District Bureau
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- N/A
- Employees
- 1-10
- Offices
- 2
About District Bureau
District Bureau is an American boutique creative production and digital design studio working across film, animation, branding and interactive media. Founded by filmmaker Grant Janes, the business grew out of Lookfar Films, a commercial production company operating in New York City. In 2011, it adopted the District Bureau name and expanded beyond live-action commercial production into digital development, motion graphics and interface design.
With a presence in Los Angeles and New York, the studio serves advertising agencies, entertainment businesses, cultural institutions and consumer brands. Its work connects visual storytelling with digital product design, ranging from commercial shoots and broadcast animation to mobile interfaces and architectural video installations.
Production and digital design
The studio's film capabilities include directing, cinematography, narrative shorts, commercial production and editing. Its animation work encompasses 2D and 3D motion graphics, animated promotions, broadcast packages and title design. Branding projects extend to visual identities, logotypes, style guides and creative messaging.
For websites and mobile products, District Bureau develops information architecture, wireframes, user flows and interface designs alongside front-end and back-end implementation. Its interactive portfolio includes promotional microsites, educational applications and campaign experiences, bringing design and development into the same production offering.
Selected work
District Bureau produced and contributed motion graphics to Towed (2015), a narrative short directed by Janes. Its cultural work includes a three-screen video installation at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater for the New York City Ballet's 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Commercial projects include the NikePark animated campaign, The Body Shop's Da Balm, AMC's Hustle and Flow broadcast promotion, and Microsoft's Bing Ads Pro animations and Windows Embedded interactive experience. The studio also worked on Aflac's Plan B interactive microsite, Kodak's V610 launch, and the Booknotes educational mobile application for StudyMode. These projects illustrate a practice spanning filmed content, motion design and usable digital experiences.
More about District Bureau
Leadership and operating model
- Grant Janes leads the studio and works as a director, graphic artist and screenwriter. Tonya Agurto is identified as a producer and co-writer collaborating on Towed and Glint.
- The studio describes an operating model combining a small core team with freelance designers, developers, animators and directors assembled for individual productions.
Film exhibition and distribution
Towed was selected for Cinequest and LA Shorts Fest, screened at the 69th Cannes Film Festival's Short Film Corner, and secured global distribution through MagnetFilm. These are exhibition and distribution milestones for the film.
Production collaborations
The Lincoln Center installation was conceived, fabricated and projected in collaboration with Two Twelve. Commercial collaborations include Ogilvy & Mather on the Aflac and Kodak projects, and Grain Pictures on the Sculptra campaign.
Notable credits
13 creditsOffices
Where District Bureau is based
- Los Angeles, California, United States
Los Angeles office
HeadquartersHeadquarters and primary operating base; the studio's Towed production was filmed in Boyle Heights.
- New York, United States
New York office
Operating branch and historic base, maintaining East Coast client relationships.
Open roles
Find your next role at District Bureau