An independent animation studio called Titmouse is Hollywood's secret weapon.

• Titmouse Animation, a little-known powerhouse in the entertainment industry, is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. With almost every major Hollywood studio, Titmouse Animation creates unique and diverse animated content.
• Titmouse's work can be viewed on Netflix's "Big Mouth," Amazon Prime Video's "The Legend of Vox Machina," and "Star Trek: Lower Decks" on Paramount+.
• The company aims to increase its in-house intellectual property while maintaining partnerships with major Hollywood studios.

Many casual cartoon viewers are unaware of the powerhouse in the entertainment industry, Titmouse Animation.

Titmouse, an independent production company, is gaining momentum as mainstream theatrical animation faces challenges from artificial intelligence. With a 25th anniversary coming up next year, Titmouse has collaborated with major Hollywood studios to produce unique and diverse animated content.

You may not be familiar with the name Titmouse, but you've likely seen their work. They created the main title sequence for Nickelodeon's "Avatar: The Last Airbender," produced animated sequences for NBC's "Community," and did the cinematics for "Guitar Hero" games. More recently, their work can be seen on "Big Mouth," "The Legend of Vox Machina," and "Star Trek: Lower Decks" on Netflix and Prime Video.

"Chris Prynoski, co-owner of Titmouse, stated, "It's cool and weird to be independent, but I like it. It's like being a giant freelancer.""

While most major Hollywood studios have their own in-house animation studios, there are instances where they need to collaborate with third parties, such as Titmouse, for certain projects. This could be due to the in-house team's limited capacity or because the third party possesses a unique area of expertise that the studio requires.

In 2023's "Trolls Band Together," Titmouse was commissioned to create a 2D animation scene where the trolls are briefly transported into a psychedelic world.

In the beginning, the studio was less selective about the projects it undertook as it was trying to establish itself in the industry, according to Prynoski.

He stated, "Fortunately, we now have a track record and reputation, which means the hustle isn't as intense as it used to be."

The prestige of Titmouse in the industry allows the studio to be more selective with the projects it takes on from other companies and to take bigger risks on in-house projects. Additionally, this reputation attracts more studios and creatives seeking the company's services.

Prynoski stated, "I enjoy having the option to say 'no' to things."

Titmouse has expanded from a small company with two employees to a business with approximately 1,100 staff members since 2000.

Humble beginnings

Titmouse was founded by Chris and Shannon Prynoski as a T-shirt company, but eventually evolved into a full-blown animation company due to the influx of freelance animation work. Chris Prynoski, who had previously worked at MTV on "Daria" and "Beavis and Butt-Head," left his job at Cartoon Network to launch Titmouse.

The Prynoskis made a courageous business decision solely because they could, and because nobody was buying their T-shirts but television and film studios kept giving them money to make cartoons, according to the company's site.

Prynoski's desire to create an office culture centered on creativity, experimentation, and fun was influenced by his experience at MTV Animation, where he was surrounded by a group of eccentric artists. However, when he moved to more mainstream animation studios, he noticed that the work was more controlled and employees were limited in their roles.

Prynoski desired more freedom for workers at Titmouse to explore various positions within the company.

"Ben Kalina, chief operating officer at Titmouse, stated that he spent a considerable amount of time at Warner Bros. "I learned a lot at Warner Bros., but there wasn't much variety in terms of what you could do there," he said. "Warner Bros. is such an established company with a long history, so when you come in, you have a specific role and make a certain type of show. It can be frustrating for someone in the early stages of their career to always do the same thing and not have the opportunity to explore and experiment.""

This year, Kalina marked 16 years with Titmouse and progressed from production manager to producer to head of production before attaining his current position.

"I recall that interview," Prynoski stated. "I questioned, 'Why would you depart Warner Bros. to join us?' Since we were a smaller studio at the time. He responded, 'I admire your innovative spirit and willingness to take risks, such as experimenting with new pipelines and techniques.'"

Creative vibes

Titmouse has attracted not only creatives but also studios due to its mentality.

"According to Andrew Goldberg, co-creator of Netflix's "Big Mouth," when we were examining animation studios, Chris Prynoski of Titmouse made it evident that their top priority was to create prime-time-style adult animation and that their main objective was to produce cool, visually stunning shows."

Titmouse's animation portfolio encompasses a wide range of styles and genres, from traditional 2D to 3D and from family-friendly to adult content. They have collaborated with various networks such as Jr., TV+, Comedy Central, and Max on shows like "T.O.T.S.", "Harriet the Spy", "Digman", and "Scavengers Reign".

Sony enlisted the company to assist with animations in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," specifically for Miles Morales' sketchbook and Spot's flashbacks.

"Prynoski stated that they aim to create shows that spark their interest and allow them to showcase their strengths. They do not have a specific house style, but they possess a unique sensibility that can be recognized in their visual design and genre."

A visit to Titmouse's Los Angeles headquarters demonstrates the studio's dedication to creativity and diversity. The Burbank location is adorned with art, with floor-to-ceiling murals, Ghanaian-style movie posters, and stairwells equipped with paint markers for workers to express themselves.

Titmouse's leaders want to create an environment that allows for spontaneity and self-expression, while still meeting deadlines.

Shannon Prynoski, Chris' business and life partner, launched "5 Second Day," an annual tradition where studio employees take a paid day off to create their own animated shorts, although not all of them are limited to five seconds.

Titmouse screens completed shorts in cities where they have offices, including Los Angeles, New York City, and Vancouver, Canada. Some of these projects have been developed into television series, such as "Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart" on Cartoon Network. This year, Titmouse has partnered with Cinemark to showcase "The Best of 5 Second Animation Day" at select cinemas on Sept. 20.

As Titmouse approaches its anniversary, Chris Prynoski hopes the company will expand and create more original content, rather than solely collaborating with established studios.

"We simply aim to continue producing entertaining cartoons," Prynoski stated.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of Universal Studios and CNBC.