What Studio Gilay does

Studio Gilay is a First Nations co-owned animation and creative production studio founded in 2021 and headquartered on Gadigal Country in Erskineville, Sydney, Australia. The studio operates as a multi-disciplinary production house spanning 2D animation, 3D animation, stop-motion puppetry, motion capture, projection mapping, live-action, and experiential installation work, using industry-standard tools including Maya, Cinema 4D, After Effects, Dragonframe, Toon Boom Harmony, Unreal Engine 5, and Rokoko motion capture. It serves Australian public broadcasters (ABC, SBS, NITV), cultural institutions (Sydney Opera House, Australian Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Art Gallery of NSW, Royal Australian Mint), production companies (Goalpost Pictures, Netflix), government agencies, and a small set of commercial brands. Its signature output includes original animated series (COOKED), animated documentaries (UN-LOCKED), interactive web-documentaries (My Grandmother's Lingo), broadcast design (Play School opening titles, Black Snow title sequences), and large-scale architectural projection installations (Wellema Tubowgule on the Sydney Opera House sails).

The studio generates revenue through two primary streams: (1) project-based animation and production services for commissioned work on a quote-by-quote basis, and (2) original content production supported by government grants from Screen Australia, Create NSW, and the Australian Research Council, with downstream licensing/royalty revenue from broadcasters (ABC iView, SBS, NITV) and global streamers (Netflix). Go-to-market is sales-led with strong community and event-driven overlays: the studio wins work through direct relationships, portfolio reputation, repeat institutional clients, and visibility at major festivals (Vivid Sydney, RISING, Flickerfest, Canberra Enlighten). Pricing is project-specific and not publicly disclosed; the studio also operates a community consultation model engaging First Nations Elders and cultural practitioners, which functions as both a creative process and a referral-generation mechanism within the cultural and government sectors.

The studio is privately held with no institutional funding or parent company identified. Its core team consists of approximately 13 named members plus freelancers and interns, with co-founders James Hackett (Creative Director, 20 years of independent studio experience) and Jake Duczynski (Writer/Director, Gomeroi and Mandandanji heritage) providing creative leadership. The studio has won major industry recognition including SXSW, WEBBY, Walkley Award for Multimedia Storytelling, ADG Best Direction, Fast Company Innovation by Design, Good Design Awards Gold, and Muse Creative Awards Platinum/Gold for Wellema Tubowgule.

Name

Studio Gilay

Legal name

Studio Gilay

Website

https://studiogilay.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Studio Gilay is a First Nations co-owned Australian animation studio producing 2D/3D animation, stop-motion, projection mapping, and documentary content for public broadcasters (ABC, SBS, NITV, Netflix), cultural institutions (Sydney Opera House, National Portrait Gallery, Australian Museum), and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Previsualization (Previs) & Storyboarding for Animation (MPADACAL), Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Animation production services
• 2D 3D animation
• Projection mapping
• Documentary filmmaking
• Experiential installations

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Animation and Production Services: Studio Gilay generates revenue by producing custom animation, documentary, branding, and experiential content for a diverse suite of government, institutional, and commercial clients on a project-by-project basis.
2. Original Content Production: The studio develops and produces original content (e.g., COOKED series, UN-LOCKED documentary) with support from Screen Australia, Create NSW, Australian Research Council, and other government funding bodies. Content is distributed via platforms such as ABC iView, Netflix, SBS, and TikTok.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Studio Gilay is a First Nations co-owned animation and creative production studio that produces custom 2D animation, 3D animation, stop-motion puppetry, motion capture, projection mapping, documentary, and live-action content. The studio delivers end-to-end production services for broadcasters, cultural institutions, government agencies, and commercial brands, with particular specialisation in authentic First Nations storytelling and large-scale architectural projections.

Product overview

Studio Gilay is a First Nations co-owned and operated animation and creative studio founded in 2021 by James Hackett and Jake Duczynski. The studio operates as a multi-disciplinary creative production company offering animation production (2D, 3D, stop-motion), broadcast design (title sequences, explainer videos), experiential projections, documentary content, and community engagement services. Their portfolio includes original content such as COOKED (adult comedy series), UN-LOCKED (animated documentary), and BARANI (short film projection), alongside client work for major broadcasters (ABC, SBS, Netflix), cultural institutions (Sydney Opera House, Australian Museum, National Portrait Gallery), and government agencies. The studio specializes in First Nations storytelling and has produced content for the Royal Australian Mint, Vivid Sydney, and various festivals. Services span from scriptwriting and character design to final compositing and delivery across television, streaming, digital, and experiential platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animation Production Services End-to-end animation production across 2D, 3D, and stop-motion disciplines for broadcasters, streaming platforms, cultural institutions, government agencies, and commercial brands.
• COOKED A 5-part animated comedy series following the ghost of Captain Cook sailing around Australia in search of a cure for a curse. Blends vibrant 2D animation with stylised 3D moments; distributed on ABC iView and YouTube.
• UN-LOCKED Animated documentary exploring mental health, vulnerability, and resilience through two young men in 1980s Sydney, one in juvenile justice and another in a mental health facility. Distributed on SBS Demand.
• My Grandmother's Lingo Immersive web-documentary with voice-activated storytelling that preserves the Marra language through the voice of Indigenous leader Angelina Joshua from Ngukurr. Streams on SBS.
• Play School Opening Titles Stop-motion puppetry opening titles for ABC's Play School, featuring hand-crafted props, Dragonframe animation, and robotic arm filming for precision while retaining handmade quality.
• National Portrait Gallery Enlighten Festival Projections Large-scale projection animations for the Canberra Enlighten Festival on the National Portrait Gallery exterior, including INFERNO (2025) and SUPER KAYLENE WHISKEY (2026).
• BARANI Short film on First Nations history set in Warrane (Sydney Cove) 500 years ago, projected at Vivid Sydney 2024 and now permanently exhibited at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
• Wellema Tubowgule Prologue Meditative visual journey projected across the Sydney Opera House sails, honoring Gadigal Country for the venue's 50th anniversary. Won multiple design awards.
• ABC Kids Lullaby Series Animated lullaby content for ABC Kids featuring First Nations language and music, including Ninganah Lullaby with Troy Cassar-Daley and Piki Lullaby with Christine Anu.
• Title Sequence Design Custom title sequences and broadcast graphics for television series and feature films, including Black Snow and Top End Wedding.
• Community Engagement and Cultural Consultation Meaningful consultation and interpretation of First Nations voices, stories, and knowledges through dialogue with Elders, creative practitioners, and communities for reciprocal collaborations.
• Experiential and Digital Place-Making Large-scale installations and projections fusing traditional knowledges with innovative digital storytelling for cultural institutions, city councils, and government bodies.
• Trading Ways A looping projected 3D animation for The Royal Australian Mint's permanent exhibition, reimagining First Nations trade practices pre-colonisation with painted ochre textures and floating traded goods.

Quantifiable outcome

• My Grandmother's Lingo has resulted in the Marra language being spoken in local schools and across the world, with outreach from farthest corners of the globe
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Goalpost PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay has a recurring partnership with Goalpost Pictures, producing title sequences for Black Snow (Season 1 and Season 2) and Top End Wedding feature film. Goalpost Pictures is a cornerstone Australian film and television production company known for high-quality narrative content.
• ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with ABC producing Play School opening titles (2026, 15-year broadcast), Ninganah Lullaby and Piki Lullaby for ABC Kids, original series COOKED, and various educational content. ABC serves as a major commissioning broadcaster for Studio Gilay's original and commissioned content.
• Western Sydney UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay collaborated with Western Sydney University on the D'harawal Dance and Storytelling Videos project, part of an Australian Research Council project 'Storytelling with Ancestral and Living Knowledges: Shielding our Futures'. The project was funded by Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Institute of the Environment, Cumberland Plains Project, and the Australian Research Council.
• Cox Inall RidgewaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay collaborates with First Nations social agency Cox Inall Ridgeway on Australian Government communications campaigns including Future Made in Australia and Murray-Darling Basin Healthy Rivers and Sustainable Communities campaign. Cox Inall Ridgeway acts as communications agency bridging government with First Nations communities.
• National Portrait Gallery (Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay has been commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery for multiple Canberra Enlighten Festival projections: INFERNO (2025, based on Ryan Presley's Paradise Won artwork) and SUPER KAYLENE WHISKEY (2026, based on Kaylene Whiskey's artworks). Both are projected nightly on the gallery's exterior wall during the festival.
• Sydney Opera HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay produced Wellema Tubowgule Prologue for the Opera House's 50th Anniversary (projected on the sails), Mimi's Symphony animated content for Justine Clarke's live theatre performance, Dancerites Festival visuals, and GRAPHIC festival branding work. The partnership spans multiple years and project types.
• Australian MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership producing multiple permanent exhibition animations including The Journey of Burra (permanent Burra Learning Space), Gurungatch & Mirrigan, and Capturing Nature exhibition. The Australian Museum has become a repeat client with ongoing exhibition development.
• Art Gallery of NSW (AGNSW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay conducted a two-week residency at the Sydney Modern's Lewin Media Lab, hosted workshops with First Nations youth from Brewarrina and Mount Druitt, collaborated on Groundloop installation with Maori artist Lisa Reihana (displayed in main atrium), and partnered on Wik & Kugu in Aurukun documentation project and Wangka Walytja touring exhibition.
• Royal Australian MintcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced Trading Ways permanent 3D looping animation for the Royal Australian Mint's new permanent exhibition, depicting First Nations trade practices pre-colonisation. The animation was commissioned by Junior Major for the RAM museum exhibition.
• SBS (Special Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing commissioning partnership with SBS for original content including My Grandmother's Lingo (award-winning interactive web-documentary), UN-LOCKED animated documentary (SBS Demand), and English-language learning series (Meet the Changs, Meet Leila and Ziad).
• NetflixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay created animated dream sequences for Netflix's Back to the Outback feature film (2021), collaborating with East Kimberley artists from Waringarri Arts Centre. This represents a major international streaming partnership for the studio.
• RISING FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced Tarryn Love's ngaka projection for The Blak Infinite program (Federation Square, ACMI, SBS buildings) at RISING Festival 2024, and brand logos for RISING 2024 and 2025 festivals. RISING is a major arts and music festival in Melbourne.
• NITV (National Indigenous Television)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced UN-LOCKED animated documentary for NITV and SBS VICELAND, and produced NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony content broadcast on NITV. NITV is the peak Indigenous broadcasting body in Australia.
• Lisa Reihana (Māori Artist)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Māori artist Lisa Reihana on Groundloop, a short narrative film exploring future Indigenous voyagers between Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, displayed in the main atrium of Sydney Modern Gallery.
• Waringarri Arts CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudio Gilay consulted with East Kimberley artists from Waringarri Arts Centre for animated dream sequences in Netflix's Back to the Outback. The collaboration involved cultural consultation between Netflix Animation in California and Waringarri artists.
• DisneyminorOthersListed as a client in the Studio Gilay client logo section on the About page.
• Iwantja ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRemote Indigenous arts organisation on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, collaborated with on the Kaylene Whiskey SUPER KAYLENE WHISKEY animation for National Portrait Gallery Enlighten Festival 2026.
• ABC Reading EggsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced Reggie & Friends (19 episodes and 12 music videos) for ABC Reading Eggs' app, website, and YouTube channel. Won 2018 bronze AEAF award.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bogan Entertainment Solutions: Indigenous-owned Australian production company producing First Nations content across drama, documentary, and animation. Direct peer: highly comparable Indigenous-led production company operating in Australia on government and institutional commissions.
• Like a Photon Creative: Australian animation and production studio delivering original content, branded entertainment, and project-based animation services. Direct peer: comparable Australian animation studio operating across original IP and commercial/client work.
• Mighty Pictures: Australian production company producing documentaries, factual series, and animated content for Australian broadcasters and streamers. Direct peer: comparable Australian factual/documentary content producer with overlapping broadcaster clients.
• Nexus Studios: UK-based independent animation and experiential studio producing original shorts, branded content, and immersive installations. Direct peer: comparable multi-disciplinary studio combining narrative animation with experiential/immersive work for cultural and brand clients.
• Ludo Studio: Australian animation studio behind the global hit Bluey, producing original 2D/3D animated series for ABC and Disney. Direct peer: comparable Australian animation studio with original-IP plus broadcaster commissioning model and similar production scale.
• Cheeky Little Media: Australian children's animation studio producing original preschool and kids series for broadcasters including ABC Kids. Direct peer: similar Australian studio producing original 2D animated series and broadcast design work.
• Flying Bark Productions: Long-established Australian animation studio producing original series and service work across 2D and CGI. Direct peer: similar project-based animation services plus original content for Australian and international broadcasters, with larger production capacity.
• Passion Pictures: UK-based animation and documentary studio producing award-winning shorts, branded content, and immersive projects. Direct peer: comparable blend of documentary storytelling, animation craft, and branded/experiential commissions with similar project-based model.

Broad incumbents

• Buck: Global design and animation studio producing brand-driven motion, experiential, and design content at scale. Broad incumbent: similar motion graphics, projection, and experiential capabilities but operating as a much larger multi-discipline agency serving global brands.

Emerging players

• Blinkink: UK-based animation and illustration studio producing short-form original animation, music videos, and branded commissions. Emerging player: comparable boutique animation studio with strong award profile in short-form narrative animation.

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studiogilay
• Instagraminstagram.com/studio.gilay
• TikToktiktok.com/@studiogilay
• Xx.com/StudioGilay
• Facebookfacebook.com/studiogilay.syd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Studio Gilay