Optical Arts

What Optical Arts does

Optical Arts is a London-based creative studio founded in 2020 by Dan Tobin Smith, producing film, photography, animation and design for global brands, advertising agencies and broadcasters. The studio's work centres on high-end visual content for accounts including Apple, Channel 4, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Dyson, Coca-Cola, Dom Perignon, Bowers & Wilkins, Aveda, Telstra, Made, Del Core, and Cancer Research UK, as well as experimental projects for artists such as Max Cooper. Operating with a team of 11 from premises at 52b Whitmore Road, London N1 5QG, the studio runs a project-based B2B services model and is led day-to-day by Executive Producers Hannah May (Studio Director) and Emma Wilcockson (Managing Director), with creative direction from Dan Tobin Smith alongside directors Fabrice Le Nezet, Martin Pryor and Joe Jackson. Pricing is quote-based per engagement and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

The studio's technical platform combines CG, procedural animation, motion control and high-speed photography. Optical Arts uses Phantom ONYX and VEO high-speed cameras (1000-5000 fps), custom-built rigs, motion control systems, and photogrammetry, paired with Maya, Houdini, Nuke, Flame and Resolve for CG, look development and compositing. Notable technical differentiators include a procedural Houdini pipeline enabling project-level global control of timing, animation and lighting, in-camera effects capture using rigs that require no CGI in the final film, and a hybrid narrative filmmaking approach that mixes cinematic framing with scientific cross-sectioning. The studio also produces kinetic installations (e.g., Playground and Immaterial Objects for London Design Festival 2023 and 2024) and self-initiated experimental films.

The business model is professional services revenue earned through commissioned campaigns, branded content, broadcaster idents, product films and experimental/artistic projects delivered either directly to brands or via co-creation with agencies such as BBH, AMV BBDO, Anomaly, Wonderhood Studios, 4creative, Art Practice and Lovesong. The studio has no public listing, no disclosed funding rounds, and no parent company. Customer acquisition relies on portfolio marketing, industry awards (Grand Prix at Cannes Lions, D&AD, The British Arrows, Shots, 1.4) and referral relationships. International reach is demonstrated through selection for the Louis Vuitton 200 Visionaries exhibition in Paris, Los Angeles and New York, and by engagements in North America and Australia (Telstra). A US representative is maintained through ProdCo (+1 310 555 7500 contact line).

Name

Optical Arts

Legal name

Optical Arts

Website

https://opticalarts.studio

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Optical Arts is a London-based creative studio that produces film, photography, animation and design for global brands, advertising agencies and broadcasters, including Apple, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Channel 4, Dyson and Coca-Cola, using CGI, in-camera effects and bespoke motion-control rigs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Production Services

NAICS

Photographic Services (54192)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Immersive/Interactive Animation (AR/VR/Real-Time) (MPAHACAN)

Keywords

• Creative production services
• Commercial film production
• Brand photography services
• CGI animation studio
• Visual content creation

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Creative Production Services: Project-based creative services including film production, photography, animation, and design for brands, agencies and direct clients. Revenue generated through commissions for commercial campaigns, branded content, idents, product films, and experimental/artistic projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Optical Arts is a London-based creative studio that produces film, photography, animation, and design services for brands, agencies, and direct clients. The studio combines CGI, motion control, high-speed photography, in-camera effects, and compositing to create commercials, branded content, idents, product films, and experimental art projects for clients such as Apple, Channel 4, Nike, Louis Vuitton, Dyson, and Coca-Cola.

Product overview

Optical Arts is a London-based creative studio offering film production, photography, animation, and design services as a unified offering. The studio combines craft and technical expertise in CGI, motion control, high-speed photography, and compositing to create commercials, branded content, and experimental art films for clients including Apple, Channel 4, Nike, Louis Vuitton, Dyson, and Coca-Cola. Their portfolio includes both client-commissioned campaigns and studio-initiated artistic projects across film, stills, and installation art.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film Production Services Commercial and artistic film production services creating branded content, short films, and campaign visuals for clients including Apple, Nike, Channel 4, and Louis Vuitton.
• Photography Services Still photography services for luxury brands, fashion, and commercial campaigns, including product photography and artistic still life work.
• Animation and Motion Design 3D animation, CGI, motion graphics, and visual effects production using techniques including Houdini, Maya, Nuke, Flame, and compositing.
• Design Services Art direction, creative direction, visual design, and concept development for campaigns and brand identity projects.
• Experimental Art Films Studio-initiated artistic short films exploring themes through letterforms, typography, and abstract visual narratives, including Toccata, Fugue, Playground, Fork, Ignis, and Mutate.
• Installation Art Kinetic installations and exhibitions including Playground for London Design Festival 2023 and Immaterial Objects for London Design Festival 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• Exhibited internationally at Louis Vuitton 200 Visionaries exhibition in Paris, Los Angeles, and New York
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments4 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wonderhood StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Wonderhood Studios on the Made 'Never Ordinary' campaign - a surreal and intriguing film featuring bold and distinctive sets. The partnership combined live action with CG elements for the project.
• BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with BBH on Refuge campaign - a charity supporting domestic abuse victims. The film mirrors high-end smartphone commercials with a disturbing twist highlighting technology exploitation by abusers. Campaign won Creative Circle Awards (Silver) and British Arrows nomination.
• 4creativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with 4creative alongside Art Practice and Lovesong to direct and create five unique idents for Channel 4 following their new masterbrand launch. The collaboration involved 25 unique looping scenes from 17 creatives, artists, and filmmakers.
• Art PracticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Art Practice alongside 4creative and Lovesong for Channel 4 idents project - included creative direction, production design, casting, and motion control expertise.
• LovesongcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lovesong alongside 4creative and Art Practice for Channel 4 idents - contributed creative direction for the masterbrand launch idents.
• AnomalycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAgency partnership for Coca-Cola 'Bring Magic to the Table' worldwide campaign celebrating the classic glass bottle. Anomaly provided strategic and creative direction for the campaign exploring cola liquid at macro level.
• AMV BBDOcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAgency partnership for Guinness sustainability campaign - created a magical and poetic journey through soil visualising biodiversity and sustainability concepts.
• Time Based ArtsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPost-production partner for Channel 4 idents project - provided 2D supervision, CG supervision, and grading services for the campaign.
• Asylum SFXminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecial effects partner for multiple projects including Max Cooper 'Broken Machines Broken Dreams', Channel 4 idents, and Nike Phantom GX 2 Elite. Provided CNC cutting, 3D milling, 3D printing, and SFX expertise.
• Lane and AssociatesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommissioned by Lane and Associates to create three films for Del Core Collection One, focusing on flowers captured in three physical states.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Giant Ant: Animation and design studio producing commercial campaigns, explainers and branded content for major brands — comparable cross-discipline boutique studio similar in size, offering and client tier.
• Buck: Design and animation studio producing commercial campaigns, brand films and motion design for global brands (Nike, Google, Adidas) — comparable cross-discipline craft studio with a similar premium-boutique positioning.
• B-Reel: Creative studio producing film, animation and digital experiences for Google, Nike and other global brands — comparable cross-discipline production studio with similar brand-led project work.
• The Mill: Global creative production and VFX studio serving the same A-list brand roster (Adidas, Nike, Google, Apple) with CGI, animation, live-action and design capabilities — directly comparable in offering, client type and craft-led boutique model.
• Framestore: Award-winning VFX, CG and creative studio producing commercials, branded content and experiential work for global brands including Nike, Google and luxury houses — overlaps closely on the film/VFX/CG/animation mix that Optical Arts delivers.
• Nexus Studios: London-based boutique studio combining animation, live-action and design for premium global brands (Apple, Google, Nike, BBC) — most direct small-team comparable in geographic base, craft signature and client roster.
• Psyop: Boutique animation and VFX studio producing commercials and branded content for global brands across technology, CPG and luxury — directly comparable offering and client base.
• Man vs Machine: Independent design and animation studio producing commercial campaigns and motion design for premium global brands — closely comparable boutique craft model with similar CGI/animation/design mix.
• MPC (Moving Picture Company): Premium VFX and CG post-production studio (part of Technicolor) producing commercials and brand films for the same luxury and consumer-electronics clientele — a comparable high-end production-services peer.
• UNIT9: Multi-disciplinary production studio producing film, CGI, design and interactive content for global brands (Google, Nike, BBC) — directly comparable offering and boutique-to-mid-tier scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/optical-arts-studio

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 Optical Arts