Piranha Bar
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2001
- Employees
- 11-50
- Offices
- 1
About Piranha Bar
Piranha Bar is an independent, artist-led creative production studio based in Dublin, Ireland. Its work spans commercial live-action production, animation, visual effects and broadcast post-production, bringing creative development, filming and finishing together within one business. Founded in 2001 by Gavin Kelly and Dave Burke through a buyout of Dublin post-production house Picture Company, the studio developed from an editing facility into a multidisciplinary production company.
The studio combines 2D character animation, 3D CGI, character design and motion graphics with live-action filmmaking and digital compositing. Its animation and VFX teams create character-driven advertising, children's programming, hybrid productions and effects for television and streaming. Commercial work includes campaigns for Kellogg's, Three Mobile, Lidl, Lego and Juventus Football Club, with a roster of directors and animators supporting projects across different formats and visual styles.
Animation and original production
Alongside commissioned work, Piranha Bar develops original film and episodic projects and works with international co-production partners. Its production activity encompasses preschool animation, children's CGI series and adult animated comedy development. This original-content work draws on the same combination of animation, live-action and effects capabilities used across its commercial output.
The company also undertakes animation for documentary and short-form storytelling, using drawn or computer-generated imagery alongside filmed material. Its production model accommodates both fully animated projects and work that integrates animated characters into live-action environments.
Broadcast and finishing
Broadcast post-production remains a substantial part of the studio's activity. Its facility contains 16 suites supporting offline editing, online finishing, colour grading and sound design. The broadcast team works across entertainment formats, factual television, documentaries and streaming productions, while its VFX department supplies compositing and character effects for scripted work.
By combining production and post-production disciplines, Piranha Bar can support projects from visual development and direction through editing and final delivery. Its business serves advertising agencies, consumer brands, broadcasters, streaming platforms and independent film and documentary producers.
More about Piranha Bar
Leadership
As of November 2026, leadership includes Gavin Kelly, Executive Creative Director; Richard Chaney, Creative Head of Studio; Emily Brady, Head of Production; Sean King, Head of Broadcast; and Lizzie Jones, VFX/Originals Producer. Co-founder Dave Burke and directors Marc Long and Vernon Crowley serve on the board.
Technology and production model
- The proprietary AniMotion pipeline combines Unreal Engine with in-house performance and facial capture to integrate 3D character animation with live action. Piranha Bar received an Epic Games MegaGrant to develop its hybrid project IRL (In Real Life).
- The studio supplements its permanent team with freelance animation and VFX talent for specific production slates.
- Its preschool co-production with Motion Pictures Entertainment and Dear Will comprised 156 episodes. A project-specific entity, Myago Productions DAC, was established in December 2016 and voluntarily dissolved in June 2021 following completion of production.
Industry participation
Piranha Bar is a founding member of VFX Ireland, alongside Windmill Lane, Screen Scene and Egg, and a member of Animation Ireland.
Notable credits
38 creditsOffices
Where Piranha Bar is based
- 37 Fitzwilliam Square West, Dublin 2, D02 HH64, IrelandDublin, County Dublin, Ireland
Dublin office
HeadquartersAbout this office
Company headquarters and production facility in a Georgian townhouse, housing 16 post-production suites and animation, motion graphics, VFX and performance-capture facilities.
Open roles
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