Titmouse, Inc.
{{Short description|American animation studio}}
{{Other uses|Titmouse (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Titmouse, Inc.
| logo = Titmouse logo.svg
| founders = Chris Prynoski
Shannon Prynoski
| type = Private
| former_name = Titmouse Productions
| foundation = {{start date and age|2000|5|3}}
| location_city = Los Angeles, California
| location_country = U.S.{{cite web|url=https://foursquare.com/v/titmouse-inc-los-angeles-ca/49fa1a54f964a520be6d1fe3 |title=Titmouse, Inc. - Central Hollywood - 267 visitors |publisher=Foursquare.com |access-date=2016-05-24}}
| homepage = {{url|titmouse.net}}
| key_people = {{Plainlist|
- Chris Prynoski (CEO)
- Shannon Prynoski (CFO & secretary)
- Antonio Canobbio (SVP & CCO)
- Ben Kalina (VP & COO)
- Juno Lee (officer)
- Mike Roush (officer)
}}
| num_employees = over 700{{cite web|url=http://titmouse.net/about/|title=About - Titmouse|website=Titmouse|access-date=November 10, 2017}}
| subsid = Titmouse New York
Titmouse Canada
}}
Titmouse, Inc. (also known as Titmouse Animation or simply Titmouse; formerly known as Titmouse Productions) is an American animation studio based in Los Angeles, California founded in May 3, 2000 that develops and produces animated television programming, feature films, music videos, title sequences, commercials, and short films. The name is derived of the titmouse, which serves as the company's mascot.
History
Founder and CEO Chris Prynoski began working at MTV in New York on shows such as Daria, Beavis and Butt-Head, and his own creation, Downtown, which was nominated for a primetime Emmy Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2000/outstanding-short-format-animated-program|title=52nd Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners|work=Television Academy|access-date=17 September 2020}} In the early 2000s, Prynoski opened a small T-shirt company with his wife, Shannon Prynoski. However, upon getting more requests for cartoons than for T-shirts, they decided to abandon screen-printing in favor of animation. The Prynoskis moved to California, and opened the revamped Titmouse, Inc., an animation studio. Antonio Canobbio, who had worked with Chris Prynoski at MTV and both Prynoskis at Cartoon Network in L.A., was hired as creative director.{{Cite web|date=July 30, 2020|title=Antonio Canobbio|url=https://titmouse.net/team-member/antonio-canobbio/|access-date=2021-07-21|website=Titmouse}} Titmouse opened a games division in 2009.{{cite magazine|last=French|first=Michael|title=Animation house Titmouse opens game studio|url=http://www.develop-online.net/news/31498/Animation-house-Titmouse-opens-game-studio|magazine=Develop Online|date=19 March 2009}}
Due to projects like Cartoon Network's Metalocalypse, Superjail! and The Venture Bros.{{Cite web |last=Kilkenny |first=Katie |date=2022-01-10 |title=Animation Guild Expands Beyond L.A. With Unionization of Titmouse New York |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/animation-guild-unionizes-titmouse-new-york-expands-1235072285/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Popescu |first=Adam |date=2018-05-09 |title=A Studio That's Animated in More Ways Than One |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/09/arts/design/titmouse-animation-studio-prynoski-pop-culture.html |access-date=2024-02-22 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} the company expanded and opened a sister studio in New York City in 2010.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-08 |title=Titmouse, maker of 'Big Mouth' and other animated series, is opening a Burbank office |url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/burbank-leader/news/story/2020-02-07/titmouse-animation-burbank-expansion |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=Burbank Leader |language=en-US}} The California studio later added a wholly owned subsidiary, Robin Redbreast, which was then unionized in order to produce Motorcity for Disney XD.{{Cite web |title=LA Animation Fest to Honor Titmouse Founder Chris Prynoski|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2018/06/la-animation-fest-to-honor-titmouse-founder-chris-prynoski/ |access-date=2024-02-22 |website=www.animationmagazine.net}}
The company has a YouTube channel, Rug Burn, launched in December 2012 with 6 Point Harness. Rug Burn was launched with a handful of shows.{{cite web|title=Six Point Harness and Titmouse launch Rug Burn channel|url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/six-point-harness-and-titmouse-launch-rug-burn-channel/|work=Animation Magazine|date=December 7, 2012}}
In April 2016, Titmouse released its first feature-length film, the R-rated Nerdland, which stars Paul Rudd and Patton Oswalt.{{cite web|last1=Wickline|first1=Dan|title=NYCC '15: Paul Rudd To Lead Titmouse' First Feature Length Film|url=http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/10/09/nycc-15-paul-rudd-to-lead-titmouse-first-feature-length-film/|publisher=Bleeding Cool|access-date=October 10, 2015|date=October 9, 2015}} Two years later, in 2018, Titmouse became the studio behind the Disney and Lucasfilm YouTube series of one-minute shorts, Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures. The series is directed by Titmouse’s Barry Kelly.{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/disney-star-wars-kids-animated-series-1203039105/ |title=Disney Launches ‘Star Wars’ Digital Animated Series to Turn Kids Into Fans |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=28 November 2018 |work=Variety |access-date=20 March 2024}}
=Unionizing =
In October 2020, Titmouse Vancouver became the first animation studio in Canada to join a union. Following a vote that captured 87% of the workforce, 98% of Titmouse Vancouver's workforce voted to join the newly founded Animation Guild IATSE Local 938.{{Cite web|last=Amidi|first=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi|date=October 20, 2020|title=Historic Moment in Canadian Animation: 98% Of Titmouse Vancouver Workers Vote To Unionize|url=http://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-rights/historic-moment-in-canadian-animation-98-of-titmouse-vancouver-workers-vote-to-unionize-197918.html|access-date=January 10, 2021|website=Cartoon Brew|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102005742/http://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-rights/historic-moment-in-canadian-animation-98-of-titmouse-vancouver-workers-vote-to-unionize-197918.html|archive-date=November 2, 2020|url-status=live}} In response to this, some said that the issues raised by the workers of Titmouse were the same ones heard "from unrepresented animation workers everywhere" and that the unionization of the Titmouse workers acknowledges the contributions by animation workers to the industry.{{Cite web|last=Larsen|first=Karin|date=October 22, 2020|title=Vancouver animation workers unionize after precedent-setting vote|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-animation-workers-unionize-after-precedent-setting-vote-1.5772783|access-date=January 10, 2021|website=CBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101021601/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-animation-workers-unionize-after-precedent-setting-vote-1.5772783|archive-date=November 1, 2020|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Milligan|first=Mercedes|date=October 20, 2020|title=Titmouse Canada Becomes Country's First TAG Union Toon Shop|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/people/titmouse-canada-becomes-countrys-first-tag-union-toon-shop/|access-date=January 10, 2021|website=Animation Magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101131340/https://www.animationmagazine.net/people/titmouse-canada-becomes-countrys-first-tag-union-toon-shop/|archive-date=November 1, 2020|url-status=live}}{{efn|A related union is The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, formerly named the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, located in Burbank, California}}
In January 2022, the employees of Titmouse New York formed a union with Animation Guild IATSE Local 839, the first to do so outside of Los Angeles County in more than 70 years. In the card check process, Titmouse NY employees showed more than 90% of support for the organizing effort. Following the union becoming public, Titmouse management chose to voluntarily recognize the union and agreed to negotiate with the Animation Guild in good faith.
Partnerships
Titmouse has been the animation studio for the Paramount+ comedy series Star Trek: Lower Decks since 2020.{{cite news |last=Zahed |first=Ramin |date=24 August 2023 |title=‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Theatrical Screenings Planned for Star Trek Celebration Day |url=https://animationmagazine.net/2023/08/star-trek-lower-decks-theatrical-screenings-planned-for-star-trek-celebration-day/ |access-date=20 March 2024 |work=Animation Magazine}}{{cite news |last=Campione |first=Katie |date=24 August 2023 |title=‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Season 4 To Premiere In September; Paramount+ Debuts New Trailer — Comic-Con |url=https://deadline.com/video/star-trek-lower-decks-season-4-premiere-date-september-paramount-trailer-comic-con/ |access-date=20 March 2024 |work=Deadline}}
In early 2020, Titmouse signed a multiyear production deal with Netflix.{{cite news |last=Sakoui |first=Anousha |date=7 February 2020 |title=Titmouse, maker of 'Big Mouth' and other animated series, expands into Burbank |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-02-07/titmouse-animation-burbank-expansion-bigmouth-netflix |access-date=9 August 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times}} Titmouse and Netflix co-produced the Pendleton Ward and Duncan Trussell-created series The Midnight Gospel, which aired the same year.{{cite news |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=19 December 2019 |title=Netflix Orders Adult Animated Series ‘The Midnight Gospel’ From Pendleton Ward & Duncan Trussell |url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/netflix-order-adult-animated-series-the-midnight-gospel-from-pendleton-ward-duncan-trussell-1202814276/ |access-date=3 January 2024 |work=Deadline}} Also for Netflix, Titmouse animated an episode of Blur Studio's sci-fi anthology series Love, Death & Robots titled "Kill Team Kill".{{cite news |last=Griffin |first=David |date=17 August 2022 |title=Pantheon: Exclusive Season 1 Trailer Reveal For AMC+ Animated Series Starring Paul Dano |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/pantheon-season-1-trailer-for-amc-plus-paul-dano |access-date=3 January 2024 |work=IGN}}{{cite news |last=Webster |first=Andrew |date=20 May 2022 |title=The new season of Love, Death and Robots doesn’t miss |url=https://www.theverge.com/23132482/love-death-and-robots-volume-3-review-netflix |access-date=3 June 2024 |work=The Verge}}
Titmouse worked with Critical Role and Amazon MGM Studios to co-produce and serve as the animation studio for the Amazon Prime Video series The Legend of Vox Machina.{{cite news |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=6 October 2022 |title=‘Legend of Vox Machina’ Renewed for Season 3 at Amazon |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/legend-of-vox-machina-renewed-season-3-amazon-1235395301/ |access-date=20 March 2024 |work=Variety}}{{cite news |last=Edwards |first=Belen |date=28 January 2022 |title='The Legend of Vox Machina' puts a zany twist on fantasy — with killer results |url=https://mashable.com/article/legend-of-vox-machina-review-critical-role |access-date=20 March 2024 |work=Mashable}}
Titmouse also co-produced the Emmy-nominated spinoff series, The Boys Presents: Diabolical for Amazon Prime Video,{{cite news |last=Complex |first=Valerie |date=2 February 2022 |title=‘The Boys Presents: Diabolical’; Voice Talent Revealed In New Teaser Trailer |url=https://deadline.com/video/the-boys-presents-diabolical-voice-talent-revealed/ |access-date=20 March 2024 |work=Deadline}} and produced the adult animated science fiction television series Scavengers Reign with Green Street Pictures in 2023, with Chris Prynoski serving as an executive producer.{{cite news |last=Hailu |first=Selome |date=10 May 2024 |title=‘Scavengers Reign’ Season 1 Heads to Netflix After Cancellation at Max, Season 2 Not Yet Greenlit |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/scavengers-reign-canceled-max-netflix-1235998046/ |access-date=3 June 2024 |work=Variety}}
In 2024, Titmouse, Inc. announced a partnership with Polygon Pictures for multiple CG animated series.{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/news/titmouse-and-polygon-pictures-team-produce-multiple-new-cg-series|title=Titmouse and Polygon Pictures Team Up to Produce Multiple New CG Series|first=Debbie Diamond|last=Sartro|website=Animation World Network|date=August 15, 2024}}
Filmography
{{Expand section|date=January 2024}}
=Television=
== Pilots ==
| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: auto style="width:70%; table-layout: fixed"
! style="width:22%;"| Title ! style="width:10%;"| Year ! style="width:18%;"| Network ! style="width:18%;"| Notes |
| The Amazing Screw-On Head
| 2006 | Sci Fi | |
| Let's Fish
| 2007 | rowspan="2" | Adult Swim | |
| Major Lazer
| 2011 | Unaired/unreleased |
| Yoyotoki HappyEars
| rowspan="2" | 2015 | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Doble Fried
| Adult Swim | Unaired/unreleased; co-produced with PFFFR{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/163127140|title=Demo Reel 2016|website=Vimeo|access-date=31 August 2019}} |
| I Love You Mao Mao: Bao Bao's Revenge
| rowspan="3" | 2016 | {{N/A}} | |
| Lazor Wulf
| Adult Swim | Unaired/unreleased |
| Very Important House
| Unaired/unreleased |
| The New V.I.P's
| 2017 | Amazon Prime Video | |
| Trap Universe
| 2018 | Adult Swim | |
= Feature films =
= Music videos=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: auto style="width:70%; table-layout: fixed"
! style="width:25%;"| Title ! style="width:5%;"| Year ! style="width:20%;"| Artist ! style="width:20%;" | Notes | |||
| Let's Get Dirty (I Can't Get in da Club) | 2001 | Redman | Animation |
| Breaking the Habit | rowspan="2" | 2004 | Linkin Park | With Gonzo Digimation |
| Dirty Little Thing | Velvet Revolver | Animation (produced for ka-chew!) | |
| Heartless | rowspan="2" | 2009 | The Fray | rowspan="3" | |
| Black Rain | Soundgarden | ||
| The Wind | rowspan="2" | 2012 | Zac Brown Band | |
| Miss Atomic Bomb | The Killers | Animation | |
| The Story of O.J. | 2017 | Jay-Z | rowspan="2" | Character animation |
| Hallucinate | rowspan="3" | 2020 | Dua Lipa | |
| Don't Cry | MorMor | rowspan="3" | | |
| Yankee and the Brave | Run the Jewels | ||
Area21{{smalldiv|
| 2021 | Area21 |
= Short films =
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: auto style="width:70%; table-layout: fixed"
! style="width:25%;"| Title ! style="width:5%;"| Year ! style="width:20%;"| Production company ! style="width:20%;" | Notes |
| Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
| 2007 | rowspan="5" | Neversoft |
| Guitar Hero Aerosmith
| rowspan="2" | 2008 | Intro and outro cinematics |
| Guitar Hero World Tour |
| Guitar Hero: Metallica
| rowspan="2" | 2009 |
| Guitar Hero Smash Hits
| Cinematics |
| Marvel Heroes
| 2013 | Gazillion Entertainment | Opening cinematic |
| The Legend of Korra
| 2014 |
| Soundfall
| rowspan="3" | 2018 | Drastic Games | Trailer |
| Indivisible
| Lab Zero Games | Opening cinematic (co-animated with Trigger) |
| Speed Brawl
| Double Stallion | Animated launch trailer |
| Apex Legends
| rowspan="2" | 2019 | "Stories from the Outlands: A Father's Letter" |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated
| Teaser |
| Hi-Fi Rush
| 2023 | Cinematics |
| Spectre Divide
| 2024 | Mountaintop Studios | Animated launch trailer |
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|titmouse.net}}
- Sean Cubillas, [https://www.cbr.com/greatest-titmouse-studios-cartoons-imdb/ The 10 Greatest Cartoons Made By Titmouse Studios, According To IMDb], Comic Book Resources
{{Animation industry in the United States}}
{{Animation industry in Canada}}
Category:American companies established in 2000
Category:Entertainment companies established in 2000
Category:Mass media companies established in 2000
Category:American animation studios