Film Roman

What Film Roman does

Film Roman is a privately held animation studio founded in 1984 and headquartered in Canoga Park, California (21801 Sherman Way #135). The company develops, produces, and licenses animated television programming, with a current portfolio focused on developing animated pilots adapted from literary properties and established comic-strip IP. Its publicly identified projects include "What Do You Do With An Idea?" (a New York Times bestselling book adaptation), "Firenze's Light" and "Life as a Barnacle" (children's book adaptations), "My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish" (book series adaptation), and "Heathcliff" (adapted from George Gately's comic strip). The studio's positioning centers on producing high-quality animated pilots intended for sale or licensing to television networks and streaming platforms serving children's and family entertainment audiences.

The studio operates at a mid scale, with a stated headcount of 251-500 employees, suggesting a full-service animation production operation spanning development, design, and animation production. Its senior leadership comprises Steve Waterman (President) and Douglas Klein (Director of Finance). The business model centers on optioning or licensing third-party IP and producing animated pilots, with the expectation that successful pilots are picked up to series by network or streaming buyers; however, no pricing models, deal economics, customer agreements, or distribution terms are publicly disclosed.

There is no publicly disclosed information regarding revenue, funding history, ownership, parent-company relationships, partnerships, awards, or M&A activity. The firm appears to operate as an independent animation studio with its sole disclosed operating geography being the United States, and contact information suggests it maintains a single production headquarters in the greater Los Angeles animation industry cluster.

Name

Film Roman

Legal name

Film Roman

Website

https://filmroman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Film Roman is a private animation studio founded in 1984 that develops, produces, and licenses animated television pilots adapted from literary properties and comic-strip IP for television networks and streaming platforms.

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), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Character & Creature Animation (MPADACAE)

Keywords

• Animated television production
• Animation studio services
• Animated pilot development
• Television content licensing
• Children's animation content

Headquarters

HQ city

North Hollywood

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, Supply Chain

Core offering

Film Roman is an animation studio that develops, produces, and licenses animated television programming and pilots. The studio adapts literary properties (bestselling children's books such as 'What Do You Do With An Idea?', 'Firenze's Light', 'Life as a Barnacle', and 'My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish') and comic strip properties (such as 'Heathcliff') into animated content for television networks and streaming platforms.

Product overview

Film Roman is an animation studio producing animated pilots and series. The company develops a portfolio of animated content including book adaptations (What Do You Do With An Idea?, Firenze's Light, Life as a Barnacle, My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish) and comic strip-based properties (Heathcliff). These animated pilots represent the company's core creative productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• What Do You Do With An Idea? Animated pilot adaptation of a New York Times bestselling book, telling the story of a child with a brilliant idea that grows in confidence alongside them. Intended for television networks and streaming platforms seeking family-oriented animated content.
• Firenze's Light Animated pilot based on the book by Jessica Collaco and illustrated by Angela Li, featuring themes of gratitude, compassion, and self-appreciation. Developed for broadcast on children's-oriented television networks.
• Life as a Barnacle Animated pilot based on a book by Eli Balser, told from the perspective of a young barnacle exploring happiness and finding a place to call home. Aimed at children's television audiences.
• My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish Animated project based on the book series by Ciara Flood, featuring comedic adventures with a zombie goldfish character. Targeted at children's television and streaming platforms.
• Heathcliff Animated series based on the comic strip by George Gately, featuring an orange street-smart cat who tries to turn a dustbin over people's heads. Produced for television broadcast and streaming distribution.

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Titmouse Inc. Independent animation studio producing adult, kids', and game-related animated content for TV and streaming platforms. Comparable in scale, business model (work-for-hire plus original IP), and customer set to Film Roman.
• Rough Draft Studios: U.S./Korea-based animation studio producing primetime and streaming animated series. Closely comparable to Film Roman in providing outsourced animation production services for network and streaming animated series.
• ShadowMachine: Independent animation studio producing stop-motion and 2D animated series and films for streaming and television (e.g., Bojack Horseman, Final Space). Comparable as a privately held mid-sized studio developing and producing original animated series for streaming platforms.
• Floyd County Productions: Independent animation studio producing the long-running FX animated series Archer. Comparable mid-sized peer studio producing primetime/streaming animated series for cable/streaming buyers.
• Augenblick Studios: Independent animation studio producing adult and primetime animated series for television and streaming (e.g., Superjail!, Wonder Showzen). Comparable mid-sized independent peer producing animated content for similar buyer set.
• Radical Axis: Animation studio producing primetime and daytime animated series (e.g., Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Metalocalypse). Comparable mid-sized independent animation services and production peer for TV/streaming series.
• Bento Box Entertainment: Independent U.S. animation studio producing primetime and streaming animated series (e.g., Bob's Burgers, The Great North). Directly comparable to Film Roman as a privately held, mid-sized animation studio providing series animation services and original IP for TV and streaming buyers.

Broad incumbents

• Hasbro Entertainment: Major toy/entertainment conglomerate producing and owning children's animated franchises (Transformers, My Little Pony, etc.). Comparable as a vertically integrated owner-producer of children's animated series competing for the same commissioning and IP economics.
• WildBrain (formerly DHX Media): Large publicly listed Canadian children's entertainment and animation company owning IP, production studios, and distribution (including Teletoon, Peanuts). Broad incumbent in the same kids'/family animation production and licensing space Film Roman targets.

Emerging players

• Powerhouse Animation Studios: Independently owned animation studio producing adult and family animated series for streaming (e.g., Castlevania, Blood of Zeus). Comparable in producing premium animated series for streaming buyers, but with a different thematic focus than Film Roman's kids'/family orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/filmroman
• Facebookfacebook.com/123376977767491
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/film-roman

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Film Roman