Imaginary Forces
Imaginary Forces is a Los Angeles-based creative studio founded in 1996 that designs Emmy-recognized title sequences, brand campaigns, and broadcast graphics for major streaming platforms, sports broadcasters, and global consumer brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Imaginary Forces does
Imaginary Forces is a Los Angeles-based creative studio and design agency founded in 1996 that provides brand strategy and visual storytelling services for major entertainment studios, streaming platforms, sports broadcasters, and global consumer brands. The company's core offering is high-end title sequence design — main titles and opening sequences for film, television, and streaming series — complemented by brand identity development, broadcast graphic systems, motion graphics, multi-platform campaign production, experiential design, and original branded content. Client concentration is anchored in the streaming wars (Netflix, Apple TV+, HBO/Max, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Paramount+) and sports broadcasting (NFL, NBC Sports, ESPN), with secondary work for consumer technology (Microsoft, Sony), e-commerce (Shopify, Zillow), food and beverage (Chipotle, Reese's), cinema (IMAX, Cinemark), gaming (Wizards of the Coast, Sony Interactive Entertainment), automotive (Toyota), and nonprofit advocacy (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, SeePolitical). Notable engagements include title sequences for Stranger Things, Boardwalk Empire, Band of Brothers, Game of Thrones, Severance, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Thursday Night Football.
The studio's production stack combines 2D animation, 3D/CG, stop-motion, live-action direction, and graphic systems design, supported by creative strategy and research/writing capabilities. The studio has accumulated multiple Emmys and nominations across categories including Main Title Design, Show Open, Graphic Systems, Nature Documentary, and Music/Sound, most recently winning the 77th Primetime Emmy Award (2024) for graphics systems work on the Emmy Awards broadcast and earning Sports Emmy nominations for Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football in both 2022 and 2023. Senior leadership comprises CEO Denny Tu, Executive Creative Director Peter Frankfurt, and Managing Director/EP Tiffani Manabat.
The business model is professional services / project-based creative work: revenue is generated from project fees for title sequences, brand identity, campaign development, and content production, plus retainer arrangements with marquee enterprise clients. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales, with new business sourced through direct client relationships and pitch processes within the entertainment and brand ecosystems. Long-tenured engagements (Reese's at 7+ years; Amazon TNF spanning multiple seasons) demonstrate recurring revenue alongside the project-driven base. The company is privately held, has no disclosed external funding or parent company, and operates from a single Los Angeles headquarters (2027 S. Westgate Ave.) with 101-250 employees.
Imaginary Forces firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Imaginary Forces
- Legal name
- Imaginary Forces
- Website
- https://imaginaryforces.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Imaginary Forces is a Los Angeles-based creative studio founded in 1996 that designs Emmy-recognized title sequences, brand campaigns, and broadcast graphics for major streaming platforms, sports broadcasters, and global consumer brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Imaginary Forces industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Motion Graphics & Visual Design Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Graphic Design Services (54143)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Simulation & FX Animation (Cloth, Hair, Particles) (MPAHACAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time) (MPAHACAN)
Keywords
Where Imaginary Forces is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Imaginary Forces business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Creative Services and Project Fees: Project-based creative services including title sequences, brand identity, campaign development, experiential design, and content creation for entertainment studios, streaming platforms, sports broadcasters, and consumer brands. Revenue generated through project fees, retainer arrangements with major clients, and production budgets.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Imaginary Forces product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Imaginary Forces is a design studio and creative agency that produces main title sequences, brand identity systems, broadcast graphic packages, experiential installations, branded content, and full-service multi-platform marketing campaigns for entertainment studios, streaming services, sports broadcasters, and consumer brands. The studio combines 2D animation, 3D/CG animation, stop motion, live-action production, and creative direction to deliver visual storytelling that opens films, series, sporting events, and brand campaigns.
Product overview
Imaginary Forces is a design studio and creative agency offering a comprehensive suite of visual storytelling services. The core offerings include Title Sequences (main title design for film, TV, and streaming), Brand Identity (visual identity development), Graphic Systems (design frameworks for broadcast and events), Experiential (immersive installations), Branded Content (original branded entertainment), Campaign Services (multi-platform campaigns), Advocacy Campaigns (purpose-driven content), Live Action Production (filming and direction), Research & Writing (strategic content), and Creative Strategy Development. The company specializes in high-end visual design combining 2D and 3D animation, live action, motion graphics, and creative direction for clients across entertainment, technology, sports, and advocacy sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Title Sequences Design and production of main title and opening sequences for television series, films, and streaming platforms. Portfolio includes titles for shows on Apple TV+, Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, and NBC Sports, plus event title sequences for the Winter Olympic Games and Thursday Night Football.
- Brand Identity Visual identity development and brand strategy for companies and organizations, encompassing logo systems, brand guidelines, and visual positioning work.
- Graphic Systems Comprehensive graphic design systems and visual language frameworks for broadcast events, sports coverage, and corporate communications, including sustained systems packages like the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards broadcast graphics.
- Experiential Design Immersive experiential design and installation work for events and brand activations, blending physical and digital environments for client experiences.
- Branded Content Original branded entertainment and content creation for marketing campaigns, including brand films, episodic content, and partnership series.
- Campaign Services Full-service campaign development including strategy, creative direction, and multi-platform content production across broadcast, social, out-of-home, and experiential channels.
- Advocacy Campaigns Purpose-driven advocacy campaigns for social causes and nonprofit organizations, including documentaries and public awareness content such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Gender Equality Forum work and the SeePolitical ballot measure video program.
- Live Action Production Live action filming, direction, and production services for commercials, brand films, and promotional content, integrated with animation and motion graphics work.
- Research & Writing Strategic research and copywriting services supporting creative development, narrative development, and content strategy for clients.
- Creative Strategy Development & Ideation Strategic creative development, concept ideation, and positioning services for brands and projects, informing downstream title sequence, campaign, and brand identity work.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple Emmy wins and nominations across Nature Documentary, Music/Sound, Show Open, and Main Title categories
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Imaginary Forces
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Imaginary Forces technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Imaginary Forces partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SeePoliticalcoreSeePolitical is a 501c3 nonprofit focused on providing voters with unbiased explanations of state ballot measures. Imaginary Forces serves as a founding partner, creating animated short videos and digital platforms to help voters understand complex ballot issues across multiple languages and distribution channels. The partnership has spanned two election cycles.
- OTIS College of Art and DesignminorStudent partnership program where OTIS College students are guided through understanding state propositions and creating explanation videos for the SeePolitical initiative.
- USCminorStudent partnership program where USC students participate in creating explanation videos for the SeePolitical voter education initiative.
- New Form DigitalcorePartnership to create the original series Threads, an episodic series based on real events and inspired by online threads. The series was filmed over 20 days with 20 short-form episodes.
- Piaggio Fast ForwardminorBrand identity partnership for Gita robot including website design, brand identity, branded assets, and messaging development.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Imaginary Forces competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Elastic: Los Angeles-based creative studio widely recognized for title sequence design, main titles and brand storytelling for film, TV and streaming — directly comparable offering to Imaginary Forces' flagship title-sequence service.
- Prologue: Design and motion graphics studio specializing in title sequences, film trailers, and brand films. Direct competitor for premium main-title design work for streamers, networks and game publishers.
- Digital Kitchen: Independent creative studio producing motion design, brand storytelling, title sequences, and broadcast graphics packages — closely overlaps with Imaginary Forces' brand, broadcast and streaming work.
- yU+co: Hollywood design and motion graphics house known for film and television main title design, end-credit sequences, and brand identity — a head-to-head competitor for premium title-sequence briefs.
- Psyop: Award-winning creative studio producing commercials, film, and experiential content with deep motion graphics and animation capabilities — comparable scope of work and client mix (brands, entertainment, gaming).
- Buck: Design-driven animation and motion studio delivering title sequences, brand films, and campaign content for major brands and entertainment clients — overlapping capability set and customer base.
- Perception: Design and motion studio producing main title design, brand identity, and broadcast graphics for major entertainment and tech clients — directly comparable niche in premium title-sequence design.
- Motion Theory: Independent creative studio specializing in commercials, branded content, and music-driven storytelling with strong design and motion capabilities — directly comparable to Imaginary Forces' campaign and branded content work.
- Giant Ant: Animation and design studio producing title sequences, brand campaigns, and broadcast design for entertainment, sports and consumer brands — comparable offering with similar end-market mix to Imaginary Forces.
Broad incumbents
- The Mill: Large global VFX and creative content studio offering design, animation, VFX and brand experience work. Overlaps with Imaginary Forces on motion graphics and brand content but operates at meaningfully larger scale and broader scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Imaginary Forces social profiles
Digital presenceImaginary Forces financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Imaginary Forces leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Imaginary Forces funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Imaginary Forces M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Imaginary Forces
What does Imaginary Forces do?
Imaginary Forces is a design studio and creative agency that produces main title sequences, brand identity systems, broadcast graphic packages, experiential installations, branded content, and full-service multi-platform marketing campaigns for entertainment studios, streaming services, sports broadcasters, and consumer brands. The studio combines 2D animation, 3D/CG animation, stop motion, live-action production, and creative direction to deliver visual storytelling that opens films, series, sporting events, and brand campaigns.
Is Imaginary Forces a public or private company?
Imaginary Forces is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Imaginary Forces founded?
Imaginary Forces was founded in 1996. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Imaginary Forces based?
Imaginary Forces is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Imaginary Forces make money?
One revenue line is on record: creative Services and Project Fees.
Who are Imaginary Forces's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Elastic, Prologue, Digital Kitchen, yU+co, Psyop, Buck, Perception, Motion Theory and Giant Ant. The Mill is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Imaginary Forces have an API?
No public API is recorded for Imaginary Forces.
What industry is Imaginary Forces in?
Imaginary Forces's product category is Motion Graphics & Visual Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHACAH, Simulation & FX Animation (Cloth, Hair, Particles), with a secondary code of MPAHACAN, Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time). Its NAICS code is 512110 and its SIC code is 7812.