What Strange Beast does

Strange Beast is a London-based, design-led animation production studio founded in 2016 and operating as a subsidiary within the Passion Pictures Group (an independent production company formed in 1987). The studio produces animated content across 2D, stop-motion, CG, and mixed-media techniques, holding what it claims is the first gender-balanced roster of directors in Europe. Each director maintains a distinct visual style and creative voice, with named talent including BAFTA-nominated Hannah Jacobs and award-winning filmmaker Anna Ginsburg, supported by an emerging-talent pipeline called The Greenhouse.

The studio's commercial offering centers on project-based animation production for advertising agencies and direct brand clients, spanning commercials, music videos, branded content, tour visuals, and short films. Core product categories include Animation Production Services (the primary offering), The Greenhouse (emerging-talent development sub-brand), and individual director brands (e.g., Studio Gruff, Parallel Teeth). Notable clients include McDonald's, Nike, Adidas, Google, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), BBC, IKEA, Selfridges, Netflix, Coldplay, Mayo Clinic, and Headspace, with work intermediated through agencies such as Leo Burnett, Mother London, Droga5, Wieden+Kennedy, Anomaly LA, and Weber Shandwick.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a project-by-project basis, with no publicly disclosed pricing or revenue figures. Go-to-market operates through enterprise field sales: new business enquiries are handled by Executive Producer Zoe Muslim and Directors' Rep Niya Taylor, with US enquiries routed through Free Agents. The studio has accumulated industry recognition including a Silver Craft Arrow at British Arrows 2017, a Cristal Award at Annecy 2017, and selection for the Saatchi & Saatchi New Directors' Showcase. Operating geographies are documented as Europe (United Kingdom), with US expansion signaled through Free Agents representation.

Name

Strange Beast

Legal name

Passion Pictures Limited

Website

https://strangebeast.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Strange Beast is a London-based, design-led animation production studio and Passion Pictures Group subsidiary producing 2D, stop-motion, CG, and mixed-media projects for advertising agencies, brands, and entertainment clients via Europe's first gender-balanced director roster.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animation Production Services

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (71151), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)

akta.pro primary industry

Stop-Motion & Hybrid Animation (MPAHACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

2D Character Animation (MPAHACAA), 3D Character Animation (MPAHACAB), 3D/CGI Animation Production (MPADACAB)

Keywords

• Animation production services
• 2D stop-motion animation
• Design-led animation studio
• Commercial animation production
• Music video animation

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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Animation Production Services: Production of animated content for commercial, music video, and film projects for agencies and direct clients. Revenue generated through project-based fees for animation production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Strange Beast is a design-led animation production studio that creates 2D, stop-motion, CG, and mixed-media animated content for commercial, music video, branded, and short-form film projects. The studio produces work for advertising agencies, direct brand clients, music artists, and broadcasters, leveraging a gender-balanced roster of directors with distinctive creative styles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Greenhouse: Strange Beast's home for emerging directors, a space where fresh creative voices can develop bold ideas across music videos, commercials, tour visuals, mixed-media campaigns and more. Led by senior producer Becky Perryman.

Products and services

• Animation Production Services
• The Greenhouse
• Directors' Roster

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 2016, has maintained gender-balanced roster of directors and crew across projects

Named customers23 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Passion Pictures GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrange Beast is part of the PASSION group – an independent production company formed in 1987. Passion Pictures Group includes Passion Holdings Limited and all subsidiary and associated companies. Passion Pictures Limited is the company responsible for the Strange Beast website and handles visitor-related data processing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Framestore: Global VFX and animation studio producing commercials, feature films, and immersive content. Overlaps with Strange Beast on commercial animation work but operates at far greater scale and scope.
• Aardman Animations: UK-based stop-motion and animation powerhouse, producing commercials, feature films, and branded content. Comparable for its stop-motion work and branded content, though significantly larger and more diversified.
• The Mill: Global creative production and VFX/animation studio producing commercials and branded content. Comparable on commercial production services but significantly larger and broader in offering.

Direct peers

• Blink Industries: London-based boutique animation studio producing commercials, music videos, and short films with a distinctive director-led creative model. Comparable in scale, location, and creative positioning.
• Buck: Design-led animation and motion studio producing commercials, brand films, and experiential content. Comparable to Strange Beast in offering a multi-style design-led animation service for global agencies and brands.
• Nexus Studios: London-based animation and interactive production studio producing commercials, music videos, and branded content for global brands. Closest direct peer based on size, location, multi-style animation offering, and similar clientele.
• Golden Wolf: Animation studio producing commercials, music videos, and branded content for agencies and brands. Comparable in producing stylised 2D animation for global enterprise clients.
• Passion Pictures: Parent group and sibling animation studio producing commercials, documentary, and feature animation. Direct comparable for animation production capability and parent-group relationship.
• Studio AKA: Award-winning London animation studio producing commercials, short films and broadcast content across multiple styles (2D, stop-motion, CG). Comparable boutique-size direct competitor with similar award pedigree.

Emerging players

• Make Make (formerly Mighty Coconut): Independent animation and motion design studio producing work for agencies and brands. Emerging comparable in the boutique design-led animation space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/strange-beast

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 Strange Beast