See Creature animation
See Creature Productions is a Montreal-based stop motion animation studio founded in 2011 by Dale Hayward and Sylvie Trouvé, producing hand-crafted stop motion campaigns for advertising, film, and documentary clients including Nike, Tim Hortons, Netflix, NFB, and Mattel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What See Creature animation does
See Creature Productions is a Montreal-based stop motion animation studio founded in 2011 by husband-and-wife team Dale Hayward and Sylvie Trouvé. The studio operates as a full-service boutique production company producing stop motion animation across three verticals: advertising campaigns (Nike, Tim Hortons, General Mills/Chex, TVFCU, CNESST, Mattel/Hot Wheels), narrative and documentary films (Netflix's The Little Prince, NFB's Bone Mother, Kid Koala music videos, H2Oil, Synesthesia), and long-form series work (Kiri & Lou seasons 3 and 4). Projects have accumulated over 88 million views across the portfolio.
The studio's technology stack combines hand-crafted traditional techniques with digital tools including After Effects for post-production, Dragonframe for animation capture, DMX-512 lighting control, and 3D printing for puppet and prop fabrication. A documented proprietary method is the FLBL (Front Light/Back Light) compositing technique, which shoots two exposures per frame to produce a clean Luma Matte and avoid green screen color spill. Co-founders lead the creative direction and serve as jury members and speakers at major animation festivals including Annecy, Siggraph, OIAF, and Fantasia.
The business model is project-based professional services revenue from custom commissions, with pricing determined by project scope, complexity, and duration rather than published rate cards. Distribution is direct-to-client via website inquiries and email, supplemented by event-driven lead generation through festival participation. Two ancillary revenue streams extend the core model: See Learn Academy (online education platform launched in 2020) and the Sketch See Write creative sketchbook sold through Amazon. The studio is privately held, founder-owned, with no disclosed external investment or parent company.
See Creature animation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- See Creature animation
- Legal name
- See Creature Productions
- Website
- https://seecreature.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- See Creature Productions is a Montreal-based stop motion animation studio founded in 2011 by Dale Hayward and Sylvie Trouvé, producing hand-crafted stop motion campaigns for advertising, film, and documentary clients including Nike, Tim Hortons, Netflix, NFB, and Mattel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
See Creature animation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Animation Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Stop-Motion Animation Production (MPADACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Animation Production (2D/3D/Stop-Motion) (MPAAAMAD), Stop-Motion & Hybrid Animation (MPAHACAM)
Keywords
Where See Creature animation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
See Creature animation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Animation Production Services: Project-based professional services producing stop motion animation for commercials (ads), films, and documentaries. Revenue is earned through client commissions, with pricing based on project scope, complexity, and duration. The studio serves advertising agencies, brands, film producers, documentary filmmakers, and music artists.
- Creative Products (Sketch See Write Book): Sale of a published creative sketchbook titled 'Sketch See Write' containing 100+ pages of drawing and writing prompts, available through Amazon. This represents a small ancillary revenue stream from merchandise and creative products.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
See Creature animation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
See Creature Productions is a full-service stop motion animation studio that produces commercials, short and feature films, documentary animation sequences, and music videos. Services span concept development, scriptwriting, puppet and set fabrication, animation, compositing, and post-production, delivered through a three-phase Anticipation–Action–Reaction production process. The studio supplements production services with an online education platform (See Learn Academy) and a published creative sketchbook (Sketch See Write).
Product overview
See Creature Productions is a full-service stop motion animation studio founded in 2011 by husband-and-wife team Dale Hayward and Sylvie Trouvé, based in Montreal, Canada. The company operates as a unified creative studio offering stop motion animation services across three core areas: Films (narrative and documentary films), Ads (commercial advertisements), and Docs (documentary animation sequences). Supporting these production services are educational offerings including See Learn Academy (online education launched in 2020), the Sketch See Write creative sketchbook publication, and the Truth About Stop Motion free guide. The studio combines hand-crafted traditional animation techniques with digital technologies and software like After Effects and Dragonframe, and has developed proprietary methodologies like the FLBL technique for green screen compositing. Their signature 3-principle production process (Anticipation, Action, Reaction) structures every project from initial concept through final delivery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- See Learn Academy: Online education platform for stop motion animation, launched in 2020 to foster the local and international stop motion community
Products and services
- Stop Motion Animation Production Services Full-service stop motion animation production covering concept development, scriptwriting, puppet and set fabrication, animation, compositing, and post-production for advertising agencies, brands, filmmakers, documentary producers, and music artists. Delivered through a three-phase Anticipation–Action–Reaction production process.
- See Learn Academy Online education platform offering stop motion animation tutorials and courses for aspiring animators and the broader stop motion community.
- Sketch See Write A published creative sketchbook containing more than 100 pages of drawing and writing prompts designed to encourage curiosity and self-expression for artists, creatives, and students. Sold through Amazon.
Quantifiable outcome
- 88,000,000+ total views across all stop motion projects
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use See Creature animation
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
See Creature animation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
See Creature animation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Film Board of Canada (NFB/ONF)coreSee Creature has an ongoing relationship with the NFB producing animated films including 'Bone Mother' (the first 3D printed NFB film), stop motion sequences for 'Uncle Thomas' directed by Regina Pessoa, and stereoscopic animation for 'Facing Champlain'. The NFB is a key creative partner for the studio's original film projects.
- Netflix (The Little Prince)coreSee Creature produced animated scenes for Netflix's 'The Little Prince' directed by Marc Osbourne, working as part of the production team for this high-profile streaming platform release.
- See Learn AcademycoreAn online education platform founded by See Creature in 2020 to foster the local and international stop motion community. The academy provides educational content and training, positioning See Creature as thought leaders in the animation industry.
- Tait / E.D. Films / PantheonminorCollaboration for the Johnny Depp 'A Bunch of Stuff' experience. See Creature worked with Tait for art direction and E.D. Films for animation production to bring Johnny Depp's paintings to life through stop motion.
- Prospector FilmsminorCollaboration on the documentary 'Synesthesia'. Prospector Films produced the documentary while See Creature provided animated sequences depicting the condition of synesthesia.
- CossetteminorAdvertising agency partner. See Creature worked with Cossette as the agency for the CNESST 'Hanging By A Thread' campaign, where Cossette provided creative direction and See Creature handled stop motion animation production.
- Rodeo ProductionminorProduction house partner for the CNESST campaign. Rodeo Production served as the production company handling direction and post-production (Rodeo FX), with See Creature providing stop motion animation.
- Pereira O'DellminorAdvertising agency for the Chex 'The Chex-Verse' campaign. The agency directed the project while See Creature handled stop motion animation production through Chez Eloi.
- Fancy RhinominorAgency partner for TVFCU 'A Place for All of Us' campaign. Fancy Rhino handled the creative agency work while See Creature handled all animation production.
- Common Good / Radke FilmsminorProduction company partners for the Tim Hortons 'Art of Coffee' campaign. Common Good / Radke Films provided direction and production while See Creature provided stop motion animation using coffee grinds.
- BuckminorProduction company for Honda 'Happy Honda Days' campaign. Buck served as production company and director while See Creature animators contributed stop motion sequences.
- Filmworks Ltd. (Kiri & Lou)coreProducer Fiona Copland and Filmworks Ltd. engaged Dale Hayward as Animation Director and Designer for seasons 3 and 4 of the 'Kiri & Lou' animated series, shot in New Zealand.
- Makers (Hot Wheels Megadrome)minorProduction company for the Hot Wheels 'Megadrome' series. Makers handled production management while See Creature provided direction and animation for Mattel / Hot Wheels / Mega Construx.
- Global Oneness ProjectminorClient for the 'Elemental' feature documentary where See Creature produced animated sequences. The Global Oneness Project produces environmental documentaries and engaged See Creature for animation services.
- MSI (Creator Series)minorMSI featured See Creature in their Creator Series — a case study film showcasing how MSI technology supports the studio's creative workflow. MSI provided technology while See Creature provided content and expertise.
- Bunbury FilmsminorProduction company for the CBC documentary 'Tuning the Brain with Music' where See Creature produced animated segments. Director Isabelle Raynauld led the project.
- Fluent Films (Synesthesia)minorFluent Films producer Aisling Chin-Yee directed 'Synesthesia' documentary with animated sequences by See Creature, collaborating with Prospector Films.
- Enjambre Hexagonal (La Melodia Torrencial)minorWriter and director Jose Luis Saturno from Enjambre Hexagonal is collaborating with See Creature on 'La Melodia Torrencial' — an upcoming film project.
- Les Sommets du cinéma d'animationcoreThe Montreal animation festival engaged See Creature to create both the festival trailer and poster for the 21st edition in 2023. Curator Marco de Blois has an ongoing relationship with the studio.
- Loaded Pictures (H2Oil)minorLoaded Pictures produced the 'H2Oil' documentary directed by Shannon Walsh. See Creature created animated sequences visualizing environmental and political issues related to Alberta's tar sands.
- SODECminorSODEC is a Quebec cultural development corporation that appears among the studio's collaborators, suggesting potential funding or support for Quebec-based animation projects.
- Canada Council for the ArtsminorCanada Council for the Arts appears among the studio's collaborators, suggesting potential funding or arts grant support for original film projects.
- CALQ (Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec)minorCALQ appears among collaborators, indicating potential funding or support for Quebec arts and letters projects.
- Simone Records / Factor (Kid Koala)minorRecord label for Kid Koala music video projects. Simone Records released Ingrid St. Pierre's album and Factor provided funding for the 'Let's Go!' music video production.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
See Creature animation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Buck: Buck is a design-driven animation and motion studio producing high-end commercial, experiential, and entertainment content. Comparable as an award-winning boutique serving similar Fortune-500 brand clients across ads and shorts, though broader than pure stop motion.
- Nexus Studios: Nexus Studios is a London-based animation and live-action studio whose mixed practice (stop motion, CG, and live action for ads, films, music videos and interactive) closely parallels See Creature's three-pillar model. Directly comparable in scope, clientele (global brands and platforms), and award-circuit credibility.
- Laika: Laika is a US-based stop motion feature studio (Coraline, Kubo, Wild Robot) with proprietary techniques and high brand recognition. Comparable as an elite, craft-driven stop motion house pursuing ambitious original work and premium brand collaborations.
- Aardman Animations: Aardman is the world's most iconic stop motion studio (Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep) with a comparable commercial division serving global brands. Directly comparable as a creator-led, award-winning stop motion shop mixing original IP with brand commissions.
- House Special: House Special is a Vancouver-based animation studio producing 2D/3D/stop motion for ads and streaming platforms. Directly comparable in scope and client mix (short-form, branded, and series work).
- Screen Novelties: Screen Novelties is a US-based stop motion studio specializing in commercials, music videos, and short films. Directly comparable as a boutique, founder-led stop motion house serving similar brand and music clients.
Broad incumbents
- Psyop: Psyop is an established, multi-discipline animation and content studio with deep brand-ad roots and a recognized independent voice. Comparable as a high-end commercial animation partner for global brands with similar craft-and-narrative positioning.
- Hornet Inc. Hornet is a global animation and motion design studio with a large commercial client roster and stop motion capabilities. Comparable as a high-end boutique serving major brands with mixed animation techniques.
- Stoopid Buddy Stoodios: Stoopid Buddy is a stop motion and live-action studio (Robot Chicken) known for branded content and IP. Comparable as a stop motion specialist with both original IP and major brand work.
Regional players
- Yeti Farm Creative: Yeti Farm is a Kelowna, Canada-based animation studio producing commercial and series work for North American clients. Comparable in Canadian-boutique-with-global-clientele profile though primarily 2D/CG.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
See Creature animation social profiles
Digital presenceSee Creature animation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
See Creature animation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
See Creature animation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
See Creature animation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
See Creature animation 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 See Creature animation
What does See Creature animation do?
See Creature Productions is a full-service stop motion animation studio that produces commercials, short and feature films, documentary animation sequences, and music videos. Services span concept development, scriptwriting, puppet and set fabrication, animation, compositing, and post-production, delivered through a three-phase Anticipation–Action–Reaction production process. The studio supplements production services with an online education platform (See Learn Academy) and a published creative sketchbook (Sketch See Write).
Is See Creature animation a public or private company?
See Creature animation is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was See Creature animation founded?
See Creature animation was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is See Creature animation based?
See Creature animation is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does See Creature animation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Animation Production Services are the primary driver. The others are creative Products (Sketch See Write Book).
Who are See Creature animation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Buck, Nexus Studios, Laika, Aardman Animations, House Special and Screen Novelties. Broad incumbents are Psyop, Hornet Inc. and Stoopid Buddy Stoodios. Yeti Farm Creative is listed as a regional player.
Does See Creature animation have an API?
No public API is recorded for See Creature animation.
What industry is See Creature animation in?
See Creature animation's product category is Animation Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADACAC, Stop-Motion 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.