The Character Shop

What The Character Shop does

The Character Shop is a privately held, founder-owned special effects studio founded in 1988 by Rick Lazzarini, operating from a roughly 6,000-square-foot workshop in Simi Valley, California. The company designs, fabricates, and operates custom animatronic creatures, puppets, prosthetic effects, and robotics, primarily for feature films and television advertising. Its proprietary technology stack centers on the Waldo® facial and arm control systems — registered trademarks that allow a single puppeteer to drive up to 16 channels of creature expression through sensors on the operator's face and body — along with the Creature Flocker® electromagnetic hair-application device and custom computer playback systems for pre-programmed motion. Materials work spans silicone, foam latex, urethanes, epoxies, and electronic/mechanical assemblies, with full in-house capabilities from sculpting and molding through on-set puppeteering support.

The shop sells bespoke project-based contracts rather than standardized products, with each engagement involving unique one-of-a-kind fabrication. Revenue streams include custom film-effects contracts (Disney's Operation Dumbo Drop elephants, Ghostbusters II creatures, Mimic, Casper, Sweet Home Alabama), commercial character campaigns for major brands (Budweiser's Bud Frogs and tortoises, Foster Farms' Foster Imposters, Apple's iMac puppet, Capital One's goat and Visigoths spots, Geico), and a smaller medical-training-models line developed with EndoCare. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales, with new business generated primarily through portfolio referrals and industry reputation rather than outbound marketing, supplemented by a website portfolio, an active Facebook page, and earned media on programs including Letterman and Entertainment Tonight. The firm also runs the Animatronics Institute training program and offers character rentals, signaling modest ecosystem and recurring-revenue extensions beyond pure custom fabrication.

Name

The Character Shop

Legal name

The Character Shop, Inc.

Website

http://www.character-shop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Character Shop is a privately held, founder-owned special effects studio in Simi Valley, California that designs and fabricates custom animatronic creatures, puppets, prosthetics, and robots for feature films, television advertising, and select medical-training applications, using its proprietary Waldo® control technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Effects & Animatronics Fabrication Services

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

SFX/Prosthetic Makeup (HSALAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Film/TV/Theater Makeup (HSALAHAE), Wardrobe, Hair & Makeup Services (MPADAFAH)

Keywords

• Animatronic creature fabrication
• Special effects services
• Character puppetry
• Prosthetic makeup effects
• Film production services

Headquarters

HQ city

Simi Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Film Effects Contracts: Project-based contracts for creating animatronic creatures, puppets, and special makeup effects for feature films. Projects include creature design, construction, and on-set puppeteering support.
2. Commercial/Promotional Effects: Creation of animatronic characters and creatures for television advertising campaigns. Revenue generated through design, fabrication, and sometimes performance services for brand marketing.
3. Medical/Surgical Training Models: Production of anatomically correct silicone models for surgical training, including endoscopic surgery practice models for hospitals and medical training institutions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Character Shop is a custom special effects studio that designs, sculpts, fabricates, and puppeteers animatronic animals, creatures, puppets, robotic characters, and prosthetic makeup effects for feature films, television commercials, and live events. The shop also produces anatomically correct silicone medical training models for surgical practice. Deliverables are built primarily with silicone, foam latex, urethanes, epoxies, and electronic/mechanical control systems, with the firm's proprietary Waldo® control devices enabling single-operator puppeteering.

Product overview

The Character Shop is an award-winning special effects company that excels in animatronic animals, puppets, robotics, and makeup effects. Founded by Rick Lazzarini, the company creates custom, one-of-a-kind animatronic creatures and puppets primarily for feature films and major commercial advertising campaigns. Their core product portfolio includes animatronic animals and creatures (such as elephants, frogs, anteaters, and custom fantastical creatures), various puppet types (hand puppets, rod puppets, marionettes), proprietary Waldo control devices for puppeteering, prosthetic effects, and medical training models. The company gained particular renown for iconic commercial characters like the Budweiser Frogs, Foster Farms Chickens, and Duracell Toy characters, as well as film work on productions including Ghostbusters II, Operation Dumbo Drop, Casper, Batman, and Mimic. Their 6,000-square-foot facility in Simi Valley, California, houses specialized departments for sculpting, molding, cosmetics, puppet construction, and mechanical/electronic work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Facial Waldo: Invented by Rick Lazzarini, a control device allowing single puppeteer to operate up to 16 channels of facial movement on animatronic creatures
• Arm Waldo
• Creature Flocker

Products and services

• Animatronic Animals and Creatures Custom design, sculpting, fabrication, and puppeteering of animatronic animals, creatures, and characters using silicone, foam latex, mechanical, and electronic systems for film and commercial productions. Includes realistic replicas (elephants, frogs, anteaters, tortoises, dogs, buffalo) and custom fantastical creatures.
• Puppets Custom hand puppets, rod puppets, walk-along puppets, and marionettes built for commercial, film, and theatrical productions, including the 20-foot Mayflower Moving marionette and the menagerie for Shrek The Musical.
• Prosthetic Effects Wearable prosthetic makeup, masks, and full-body appliances for film and television productions, including Freddy prosthetics and womb effects for Nightmare on Elm Street V and lifecasts/costumes for Batman.
• Robotics Custom robotic characters and animatronic systems for film, television, promotional events, and interactive installations, including the 10-foot interactive robot for SXSW and the bomb retrieval robot used on NBC's State of Affairs.
• Medical Training Models Anatomically correct silicone and rubber training models for endoscopic and minimally invasive surgery practice, including gallbladder, hernia, uterus, and suture models sold to hospitals and medical training institutions.
• Custom Character Design and Construction Full-service custom character design, development, and construction from concept through final production for entertainment and commercial applications, covering sculpting, molding, mechanical/electrical work, painting, and costume integration.
• Rental Services Rental of select animatronic characters and puppets for productions on appropriate terms and availability, as listed on the company's Rentals page.

Quantifiable outcome

• Created Bud Frog commercials that aired during Super Bowl and earned Clio award, leading to multiple follow-up spots.
• +2 more outcomes

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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ILM (Industrial Light & Magic)coreTechnology or IntegrationTCS produced miniature ghost models (1/4 scale) for Casper that ILM used as reference for their CGI ghost effects.
• EndoCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dr. Robert Gordon and Dr. Stephen Shapiro at EndoCare to develop medical training models using special effects materials and techniques.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jim Henson's Creature Shop: Direct peer — Los Angeles–based creature and animatronics fabrication shop serving film, TV, and commercials with proprietary control technology and full-service build. Closely comparable scope and delivery model to The Character Shop, with a deeper film franchise portfolio (Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Labyrinth).
• Legacy Effects: Direct peer — Burbank-based animatronics and creature fabrication studio founded by former Stan Winston Studios crew, working on Marvel tentpoles (Iron Man suits), Jurassic World, and Pacific Rim. Closely comparable in craft, technology, and tier-1 film clientele.
• Spectral Motion: Direct peer — LA-based creature shop specializing in prosthetic makeup, animatronics, and creature effects for film and television (Hellboy, Star Trek, Stranger Things). Overlaps heavily with TCS on prosthetic makeup and practical creature work.
• KNB EFX Group: Direct peer — Greg Nicotero's LA-based makeup, prosthetics, and creature effects studio; primary vendor for The Walking Dead and major horror franchises. Overlaps with TCS in prosthetic makeup and creature design for film/TV.
• Amalgamated Dynamics (ADI): Direct peer — Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis-founded creature effects studio with credits on Aliens, Predator, Avatar, and Stranger Things. Highly comparable in practical creature/animatronics work for major Hollywood features.
• Steve Johnson's Edge FX: Direct peer — long-running LA-based special effects makeup and animatronics studio with credits including Species, The Thing, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Overlaps with TCS on creature prosthetics and special makeup effects.
• Creature Effects: Direct peer — UK-based creature and animatronics fabrication shop serving Hollywood and European productions (Doctor Who, Kingsman, Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom). Comparable scope with regional variation in delivery geography.

Broad incumbents

• Weta Workshop: Broad incumbent — much larger New Zealand–based effects, props, and creature studio with deep film franchise relationships (Lord of the Rings, Avatar). Overlaps with TCS on creature and prop work but at substantially larger scale and broader scope.

Regional players

• Machinima/Efx (formerly Geoff Robinson FX): Regional player — UK-based animatronics and creature FX house with credits on Doctor Who, Thunderbirds, and Narnia. Comparable craft and control technology, but primarily serves UK/European productions rather than US feature film work.

Others

• SimGraphics: Adjacent technology partner — has commercialized TCS's Waldo® control technology into the Vactor system for real-time CG character animation. Comparable as a strategic technology collaborator in motion-control and puppeteering systems, not a competitor in physical creature builds.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCharacterShop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/character-shop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 The Character Shop