23rd December 2025
- Blog
Stop-motion is a filmmaking technique that animates physical objects one frame at a time to create movement. The UK remains a global home for this craft across advertising, TV series and feature film work, with studios spanning pure stop motion animation, mixed-media, and hybrid pipelines that blend stop-frame with 2D animation or 3D animated post finishes.
This is a curated, alphabetical list, not a ranking. It’s designed to help commissioners, agency producers and Heads of Production shortlist the right stop motion studio for their brief, then move quickly into practical procurement: availability, schedule, security, budgets, and delivery confidence.
You’ll find a simple buyer checklist, studio snapshots, FAQs, and next steps you can copy into your bid pack.
How to choose a stop-motion partner.
Use this as a fast “fit check” before you email three studios and ask them to quote.
- Timeline. Is your air date fixed? Ask how many units can run in parallel and what a realistic daily quota looks like for your technique.
- Scale. Is this a :15–:30, a pilot, a series test, or long-form? Multi-unit capacity and producer bench depth matter more as scale increases.
- Technique. Pure stop-motion, or mixed-media (stop-motion plus CG, comp, VFX and clean-up)? Confirm the finish you want early.
- Facilities and kit. Stages, motion control, capture workflow (e.g., Dragonframe), lighting, workshop space, storage, and on-site post.
- Governance and security. If you’re handling sensitive IP, ask about access control, secure transfer, and alignment with Motion Picture Association best-practice frameworks via the Trusted Partner Network. (TPN)
- Sustainability expectations. If your brand or broadcaster requires it, ask what sustainability approach they can support (e.g., albert tooling/certification considerations). (albert)
- Cost clarity. Request a line-item bid, milestone payments, and a clear change-order policy (what counts as a retake vs a paid revision).
- Proof. Ask for 2–3 relevant case studies that match your format and constraints (not just a showreel highlight).
Optional (but helpful). Add this checklist to your brief as a one-page “Procurement Annex” so every studio responds in the same structure.
UK stop-motion studio snapshots.
Note. Alphabetical order. No rankings. Always verify current capacity, availability and security posture during procurement.
A+C Studios – London and Margate.
Strengths. Full-service stop-motion production with in-house build, shoot and post, plus purpose-built stage capacity in Margate and client access via London. Postgate Stage is a 5,000 sq ft stop-motion-first studio hire space, with flexible blackout options and the potential to configure multiple shoot units depending on the build.
Best suited for. Premium brand films and commercials, tabletop and mixed-media campaigns, pilots or series tests where schedule predictability matters.
Formats and notes. Postgate Stage rates are listed from £995/day (hire only; crew/kit/logistics typically additional).
Disclosure. We operate A+C Studios. This page remains an alphabetical, non-ranking overview.
Aardman Animations – Bristol.
Strengths. Long-form storytelling heritage with well-known stop-motion IP and a mature studio infrastructure across film and TV.
Best suited for. Brand-led stories that benefit from character, humour and strong craft direction, plus productions looking for established long-form experience.
Formats and notes. Aardman’s public work spans entertainment projects as well as commercial collaborations; expect processes and access to vary depending on the project scale.
Blinkink – London.
Strengths. A production studio known for shortform work across advertising, music and broadcast, with mixed techniques across animation and film production.
Best suited for. Campaigns where director voice and design-led execution are central, and where stop-frame sits alongside other techniques in a single package.
Formats and notes. Good option if you’re scoping a broader production approach and want a partner comfortable bridging live action, stop-frame, and post.
Blue Zoo Animation Studio – London.
Strengths. A character animation studio with an established pipeline across episodic and shortform, and a broader studio ecosystem (including B Corp positioning and brand work).
Best suited for. Projects that may blend stop-frame moments with larger character animation pipelines, or where you want a studio that can scale series delivery.
Formats and notes. If stop-frame is essential, confirm the exact approach and team up front; Blue Zoo’s public-facing output spans multiple animation styles.
Mackinnon & Saunders – Altrincham (Greater Manchester).
Strengths. A UK stop-motion studio and specialist puppet/character fabrication house, with a long track record designing and building characters for TV, feature films and commercials, alongside producing animated work.
Best suited for. Productions that need world-class puppets and fabrication, practical character engineering, and experienced stop-frame craft support, especially where build quality and repeatable animation performance are mission-critical.
Formats and notes. Their public portfolio highlights work across long-form and commercial contexts (including well-known stop-motion productions), and they also operate a digital/2D arm alongside their stop-motion and puppet specialisms.
Nexus Studios – London.
Strengths. A global studio working across film and experience design, with a London base and an animation offering alongside broader production capabilities.
Best suited for. Premium brand storytelling and projects that may combine stop-motion with post-heavy craft, VFX, or experiential deliverables.
Formats and notes. Ask who is leading (director/label/team) and what is being delivered in-house vs via partners, particularly for specialist stop-frame execution.
Passion Pictures – London.
Strengths. A production company group with an animation division and documentary capability, with publicly stated awards/recognition across the wider business.
Best suited for. Brands or commissioners looking for a broader production partner where animation is part of a multi-disciplinary offering.
Formats and notes. If you’re comparing stop-motion vs other techniques for the same idea, Passion can be a useful conversation because of that breadth.
Second Home Studios – Birmingham.
Strengths. A multi-discipline animation studio that explicitly positions stop motion as a specialism within a wider set of animation services.
Best suited for. Craft-led projects (including stop-frame) where you want a studio outside London, or where a mix of techniques (stop-motion plus 2D/CG) might be useful.
Formats and notes. Their public services include stop motion and related craft areas like puppetry/model making; confirm the most relevant team and schedule for your brief.
Why the UK is a smart home for stop-motion.
If you’re commissioning from the UK, you’re buying into a dense ecosystem: crew depth, proven production management, and a pipeline culture that supports everything from fast-turn commercials to long-form series.
It can also be attractive financially for eligible productions. Under the UK’s reformed expenditure credits, children’s TV, animated TV and animated film can be eligible for a taxable credit at a rate of 39% (subject to cultural tests and scheme rules). (BFI) This is one reason international producers often explore UK partnerships and UK spend strategies, but you should always take specialist tax advice for your exact structure.
For sensitive IP, procurement increasingly includes content-security questions. The Trusted Partner Network (owned by the Motion Picture Association) exists to help assess alignment with MPA content security best practices, so it’s reasonable to ask studios how they handle access control, file transfer, approvals, and audits. (TPN)
Spotlight on A+C Studios.
A+C is a stop-motion animation studio in Margate, including Postgate Stage, a 5,000 sq ft stop-motion-first stage designed for animation projects and commercial shoots. We run production end-to-end (build, shoot, post) to reduce hand-offs and keep timelines clear when you’re juggling approvals, legal, and delivery specs.
If you’re scoping stage hire, Postgate Stage publicly lists rates from £995/day and describes flexible blackout and unit configurations for stop-motion workflows. For brand teams with sustainability requirements, we recommend discussing expectations at the bid stage (materials, travel, power and waste), and aligning on what reporting you need.
Disclosure. We operate A+C Studios, and we’ve included ourselves on the same alphabetical basis as peers.
FAQs.
Is stop-motion too slow for ads?
Not necessarily. Stop-motion can be fast when the concept is built for it: tight shot lists, modular sets, reusable assets, and clear approvals. Ask studios how they plan for retakes vs change-orders, and what schedule acceleration realistically costs.
What’s the difference between claymation and stop-motion?
Claymation is a type of stop-motion that uses clay or plasticine characters/objects. Stop-motion is the broader technique, and can include puppets, product tabletop, paper craft, cut-outs, or mixed materials.
Do I need studio hire or full service?
If you already have a director and crew and just need space, kit and access, stage hire may work. If you want predictable delivery, tighter risk control, and fewer handovers, full-service production is usually more efficient. Ask what’s included either way.
Do UK projects still qualify for “Animation Tax Relief”?
The UK has moved from the old reliefs towards expenditure credits. For eligible children’s TV, animated TV and animated film, public guidance notes a taxable credit at 39% (subject to scheme rules and certification). This is general information, not tax advice.
What should I send to get an accurate quote?
A tight bid pack: script/boards, references, deliverables and tech specs (fps, resolution, aspect, colour), security requirements, milestone dates, budget range, and a change-order policy (who signs off, what counts as a paid revision).
Next steps.
- Pick 2–3 studios that match your format and constraints.
- Send the same bid pack + the checklist so quotes are comparable.
- If the idea is risky or schedule-critical, commission a paid test (design, asset build, or a short proof shot) before full greenlight.
If you want to talk to A+C. Book a 20-minute chemistry call via our contact details, or request a Postgate Stage tour.
About this guide.
What this page is. A procurement-friendly, alphabetical overview to help you shortlist UK partners for stop-motion and stop-frame capable work.
What it isn’t. A ranking, a review table, or an endorsement list. Availability, costs and security posture change; always validate during procurement.
Disclosures. A+C Studios is included because we operate in this market; we’ve disclosed that clearly.
Last updated. 19th December 2025.
Byline. Written by Ryan Hayes-Herbert
