The Animation Workshop
Animatus Studio is a privately held, founder-owned animation and post-production studio in Rochester, NY, operating since 1989. It provides commercial animation services to regional businesses and runs The Animation Workshop, an on-site educational program teaching traditional, cut-out, and clay animation to students of all ages.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersRochester, New York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Animation Workshop does
Animatus Studio, operating in Rochester, New York since 1989, is a privately held founder-owned animation and post-production studio, with The Animation Workshop as its educational division. The studio provides commercial animation services—traditional 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, video production, web design, and full in-house post-production—using industry-standard software (Photoshop, After Effects, 3D Studio Max, Lightwave, Toonboom, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Production Suite) across three dedicated nonlinear edit stations, supported by a licensed sound library exceeding 9,000 effects. Its client base has historically included regional and enterprise accounts such as Eastman Kodak, Xerox, Mobil, Corning, Wegmans, and Crystal Pix, alongside smaller Rochester-area businesses. The Animation Workshop delivers hands-on instruction in traditional, cut-out, and clay animation to students of all ages through on-site Saturday classes, summer camps ($88/week, with a 20% discount for four-week enrollments), and commissioned programs for schools, libraries, and community organizations.
The studio operates two revenue engines: professional services for commercial animation/post-production clients, and consumer-facing educational tuition plus retail/DVD and Amazon Video streaming sales of original productions including Derf the Viking, Fresh Toones, Su and Mo, Skip's Pix, and the long-running 'End of the Line: Rochester's Subway' documentary (originally 1994, remastered and premiered at The Little Theatre in February 2026 to 7,000+ attendees). Additional revenue streams include unit-priced film and video transfer services ($25 per two-hour tape or $0.12-$0.20 per foot for film) targeting consumers digitizing legacy media. Distribution is primarily on-premises at 34 Winthrop Street in Rochester with select global streaming distribution via Amazon Video in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan.
The business is led by founder and owner Fred Armstrong, supported by a small core team including creative director Dave Puls (since 1992) and animator Mike Boas (since 1998), with no disclosed external investors, parent company, or institutional funding. Strategic positioning emphasizes community embeddedness, a 35-year operating history, and a track record of alumni placed at major studios including Disney and Laika, with two alumni credits on Academy Award-winning animated productions (Frozen 2014, If Anything Happens I Love You 2021).
The Animation Workshop firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Animation Workshop
- Legal name
- Animatus Studio
- Website
- https://animatusstudio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Animatus Studio is a privately held, founder-owned animation and post-production studio in Rochester, NY, operating since 1989. It provides commercial animation services to regional businesses and runs The Animation Workshop, an on-site educational program teaching traditional, cut-out, and clay animation to students of all ages.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Animation Workshop industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animation Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Fine Arts Schools (61161)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- 2D (Traditional & Digital) Animation Production (MPADACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Animation Production (2D/3D/Stop-Motion) (MPAAAMAD), Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG), Multimedia Learning Production (Video, Animation, Interactive) (EDAGAKAG)
Keywords
Where The Animation Workshop is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rochester, New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Animation Workshop business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Animation Workshop Tuition: Revenue from teaching animation workshops to students of all ages, including summer animation camps, Saturday classes, and commissioned workshops for schools and libraries
- Animation Production Services: Commercial animation production for regional businesses including traditional animation, web animation, 3D and 2D graphics, and video production
- Film and Video Transfer Services: Conversion of old video formats (VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, Hi-8, etc.) to DVD and digital formats, plus film transfer to DVD
- DVD Sales: Sale of DVDs featuring studio productions including 'It Came From Animatus', 'The End of the Line' documentary, and 'Skip's Pix'
- Documentary Streaming: Revenue from Amazon Video streaming sales and rentals of 'The End of the Line' documentary
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Film Transfer to DVD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Videotape to DVD |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Summer Animation Camp |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Documentary Screening Tickets |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Animation Workshop product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Animation Workshop operates as the educational program of Animatus Studio, a Rochester-based animation studio that delivers hands-on animation classes to students of all ages in traditional, cut-out, and clay animation. The parent studio sells commercial animation, post-production, and film/video transfer services to regional businesses and consumers, and produces original animated series and a documentary distributed via DVD and streaming.
Product overview
The Animation Workshop at Animatus Studio is a full-service animation studio and educational facility based in Rochester, NY. The company operates two main divisions: commercial animation production services (Animation and Design, Post Production, Film/Video Transfers, Website Design) and The Animation Workshop, an educational program teaching animation to students of all ages through workshops, summer camps, and commissioned programs. Key products include original animated series (Derf the Viking, Fresh Toones, Su and Mo), the documentary 'The End of the Line: Rochester's Subway', and Skip's Pix animated shorts collection. The studio has been operating since 1989, serving clients including Eastman Kodak, Xerox, Mobil, and Wegmans.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fresh Toones: Animation and music series by Dave Puls featuring indie animation from Animatus and friends
- Derf the Viking
- Su and Mo
- Skip's Pix
Products and services
- Animation and Design Services Full-service animation studio offerings covering traditional animation for film and video, web animation, 3D and 2D graphics, and video editing for commercial clients across regional industries.
- Post Production Services In-house non-linear editing for industrial films, commercials, documentaries, and music videos, delivered on three dedicated edit stations using Final Cut Pro and Adobe Production Suite.
- Film and Video Transfer Services Conversion of VHS, VHS-C, S-VHS, 8mm, Hi-8, Digital-8, and Mini-DV videotape to DVD, 8mm/16mm film transfer to DVD, and video transfers to H.264 (.mp4) files for consumers and businesses preserving legacy media.
- Website Design Services Web design services offered as part of the studio's full-service creative capabilities.
- The Animation Workshop Educational program teaching animation techniques to students of all ages, including traditional, cut-out, and clay animation methods, delivered through workshops and Saturday classes at the Rochester studio.
- Summer Animation Camp Intensive summer workshop program teaching animation techniques to children, with curriculum covering traditional, cut-out, clay, and digital methods; priced at $88 per week with a 20% discount for the four-week bundle ($284).
- Commissioned Workshops Custom animation classes commissioned by schools, libraries, and community organizations such as the High Falls Film Festival, Threshold, and Community Place.
- The End of the Line: Rochester's Subway Feature-length documentary about Rochester's subway system that operated from 1927 to 1956; originally produced in 1994, remastered in HD and premiered as version 2.0 at The Little Theatre on 2026-02-07; distributed via DVD and Amazon Video streaming in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan.
- It Came From Animatus Studio DVD compilation featuring original animated series including Derf the Viking, Su and Mo, and other Animatus Studio cartoons, sold through the studio's online store.
- Skip's Pix DVD collection of animated short films by Skip Battaglia, including award-winning pieces such as 'Car Crash Opera' and 'Crossing the Stream' that received ASIFA-East and film festival recognition.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nurtured Academy Award winners and animators at major studios
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Animation Workshop
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Animation Workshop technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Animation Workshop partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Three Heads BrewingminorThree Heads Brewing collaborated with House of Guitars for 60th anniversary beer featuring artwork nodding to Animatus Studio's classic Christmas claymation ad, with montage footage including Animatus claymation clips at launch event.
- Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO)minorAnimatus contributed animation for the 'RPO Eclipse Spectacular: A Symphonic Celebration' event at Blue Cross Arena, featuring a one-minute introductory animation showing the moon eclipsing the sun created by artist Mike Boas using Adobe After Effects.
- DeBergerac ProductionscoreMike Champlin of DeBergerac Productions collaborated with Fred Armstrong to remaster 'The End of the Line' documentary, working on editing and post-production for the Rochester subway documentary reboot.
- The Strong Museum of PlayminorThe Animation Workshop joined with The Strong Museum of Play for the Get Animated Cartoon Weekend event, providing Stop Motion Animation Station and 'Animation Live' interactive activities.
- Rochester-Area Schools and LibrariesminorCommissioned animation workshops for schools, libraries, and charities including programs for the High Falls Film Festival, Threshold, and Community Place.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Animation Workshop competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Guru Studio: Toronto-based independent animation studio producing original IP and content for kids' platforms. Comparable as a small-to-mid independent animation studio balancing original IP development with commercial production work.
- Cartoon Saloon: Irish independent animation studio (Kilkenny) producing award-nominated feature films and shorts. Comparable as an indie animation house that has scaled from small beginnings into Oscar-nominated productions—useful aspirational peer.
- Atomic Cartoons: Canadian independent animation studio producing series, specials, and short-form content. Directly comparable as a similarly sized indie animation production company with both original IP and service work.
- Copernicus Studios: Independent animation studio in Nova Scotia producing2D/3D content for streamers, brands, and creators. Closely comparable as a small independent animation house with similar dual commercial-plus-original content focus.
- Bento Box Entertainment: Independent animation studio producing original content and service work for major platforms and brands. Comparable as a similarly positioned mid-size animation production company serving both commercial and original IP needs.
- ScanCafe / Legacybox: Consumer-focused mail-in digitization services for VHS, film, and other legacy media. Comparable as a direct competitor in the film/video-to-digital transfer service line that Animatus offers locally.
Broad incumbents
- Laika: Oregon-based stop-motion animation studio producing feature films (Coraline, Kubo). Broader incumbent in animation production with significantly larger scale; relevant for industry positioning and alumni network overlap.
Others
- CalArts Character Animation Program: California Institute of the Arts is a leading animation training institution whose alumni include major studio talent. Comparable to The Animation Workshop's role as a talent feeder and educational program for animators.
- Toon Boom Animation: Provider of industry-standard animation software (Storyboard Pro, Harmony) used by Animatus and most professional2D studios. Relevant ecosystem/technology peer that defines the tooling used in this category.
- Ringling College of Art and Design: Florida-based art college with one of the top-rated computer animation programs, regularly feeding Disney, Pixar, and other major studios. Comparable as a specialized animation educational institution.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Animation Workshop social profiles
Digital presenceThe Animation Workshop financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Animation Workshop leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
The Animation Workshop funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Animation Workshop 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 The Animation Workshop
What does The Animation Workshop do?
The Animation Workshop operates as the educational program of Animatus Studio, a Rochester-based animation studio that delivers hands-on animation classes to students of all ages in traditional, cut-out, and clay animation. The parent studio sells commercial animation, post-production, and film/video transfer services to regional businesses and consumers, and produces original animated series and a documentary distributed via DVD and streaming.
Is The Animation Workshop a public or private company?
The Animation Workshop is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Animation Workshop founded?
The Animation Workshop was founded in 1989. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Animation Workshop based?
The Animation Workshop is headquartered in Rochester, New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Animation Workshop make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Animation Workshop Tuition is the primary driver. The others are animation Production Services, film and Video Transfer Services, DVD Sales and documentary Streaming.
Who are The Animation Workshop's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Guru Studio, Cartoon Saloon, Atomic Cartoons, Copernicus Studios, Bento Box Entertainment and ScanCafe / Legacybox. Laika is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are CalArts Character Animation Program, Toon Boom Animation and Ringling College of Art and Design.
Does The Animation Workshop have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Animation Workshop.
What industry is The Animation Workshop in?
The Animation Workshop's product category is Animation Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADACAA, 2D (Traditional & Digital) Animation Production, with a secondary code of MPAAAMAD, Animation Production (2D/3D/Stop-Motion). Its NAICS code is 51211 and its SIC code is 7812.