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Sinking Ship Entertainment

Creative & Production
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Founded
2004
Employees
51-200
Offices
1

About Sinking Ship Entertainment

Sinking Ship Entertainment is an independent Canadian production, animation, visual effects, distribution and interactive media company based in Toronto. Founded in 2004 by J.J. Johnson, Blair Powers and Matthew J.R. Bishop, it creates children's, tween and family entertainment, with a particular focus on live-action storytelling combined with computer-generated characters and environments.

The company first gained prominence through unscripted preschool programming, including This Is Daniel Cook and Roll Play, before expanding into scripted series, feature-length productions and digital experiences. Its catalogue spans educational comedy, science fiction, prehistoric adventures and environmental storytelling. The research reports more than 24 original series and 500 hours of programming sold across more than 200 countries and territories.

Production and storytelling

The studio's integrated capabilities cover concept development, writing, casting, directing and physical production, alongside animation and visual effects. Its creature work includes character design, modeling, rigging, texturing and muscle, fur, hair and feather simulation, supported by lighting and compositing. Interactive production extends its programming into companion applications, web games and educational digital platforms.

Its productions include the STEM comedy Odd Squad, the prehistoric series Dino Dan, Dino Dana and Dino Dex, and the science-fiction adventures Annedroids and Endlings. Other work includes Ghostwriter and Jane for Apple TV+, with Jane co-produced alongside the Jane Goodall Institute. Builder Brothers Dream Factory is a collaboration with Scott Brothers Entertainment.

International reach

Sinking Ship works across public broadcasting, commercial television and streaming, with programming associated with outlets including PBS KIDS, TVOKids, CBC, CBBC, Apple TV+ and Amazon. Science, mathematics, environmental themes and curriculum-aligned entertainment form a recurring part of its work.

The company expanded its international sales capabilities through the acquisition of Picture Box Distribution in February 2016. Distribution now operates as an internal division, complementing the studio's production, visual effects, animation and interactive activities.

More about Sinking Ship Entertainment

Current leadership

  • J.J. Johnson and Blair Powers are Partners and Executive Producers; Matthew J.R. Bishop is Partner and Executive Animation Producer.
  • Christin Simms is Executive Producer/Writer. Kate Sanagan heads Sales and Distribution, and Carla de Jong heads Co-Production and International Partnerships.
  • Terry Bradley heads the VFX and Animation studio; Ronald Ruslim heads Interactive. Glena James is Director of People & Culture.

Production methods

The VFX and animation operation combines Epic Games' Unreal Engine for real-time rendering and previsualization with Universal Scene Description workflows for moving digital assets through multiple software packages.

Distribution model

Alongside its original intellectual property, the internal distribution division represents curated third-party international children's programming.

Recognition

The report records 25 Daytime Emmy Awards, multiple Canadian Screen Awards, Youth Media Alliance honors and Parents' Choice Awards. It identifies Odd Squad as the recipient of a BAFTA Children's Award. In 2020, Sinking Ship ranked first in the production category of Kidscreen's Hot50.

Notable credits

26 credits
  • Odd Squad
  • Odd Squad: The Movie
  • Odd Squad: World Turned Odd
  • Odd Squad Mobile Unit
  • Odd Squad UK
  • Dino Dan
  • Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures
  • Dino Dana
  • Dino Dana: The Movie
  • Dino Dex
  • Ghostwriter
  • Jane
  • Endlings
  • Annedroids
  • Builder Brothers Dream Factory
  • Giver
  • This Is Daniel Cook
  • This Is Emily Yeung
  • This Is Scarlett and Isaiah
  • Playdate
  • Lockdown
  • Beyond Black Beauty
  • Wordsville
  • Alma's Way — international distribution
  • The Demon Headmaster — international distribution
  • Phoenix Rise — international distribution

Offices

Where Sinking Ship Entertainment is based

1 location

  • Toronto offices

    Headquarters
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    About this office

    **Sinking Ship Entertainment Head Office** Status: active Headquarters Address: 32 Lisgar Street, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario, M6J 0C9, Canada Phone: +1 416-533-8172 Office webpage: https://www.sinkingship.ca/contactus Opened: 2023 Global headquarters housing corporate leadership, production management, VFX, animation, interactive production and international distribution. Replaced the former King Street West premises in 2023. --- **Office** Status: inactive / historical Address: 1179 King Street West, Suite 302, Toronto, Ontario, M6K 3C5, Canada Former registered office and headquarters premises, superseded by the Lisgar Street headquarters in 2023.

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