The film production industry in California is a vibrant mosaic of companies creating a variety of content. This bustling sector ranges from studios like Warner Bros. Entertainment Group and Universal Pictures, producing blockbuster movies and TV shows, to companies like Sony Pictures Entertainment innovating with a wide array of scripted and unscripted formats. Collectively, these organizations offer diverse entertainment options for audiences of all ages and interests, leveraging the power of captivating storytelling to connect with viewers globally. Looking to the future, the industry appears set to continue its growth trajectory driven by technological advancements and an ever-increasing demand for quality content.


Top 24 film production companies in California

1. Warner Bros. Entertainment Group of Companies

WarnerBros.com is a global entertainment company that offers a wide range of content including movies, TV shows, games, and merchandise. They provide entertainment options for individuals of all ages and interests.


2. Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures is a global entertainment company that provides movies and home entertainment content. They offer a wide range of films, including popular franchises such as Super Mario Bros and Fast X. With a focus on delivering engaging and captivating storytelling, Universal Pictures aims to entertain audiences worldwide.


3. Sony Pictures Entertainment

  • Website: sonypictures.com
  • Headquarters: Culver City, California, United States
  • Founded: 1987
  • Headcount: 5001-10000
  • Latest funding type: Series A
  • LinkedIn

Sony Pictures is a television and entertainment production company that offers a wide range of scripted and unscripted formats, including gameshows, comedies, documentaries, and talent competitions. They provide groundbreaking content that captivates audiences and celebrates the true heroes of a challenging economic era.


4. Pixar Animation Studios

  • Website: pixar.com
  • Headquarters: Emeryville, California, United States
  • Founded: 1986
  • Headcount: 1001-5000
  • Latest funding type: Acquired
  • LinkedIn

Pixar is a company that specializes in producing high-quality animated feature films. They offer their expertise in animation production through their software and services like RenderMan. With a focus on creativity and storytelling, Pixar delivers unforgettable experiences for audiences of all ages.


5. Industrial Light & Magic

  • Website: ilm.com
  • Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States
  • Founded: 1975
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • LinkedIn

ILM.com is the official website of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a visual effects company specializing in creating stunning visual effects and virtual production tools for the film and entertainment industry.


6. DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation is a company that specializes in the production and distribution of animated movies, TV shows, and games. They are known for creating beloved characters and stories that entertain audiences of all ages.


7. Walt Disney Animation Studios

  • Website: disneyanimation.com
  • Headquarters: Burbank, California, United States
  • Founded: 1923
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • Latest funding type: Acquired
  • LinkedIn

Disney Animation is a filmmaker-driven animation studio based in California. They combine masterful artistry and storytelling with groundbreaking technology to create universal stories set in imaginative worlds. Their feature films, short films, and Disney+ originals have left indelible impressions on generations of fans worldwide.


8. 20th Century Fox International Corporation

20th Century Studios is a film production and distribution company that offers a wide range of movies and entertainment content. They are known for their diverse film library and have produced successful films across various genres.


9. Zoic Studios

  • Website: zoicstudios.com
  • Headquarters: Culver City, California, United States
  • Founded: 2003
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • LinkedIn

Zoic Studios is an Entertainment Company specializing in visual experiences for film, television, advertising, video game and interactive projects. With expertise in virtual production, motion capture, real-time rendering, and augmented reality, Zoic prioritizes research and development to advance the story, art, and technology of the moving image.


10. Mrc

  • Website: mrcentertainment.com
  • Headquarters: Beverly Hills, California, United States
  • Founded: 2006
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • Latest funding type: Private Equity
  • LinkedIn

MRC Entertainment is a leading independent entertainment studio known for producing high-quality, award-winning television series, films, and documentaries. They work with a diverse group of artists to develop, finance, and produce captivating storytelling for global audiences.


11. Concept To Camera

Concept to Camera is entertainment's first integrated Virtual Studio. It offers a platform for development, deal tracking, contracts, talent, production, and more, streamlining the workflow for studios and production companies. With easy-to-use workflow tools, Concept to Camera provides solutions for script submission through release.


12. Illumination

Illumination.com is a company that specializes in creating animated films and entertainment content. They are known for their popular movies such as Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets, and Sing.


13. Crafty Apes VFX

  • Website: craftyapes.com
  • Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
  • Founded: 2011
  • Headcount: 201-500
  • Latest funding type: Private Equity
  • LinkedIn

Crafty Apes is a company that specializes in visual effects and production services for the film and television industry. They provide services such as CGI, compositing, and color grading to enhance the visual elements of movies and shows.


14. Sony Pictures Animation

Sony Pictures Animation is a company that produces animated films and series. It offers a wide range of entertainment content featuring popular characters and captivating storytelling.


15. Tippett Studio

  • Website: tippett.com
  • Headquarters: Berkeley, California, United States
  • Founded: 1984
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • LinkedIn

Tippett Studio is an animation, media production, and visual effects company based in Berkeley, CA. They collaborate with clients to provide elite services in character animation, visual effects, environments, commercials, mobile apps, virtual reality, augmented reality, and special venue projects.


16. Lola Visual Effects

  • Website: lolavfx.com
  • Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
  • Founded: 2004
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • LinkedIn

Lola VFX is a visual effects company based in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and London. They specialize in creating digital humans and are known for their expertise in de-aging and aging actors. With a focus on CGI technology, Lola VFX offers cutting-edge solutions for film and television productions.


17. Muse VFX

  • Website: musevfx.com
  • Headquarters: Hollywood, California, United States
  • Founded: 2013
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

Muse VFX is a visual effects company that specializes in creating high-quality effects for film and television productions. They have worked on a wide range of projects, including movies, TV shows, and commercials, and are known for their expertise in creating realistic and immersive visual effects.


18. NantStudios

NantStudios is a full-service virtual production company based in El Segundo, CA. They offer a range of services including virtual production, stage rentals, motion control, robotics, and consultancy. With over 15 years of experience, they design and engineer studios from the ground up, providing holistic virtual production solutions. Their premium stages are capable of performance capture, facial capture, and live digital characters. NantStudios has worked on major productions like Avatar, Gravity, and The Mandalorian.


19. Ghost VFX

  • Website: ghostvfx.com
  • Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
  • Founded: 1999
  • Headcount: 501-1000
  • LinkedIn

Ghost VFX is a leading visual effects house dedicated to supporting storytellers with unmatched creativity and innovation. With a team of imaginative artists and award-winning talent, Ghost VFX brings creative visions to life on screen. They offer customized post-production experiences and fulfill the demands of studios and independent creators worldwide.


20. Trailer Park Group

Trailer Park Group is an industry leader in entertainment marketing and content production, offering integrated services that captivate and move audiences globally. They specialize in Streaming, Film, Gaming, Music, and Sports, delivering creative, production, and strategy capabilities through their network of integrated specialty studios.


21. IATSE Local 728

  • Website: iatse728.org
  • Headquarters: Burbank, California, United States
  • Founded: 1939
  • Headcount: 11-50
  • LinkedIn

IATSE Local 728 is a professional organization dedicated to motion picture set lighting since 1939. They provide a wide range of services and resources to their members in the film industry.


22. ShadowMachine

ShadowMachine is a company that specializes in projects and studio services for the entertainment industry. They offer a wide range of creative solutions and expertise in video production, digital marketing, and social media management.


23. Advanced Digital Services

Advanced Digital Services (ADS) is a full-service post-production and distribution facility based in Los Angeles. With over 20 years of experience, ADS caters to major motion picture studios, television producers, and independent production companies and distributors. They offer a range of digital media services, including encode/transcode packaging, color correction, editorial, audio, restoration, and Digital Cinema Package (DCP) creation. ADS prides itself on delivering high-quality packages on time and on budget, with a focus on service, quality, and value.


24. Pure Imagination Studios

  • Website: pistudios.com
  • Headquarters: Van Nuys, California, United States
  • Founded: 2012
  • Headcount: 51-200
  • LinkedIn

Pure Imagination Studios is a company that brings clients' ideas to life. They specialize in turning imagination into reality.


Want to find more film production companies?


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