What Copernicus Studios does

Copernicus Studios Inc. is a privately held animation production company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with an additional office in Los Angeles. Founded in 2003 by Paul Rigg, Murray Bain, and Andrew Holland — who remain its executive management team — the studio produces animated content for television, feature film, and digital platforms using proprietary digital animation processes layered on classical 2D animation techniques. Its delivered portfolio spans work-for-hire production services (posing, animation, FX, and compositing) on marquee properties including Teen Titans Go!, Solar Opposites, The Loud House, Curious George, Care Bears, Trailer Park Boys, Pickle and Peanut, Rock Paper Scissors, Artopia, and Krypto Saves The Day, as well as feature films (Teen Titans GO! To The Movies, Death Castle, El Santos vs. la Tetona Mendoza) and music/commercial work (Nelly Furtado, Toyota Canada).

The studio operates a hybrid revenue model anchored in animation production services for major studios and broadcasters (professional services on a project basis), supplemented by original IP development that yields licensing and royalty streams. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales, pursuing development and co-production opportunities directly with major entertainment companies including Warner Bros. Animation, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney TV Animation, Hulu/20th Television Animation, Universal Animation Studios, Netflix, Adult Swim, and PBS. Notable strategic partnerships include a 2024 co-production with Paris-based Zephyr Animation on the original kids' series Lana Longbeard, and a creative partnership with Mr. Lawrence (Emmy-winning SpongeBob SquarePants head writer) on the Death Castle short.

Copernicus is owner-operated by its three founding partners with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds. Its competitive position rests on a multi-decade talent bench, proprietary digital/2D production processes, an Atlantic Canada cost base, and entrenched multi-season relationships with virtually every major North American animation buyer. The studio was recognized as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year winner for Media & Entertainment in the Atlantic Region in 2016.

Name

Copernicus Studios

Legal name

Copernicus Studios Inc.

Website

https://copernicusstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Copernicus Studios is a Halifax-based animation production company serving major North American studios and streamers (Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, Disney, Hulu, Netflix, Universal) with proprietary digital and classical 2D animation services across television, feature film, and original IP.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Halifax

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Animation Production Services: Providing animation services for television series, feature films, music videos, and digital content for major studios and broadcasters. Work is conducted as service provider, co-venture, or co-production arrangements.
2. Original IP Development: Developing proprietary original properties including television series, feature films, and digital apps. These represent new creative output and revenue streams beyond client services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Copernicus Studios is a full-service animation production studio that delivers 2D animation services including posing, animation, FX, and compositing for major entertainment clients across television series, feature films, music videos, and digital content. In addition to client-based animation services, the studio develops and co-produces original IP properties such as the Lana Longbeard animated kids' series for global distribution.

Product overview

Copernicus Studios is an entertainment content development and production company that produces original, high-quality animated content for television, feature film, and digital platforms. The company operates a project-based production model offering animation services including posing, animation, FX, and compositing to major studios and networks. Their portfolio includes work-for-hire productions (Teen Titans Go!, Solar Opposites, Curious George, Care Bears series, The Loud House, Pickle and Peanut, Rock Paper Scissors, Krypto Saves The Day, Artopia) and feature films (Teen Titans GO! To The Movies, Death Castle, El Santos, La Leyenda de las Momias). They combine classical 2D animation techniques with proprietary digital processes. The studio also develops original IP including Lana Longbeard, a co-production with Zephyr Animation, as well as commercial work for clients like Toyota Canada, Great Wolf Lodge, and music videos for artists like Nelly Furtado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animation Production Services
• Original IP Development and Co-Production
• Commercial and Branded Content Production
• Animated Music Video Production

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Zephyr AnimationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-production partnership with Zephyr Animation (Paris, France) for Lana Longbeard, a 52x11 minute original animated kids series. © Copernicus Studios / Zephyr Animation 2024.
• NickelodeoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing production partnership for animated series including The Loud House, Rock Paper Scissors, and multiple seasons of Teen Titans Go! with Posing, Animation, FX and Compositing services.
• Warner Bros. AnimationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Teen Titans Go! animated series and Teen Titans GO! To The Movies feature film.
• Cartoon NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor animation production client for various projects on the Cartoon Network platform.
• NetflixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partnership for animated Trailer Park Boys content on Netflix streaming platform.
• Disney TV AnimationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Pickle and Peanut animated series, utilizing a mix of animation and live action.
• Hulu / 20th Television AnimationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Solar Opposites animated series seasons 3-6 on Hulu platform.
• Adult SwimcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell animated series.
• Universal Animation StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Curious George animated series seasons 12-15.
• Cloudco EntertainmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Care Bears: Unlock the Music and Care Bears: Unlock The Magic animated content. Murray Bain of Copernicus Studios directed Care Bears: Unlock the Music.
• Big Tent EntertainmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partnership for Star Girls animated music series with educational values.
• Home Plate EntertainmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partnership for Wild Grinders animated series based on Rob Dyrdek's skateboarder characters.
• Kavaleer Productions Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer partnership for Garth and Bev animated educational series about science and history.
• Toyota Canada / Extreme GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial production partnership for retro-style Toyota Canada television and internet advertising.
• Anima EstudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partnership for El Santos vs. la Tetona Mendoza animated feature film.
• Amazon Video / Mercury FilmworksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partnership for If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series based on Laura Numeroff books for Amazon Video.
• Mr. LawrencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic creative partnership with Emmy-winning SpongeBob SquarePants head writer for Death Castle 2D animated short film. Mr. Lawrence serves as writer and director, with Paul Rigg as producer.
• WNET - PBSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partnership for Artopia Emmy-nominated children's art program on PBS.
• DreamWorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic video production partnership for Nelly Furtado Explode music video.
• JAM MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimation services partnership for Tilly and Friends animated series based on Polly Dunbar books.
• NAMCO BANDAI Games / ShiftyLookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull production services partnership to resurrect Bravoman Game franchise from script to delivery.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Copernicus-Studios-Inc/246639745351724
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/copernicus-studios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Copernicus Studios