Armada
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 1992
- Employees
- 11-50
- Offices
- 1
About Armada
Armada is a Nashville-based animation, visual effects and media production studio serving entertainment, advertising and corporate clients. Its work brings together character animation, motion graphics, live-action production and post-production for television, streaming, theatrical projects, music videos and branded content.
The studio traces its history to Magnetic Dreams, founded in 1992. Magnetic Dreams developed a body of work spanning CG characters, motion comics, practical puppetry integration and visual effects. It entered merger discussions with Nashville production company PK Pictures in 2019, completed the merger in 2022 and unveiled the combined Armada brand on June 9, 2025. The resulting business combines Magnetic Dreams’ animation and visualization capabilities with PK Pictures’ experience in live-action production, corporate storytelling and streaming video.
From development to delivery
Armada supports projects from creative development through final delivery. Pre-production services include concept development, planning, scriptwriting, character design and storyboarding. Animation work encompasses 2D and 3D production, character modeling and rigging, look development, world creation, simulation and motion design. Its visual effects capabilities include compositing and the integration of animated and photographed elements.
Live-action services cover direction, crewing, shooting and multi-camera production. Editorial, color grading, sound design, music supervision and finishing extend that work through post-production. Deliverables range from broadcast and streaming programming to social media content and custom visuals for large-format LED screens.
Entertainment and commercial work
The studio’s portfolio includes animation and effects for Sesame Workshop productions, Marvel Knights motion comics, music videos, independent film and children’s programming. Its commercial work spans brand campaigns, enterprise media and product storytelling, alongside arena animation and screen content for professional sports.
Across these formats, Armada serves children’s and family entertainment, music, consumer brands, business technology, retail and gaming markets. Its combined production capabilities support both animated narratives and projects that bring live action, graphics and visual effects together.
More about Armada
Founders and leadership
Magnetic Dreams was founded by Mike Halsey, with Don Culwell joining soon afterward as co-founder and technical director. The report identifies Armada’s current leadership as John Hussey, Head of Studio; Rhea Borzak, Head of Production; Don Culwell, Head of Technology; and Joël Gibbs and Michael Lapinski, Directors of Creative.
Production model
The studio maintains a core internal team and scales production with globally sourced crews for larger series and feature projects.
Recognition and collaboration
The report credits Magnetic Dreams with multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for work on Sesame Workshop’s Elmo the Musical and Sesame Street: The Magical Wand Chase. It identifies Taylor Swift’s Fifteen video as an MTV Video Music Award nominee and the Aflac short Park Bench as having been featured at the Sundance Film Festival; these are recognitions of the productions.
The studio co-produced the Wingfeather Saga short / series pilot with Shining Isle Productions.
Notable credits
12 creditsOffices
Where Armada is based
- 915 Twin Elms Court, Nashville, TN 37211Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Nashville office
HeadquartersOverall headquarters and primary production facility, continuously occupied by Magnetic Dreams and the rebranded Armada.
Open roles
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