Starburns Industries
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2010
- Employees
- 51-200
- Offices
- 1
About Starburns Industries
Starburns Industries is an independent animation and film and television production company based in Burbank, California. Its work spans stop-motion, traditional and digital 2D animation, CG animation, and productions combining animation with live action. The studio develops and produces feature films, television series, commercials and audio projects, with a particular emphasis on creator-driven comedy, adult animation and cinematic storytelling.
Founded in the summer of 2010, the company began with Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas, the stop-motion holiday episode of NBC’s Community. Its name comes from Star-Burns, the character played by Dino Stamatopoulos on the series. That initial production brought together animators, puppet builders and fabricators to create a physical animation production pipeline on an intensive schedule.
Production capabilities
The studio’s animation services cover concept development, scriptwriting, character design, storyboarding, animatics and finished production. Its stop-motion capabilities include armature construction, puppet fabrication, costumes, miniature sets, rigging and frame-by-frame animation. These physical processes are complemented by 3D prototyping, motion control, compositing and visual effects.
Audio and post-production services include voiceover casting and recording, automated dialogue replacement, sound engineering, editorial, color grading and delivery mastering. The company also produces advertising campaigns, branded animation and other short-form content.
Film, television and other media
Starburns produced Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson’s stop-motion feature Anomalisa and the first season of Rick and Morty, before subsequent series production moved to a separate production entity. Its wider television work includes Mary Shelley’s Frankenhole, HarmonQuest, Animals. and Better Call Saul Presents: Slippin’ Jimmy.
The company has also expanded beyond screen production. Starburns Audio, launched in 2018, handles podcast production and distribution, while the internal SBI Press imprint publishes graphic novels and vinyl records. As of November 2026, the studio’s active feature work includes Duke Johnson’s adaptation of George Saunders’ Lincoln in the Bardo, combining stop-motion and live action in a production partnership with Playtone.
More about Starburns Industries
Leadership
- As of November 2026, Paul Young is CEO, appointed that year to succeed Jason Smith.
- Co-founder Duke Johnson serves as partner and creative director; co-founder James A. Fino is a partner and executive producer. Dino Stamatopoulos and Joe Russo II are also co-founders and partners.
- Christopher Callison is head of development / creative executive.
- Co-founder Dan Harmon left his operating and equity role in January 2020.
Technology and operating model
A 2014 production-services announcement documented the studio’s use of a ProJet 660Pro color 3D printer for prototyping. This is a historical equipment reference, rather than confirmation of its current equipment inventory.
The studio partially financed Anomalisa through Kickstarter and also supplied its own financing. Liz Laine Reps represents its commercial and branded entertainment work across the United States and Canada.
Recognition
Anomalisa won the Grand Jury Prize at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival in 2015 and received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Animated Feature. These honors concern the film rather than a separate corporate award to the studio.
Notable credits
15 creditsOffices
Where Starburns Industries is based
- Burbank, California, United States
Burbank offices
HeadquartersAbout this office
**Office** Status: active Headquarters Address: 3003 W Olive Ave, Third Floor, Burbank, CA 91505, USA Email: j.fino@starburnsind.com Phone: +1 (818) 433-3300 Current corporate headquarters, development offices and audio suites following relocation from the West Isabel Street campus. --- **West Isabel Street Production Campus & Starburns Castle** Status: inactive / historical Address: 1101, 1103 & 1117 W Isabel St, Burbank, CA 91506, USA Opened: 2010 Closed: 2021 Former multi-building production campus containing stop-motion stages, fabrication shops, post-production facilities and the Starburns Castle performance venue. The campus was sold in 2021 and operations relocated. --- **West Burbank Boulevard Office** Status: inactive / historical Address: 1700 W Burbank Blvd, Burbank, CA 91506, USA Former secondary production and recording offices associated with Feral Audio and early Starburns Audio recordings; subsequently vacated.
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