Prana Studios
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Visual effects |
| Founded | April 2003 |
| Founder | Arish Fyzee, Kristin Dornig, Pankaj Gunsagar |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Computer-generated animation, Visual effects |
| Owner | Reliance Industries, Mahindra Group |
Prana Studios, Inc. was a U.S.-based animation and visual effects firm established in 2003 in Los Angeles, operating a fully owned branch in Mumbai, India. The company focused on delivering top-tier computer-generated animation and visual effects.
Its backers included Reliance Industries and Mahindra Group.
History
Prana was launched in April 2003 by founders Arish Fyzee, Kristin Dornig, and Pankaj Gunsagar, with the Mumbai subsidiary opening within the same year.
The studio specialized in creating premium CGI content and intellectual properties for international audiences and leading American studios, spanning feature-length animation, commercials, digital effects, and themed entertainment. Among its significant contributions were CGI productions for The Walt Disney Company’s Tinker Bell series and Planes under DisneyToon Studios. Prana also played a crucial role in salvaging digital production for the independent animated success Hoodwinked!, which grossed $110 million at the box office.
In 2006, Prana contributed to The Weinstein Company's direct-to-video CGI series Unstable Fables, producing episodes such as 3 Pigs and a Baby, Tortoise vs. Hare, and The Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Show. Additional long-form work included Bollywood’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for Dharma Productions and the French animated feature Why I Did (Not) Eat My Father by Pathé.
Later projects featured Prana's CGI work on films like Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return for Summertime Entertainment. The studio partnered with Mexican company Ánima Estudios on Top Cat: The Movie and Top Cat Begins, as well as collaborating with French studios Blue Spirit Animation, Xilam, and Cube Creative on productions including Oggy and the Cockroaches: The Movie, Kaeloo, and the series Splat & Harry. Additionally, Prana provided animation and visual effects for the interactive Marvel Experience attraction.
On March 29, 2013, Prana's affiliate 34x118 Holdings, LLC acquired Rhythm & Hues Studios through a bankruptcy auction. Following this acquisition, Rhythm & Hues garnered several Emmy Awards and Visual Effects Society accolades for its work on Game of Thrones.
Prana earned multiple nominations and awards within the Themed Entertainment sector, notably recognized for its contributions to the "5D Castle Theatre" attraction at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai, China.
Feature films
Among Prana’s uncompleted animated projects were Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for Dharma Productions, Punk Farm for MGM, Wish directed by Cory Edwards, along with The Power of Zhu and The Secret of Zhu for MoonScoop.
Short films
| Title | Initial release date | Collaborative production with |
|---|---|---|
| The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas | August 8, 2007 | Columbia Pictures Sony Pictures Animation |
| Alex & Sylvia | April 2015 | BRC Imagination Arts |
| Kaka's Great Adventure | May 2015 | Chimelong Ocean Kingdom |
Television
| Title | Initial broadcast date | Joint production with | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixie Hollow Games | November 19, 2011 | DisneyToon Studios | |
| An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf | November 26, 2011 | Trick 3D | |
| Game of Thrones | April 17, 2011 | HBO | Visual effects contribution only |
| The VeggieTales Show | October 22, 2019 | Big Idea Entertainment |