). Overlaps with Rough Draft's client base but operates as a broad incumbent with vertical IP control.
• 20th Television Animation (Disney): Disney-owned in-house animation arm producing Family Guy, The Simpsons, Solar Opposites, etc. Direct relationship with Rough Draft as a client (Fox/20th TV), but also a broad incumbent that can bring animation in-house rather than outsourcing.
• DNEG: Global visual effects and animation services company with feature film and episodic animation capabilities. Comparable as a large-scale animation production partner, though its focus skews toward VFX-heavy feature work.

Direct peers

• Film Roman: Animation production studio historically responsible for animating The Simpsons and other primetime series. Closely comparable to Rough Draft in being a long-running work-for-house studio producing primetime animated series for major US broadcasters and streamers.
• Titmouse, Inc. Independent animation studio producing primetime and adult-targeted animated series (e.g., Metalocalypse, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Big Mouth). Directly comparable in serving major networks/streamers with both 2D and mixed-media animation production.
• Bento Box Entertainment: Animation studio producing Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, and other primetime shows for Fox/Disney. Direct peer producing long-running primetime adult animation for major US networks using hybrid digital pipelines.
• ShadowMachine: Animation and production studio known for BoJack Horseman, Final Space, and other adult animated series. Comparable in producing high-profile adult animated content for streaming platforms.
• Powerhouse Animation Studios: Animation studio known for Castlevania, Blood of Zeus, and other high-profile adult animation. Comparable as a mid-sized independent studio producing premium animated content for global streamers (Netflix, Amazon).

Emerging players

• Augenblick Studios: Independent 2D animation studio producing adult animated comedy (e.g., Superjail!, The Jellies, Gary and His Demons). Comparable as an independent 2D-focused adult animation studio, though smaller in scale than Rough Draft.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=aWmtcYvhj68
• Instagraminstagram.com/futurama_hulu
• Facebookfacebook.com/Rough-Draft-Studios-340966735927945

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rough Draft Studios