Table of contents
How we vet every listicle
Every agency featured on Web Tonic passes our 84-point editorial review before a single listicle goes live. This is how we vet each pick:
Verified client outcomes: We require real case studies with measurable KPIs — revenue, ROAS, CPA, retention — tied to the exact category being ranked. No cherry-picked wins, no unverifiable numbers.
Independent reputation: We cross-check Clutch, Google, G2, and Trustpilot ratings, and screen for review-bombing or suspicious patterns. Only operators with a consistent, verifiable track record make the cut.
Beyond that, every listing goes through a quarterly re-audit. We check 84 criteria across 6 pillars to make sure it still holds up — here are some of the checks we run:
An animation studio turns an idea into moving pictures: script and storyboard first, then design, then 2D, 3D or motion-graphics production, then sound, delivered in the formats a campaign, a broadcast slot or a product page needs. In Chicago the strength is commercial and character animation for packaged goods, retail and healthcare brands.
We reviewed 10 external Chicago studios plus our own team on evidenced animation work, verified headquarters, publicly named clients and published pricing. 8 are based in Chicago, 7 name clients, none prints a rate.
How many of these studios are based in Chicago?
8 of the 10 external studios are headquartered in Chicago, and 2 sell into the city from another base, which we name on their entry. 7 name client work publicly, and none publishes a rate.
1. Web Tonic
About: Web Tonic treats animation as performance work, so the hook, the length and the placement of every cut are decided against a media plan by our performance creative team before a storyboard is drawn. Motion assets ship in the aspect ratios the paid social buy actually needs, in enough variants to test, and each edit is judged on hold rate and cost per acquisition inside our data intelligence reporting rather than on the reel, for brands in Chicago and beyond
Key Services: Growth Marketing, Paid Social, PPC, Meta Ads, SEO, Google Ads, Snapchat Ads, Amazon Ads, Reddit Ads, TikTok Ads, TikTok Shop, GEO-AEO, Webflow Design, Shopify Design, WordPress Design, UGC, Social Media Management, Pay Per Click Management, Marketing Analytics, Analytics Implementation & CDPs, Performance Branding, Performance 360° Audit, Programmatic Ads, OOH Ads, HR Marketing
Industries Served: eCommerce, SaaS, B2B, Construction Professionals, Home Services, SMEs, Health Spa & Wellness, Retail, Legal & Judicial Services, Food & Beverages, Pets, Fitness, Family & Children, Finance & Insurance, Travel, Non-Profits & Organizations, Furniture & Decoration
Notable Clients: WorldRemit, Jack & Jones, Ardene, L’Oréal, Sendwave, Nestlé, Airbnb. Serve Fortune 500 companies and smaller fast-paced startups.
Locations: HQ in San Francisco with notable offices in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Montreal, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and more. Offices on five continents.
Pricing: Starting at USD $3,000 per month. Flexible and scalable plans at any time according to your enterprise needs. Book a call to learn more.
Great For: Mid-market to enterprise-level businesses requiring ongoing, on-tap growth and performance marketing services.
Website: Web Tonic
2. BuzzFlick
About: BuzzFlick is a video production and animation company specializing in motion graphics, explainer videos, and custom visual content. They operate studios across multiple regions including the United States, providing end-to-end video animation services.
Key Services: Animation, Motion Graphics, Explainer Videos, Video Production, Video Editing
Industries Served: Consumer brands
Notable Clients:
Locations: Houston, Texas
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: BuzzFlick
3. Hatch Studios
About: Hatch Studios is an animation and motion graphics production agency specializing in high-end 3D animation, explainer videos, and visual effects. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the studio partners with global brands, agencies, and non-profit organizations to deliver comprehensive video production solutions from concept to final rendering.
Key Services: 3D Animation, 2D Animation, Motion Graphics, Explainer Videos, Corporate Videos, Marketing Videos, Training Videos, Visual Effects
Industries Served: Automotive, Education, Energy, Entertainment, Financial Services, Healthcare, Mining, Non-Profit, Technology
Notable Clients: Disney, Ford, Samsung, American Express, IBM, Apple, GMC, Pepsi, RBC, Nestle, LG, Toyota
Locations: Toronto, Ontario
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Hatch Studios
4. Full Nelson Studios
About: Full Nelson Studios is an independent motion design practice based in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in custom 2D and 3D animation, art direction, and look development. Founded as a creative studio led by veteran motion designers, it partners directly with brands, entertainment clients, and agencies to deliver campaign-ready visual assets and product launch videos.
Key Services: Art Direction, Look Development, Visual Strategy, Product Launch Videos, Brand Films & Campaigns, Entertainment Titles & Promos, 2D/3D Integrated Motion Design
Industries Served: CPG, Health, Auto, Energy/Tech, Political, Entertainment (TV & Film)
Notable Clients:
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Full Nelson Studios
5. Calabash Animation
About: Calabash Animation is a boutique, owner-operated animation studio based in Chicago, Illinois. They specialize in creating 2D, CGI, and motion graphics animations for television, film, and the web.
Key Services: 2D Drawn Animation, 3D Computer Animation, Digital 2D Animation, Animation/Live Action Combo, Motion Design/Motion Graphics, CG Visual Effects (VFX), Logos & Animated Type, Character Design, Pre-Vis, Storyboards and Animatics, Explainer Videos and Whiteboard Animations
Industries Served: Consumer brands
Notable Clients: Trix, Mr. Clean, Green Giant, Charlie Tuna, Kiehl's
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Calabash Animation
6. Bottle Rocket Media
About: Bottle Rocket Media is an award-winning, full-service video production and motion design studio headquartered in Chicago's West Loop. They specialize in live-action video, 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, and strategic video marketing. Their team handles end-to-end production from conceptual writing and storyboarding to final distribution.
Key Services: Video Production, Motion Graphics, 2D and 3D Animation, Explainer Video Design, Event Production, Video Marketing & SEO
Industries Served: Healthcare, Technology, Nonprofits, Fortune 500
Notable Clients: Sarepta Therapeutics
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Bottle Rocket Media
7. Vision One Agency
About: Vision One Agency is an award-winning creative video and animation agency based in Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. They specialize in bringing stories to life through comprehensive video production, stop motion, 2D motion graphics, and 3D animation services. Their expert in-house team handles everything from initial ideation and scriptwriting to post-production and visual effects.
Key Services: 2D Motion Graphics, 3D Animation & VFX, Stop Motion Animation, Video Production, Ideation & Strategy, Scriptwriting & Storyboarding, Directing, Post Production
Industries Served: Branded Content, Narrative, Music Videos, Entertainment, SaaS, Hospitality & Leisure
Notable Clients: Coleman, Continental Tire, Contigo, US Cellular, Revolution Brewing, Rémy Martin, Chipotle
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Vision One Agency
8. Sarofsky
About: Sarofsky is an end-to-end cross-media creative studio specializing in high-end storytelling, motion design, animation, and visual effects for major brands and the entertainment industry. Headquartered in Chicago's West Loop, the studio collaborates with clients from concept to delivery on projects ranging from commercial spots to blockbuster film main title sequences.
Key Services: Motion Design, Animation, Visual Effects (VFX), Live-Action Production, Title Sequences, Creative Direction
Industries Served: Entertainment, Advertising & Marketing, Automotive, Technology
Notable Clients: Marvel Studios, Apple, Jeep, Verizon, State Farm
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Sarofsky
9. ArtVersion Creative Agency
About: ArtVersion is an independent creative agency based in Chicago that assists Fortune 500 companies, startups, and worldwide organizations with branding, digital design, and visual storytelling. The agency specializes in comprehensive graphic design, web development, and digital animations that enhance user experiences.
Key Services: UI/UX Design, Web Design, Graphic Design, Branding, Animation, Motion Graphics
Industries Served: Consumer brands
Notable Clients:
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: ArtVersion Creative Agency
10. Run Kick Shout
About: Run Kick Shout is a design-driven animation studio based in Ravenswood, Chicago, specializing in 2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, and visual effects. They operate as a tight-knit collective of animators, designers, and visual artists delivering commercial broadcast spots, character animation, and product visualizations.
Key Services: 2D & 3D Animation, Motion Graphics, Character Animation, Visual Effects (VFX), Concept & Design, Storyboarding, Explainer Videos, Product Visualization, Broadcast & Title Design
Industries Served: Entertainment & Film, Telecommunications, Technology & Software, Consumer Products & Services, Sports & Events
Notable Clients: Reliance Entertainment, DreamWorks Studios, NICE Nexidia, Frontier Communications, NFL, PayPal, Zillow, HP Security
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Run Kick Shout
11. Advocacy Digital Media
About: Advocacy Digital Media is a specialized production studio that creates custom legal demonstratives, 3D renderings, and medical animations for trial lawyers. Their team of animators and illustrators focus on converting complex medical and forensic concepts into clear visual exhibits for courtroom use.
Key Services: Courtroom Animations, Medical Animations, Forensic Animations, Trial Illustrations, 3D Stills, Infographics, Trial Interactive Presentations
Industries Served: Legal, Law Firms, Healthcare / Medical
Notable Clients: Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C.
Locations: Chicago
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Brands that need animated video and motion design
Website: Advocacy Digital Media
Quick Comparison Table
| Agency | Key Specialty | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Web Tonic | Full-Service Performance Marketing | USD $3,000/mo | Mid-market to Enterprise |
| 2. BuzzFlick | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 3. Hatch Studios | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 4. Full Nelson Studios | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 5. Calabash Animation | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 6. Bottle Rocket Media | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 7. Vision One Agency | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 8. Sarofsky | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 9. ArtVersion Creative Agency | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 10. Run Kick Shout | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
| 11. Advocacy Digital Media | Animation and motion graphics production | Quote-based | Brands that need animated video and motion design |
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of work do Chicago animation studios take on?
The studios listed here split across explainer and product videos, brand films with motion graphics, broadcast and title design, character animation, and short-form social cuts. Some also handle live action, VFX and sound. Those are genuinely different pipelines, so a studio brilliant at character work may be the wrong choice for fifty paid-social variants, and the reverse is just as true.
Are these 10 studios all based in Chicago?
8 of the 10 external studios are headquartered in Chicago; 2 sell into the city from elsewhere, and we name their real base on their entry. Remote animation production works well because review happens on screen anyway, but check time zones, whether a producer joins live reviews, and who attends if you need on-site direction or a shoot.
How long does an animated video take?
For a short explainer, expect script and storyboard, then style frames, then animation, then sound, with review gates between each stage. Rushing the storyboard is what makes projects expensive, because changes after animation begins cost real money. Ask each studio for its stage plan and how many rounds of revision are included at each gate before you compare quotes.
What should the quote spell out?
Scope in seconds of finished animation, number of concepts, revision rounds per stage, whether voice-over, music licensing and sound design are included, delivery formats and aspect ratios, and who owns the project files and source assets afterwards. None of the 10 studios here publishes a rate publicly, so a quote that hides these lines is impossible to compare with another.
How do I tell a good reel from a good partner?
A reel shows the ceiling of a studio's work, not what your budget buys. Ask which shots in it were made in-house, what the budget and timeline were, and to see a full project in your format rather than a montage. 7 of these studios name clients publicly; ask the others for references and for one piece made at your scope.
Choosing an Animation Partner in Chicago
Check the address. Of the 10 external studios listed, 8 are headquartered in Chicago and 2 sell into the city from elsewhere, which is stated on their entries rather than hidden. Two studios here run Chicago work from Houston and Toronto, which is stated plainly on their entries.
Buy the discipline you lack. Character animation, motion graphics and explainer production are different crafts with different day rates and different lead times, so match the studio to the format you actually need next quarter rather than to the prettiest reel.
Ask what shipped. 7 of these studios name clients publicly and none publishes a rate, so compare finished work in your format, who owns the project files afterwards, and how revisions are billed.
Make motion accountable. Agree how each cut will be measured before production starts, then read our latest analysis, see how we build performance creative for brands in Chicago, or tell us what you need animated.
