Eyebolls’ Vision for Craft, Collaboration and Creative Integrity

At the heart of Edinburgh, Eyebolls is quietly redefining what it means to be a modern production studio. Equal parts animation house, live-action specialists, and VFX wizards, the award-winning studio has built its name not on a single style, but on a commitment to collaboration and adaptability.

Founded in 2015 by executive producer Rhona Drummond and animation director Victoria Watson, Eyebolls has quickly become a go-to creative partner for a number of brands over the years, including Disney, Netflix, BBC, Diageo and VisitScotland. Whether it’s a 2D short, a CG-heavy campaign, or a mixed-media immersive experience, the studio’s guiding principle is simple: put the story and the people first.

“Our projects are notably very diverse,” says founder Rhona. “We’re approached to help tell stories in many different forms – be that live action or animation. It’s about exploring the best technique to hold the story and the craft at the heart.”

This story-led philosophy feeds directly into Eyebolls’ distinctive ‘specialised teams’ model. Rather than relying on a fixed in-house roster, the studio assembles bespoke crews for each brief, pulling from a wide pool of directors, artists and technicians across disciplines and borders, to fit them best with the story at hand.

“We get very excited about assembling teams,” Rhona explains. “It keeps us fresh and always learning. For every project, we find the right director, artists and crew to produce the best possible content. A happy crew delivers the best creative output – and our clients agree.”

It’s a model that thrives on trust, agility and deep creative relationships – many of which the co-founders have cultivated over decades. Eyebolls’ other co-founder Victoria Watson brings a rare hybrid background in stop-motion, traditional 2D and CGI animation, while Rhona’’s experience in agency-side production and client management gives the studio a strategic edge when it comes to navigating commercial briefs.

“Victoria is the creative force behind our ability to flex pipelines and work with new talent,” says Rhona. “And I understand agency processes and client needs. We’re yin and yang – but that’s why it works.”

Despite the breadth of their work, Eyebolls has a tight grip on its creative identity. At every stage, collaboration is key, not just internally, but with the client. “There’s no ‘us and them’ here,” Rhona continues. “Our creative heads work directly with the client’s team. We don’t keep them hidden in the background. That honesty and shared ownership allow us to proudly deliver to the brief.”

It is this team-friendly approach that has earned Eyebolls recognition across the industry. Their beautifully crafted short ‘Ladder To You’ won a Gold Shark and was longlisted for a BAFTA. Their work for VisitScotland’s ‘Scotland at Night’ campaign brought home a coveted D&AD Pencil. And most recently, the studio took home a prestigious Thea Award for its hand-drawn animation on ‘The Legend of Luna’. These accolades are a testament to Eyebolls’ resourcefulness and love of storytelling.

“Collecting that award at Universal Studios was like a dream come true,” says Rhona. “It brought huge pride to the team and energised us to keep pushing at that level.”
But, awards are not the end goal – Eyebolls remain focused on culture. The company is proudly female-owned and led, with a deep commitment to nurturing new talent and maintaining a supportive environment.

“Culture is so important to us. We only want to work with people who respect each other, and we find that this leads to solid learning opportunities,” Rhona explains. “We have strong structures and amazing supervisors, so training and bringing on new talent becomes easy – it just takes dedication.”

Their base in Edinburgh plays a role too. “Scotland’s a brilliant place to live and work,” says Rhona. “From castles to coastlines, from islands to cutting-edge sound stages, we have access to everything. That, plus a healthy work-life balance, helps us attract amazing homegrown and international talent.”

Looking ahead, Eyebolls continues to expand its scope, blurring the lines between live action and animation, and deepening its presence across advertising, original storytelling, and immersive media.

“We’re excited about new genres and outputs,” Rhona shares. “The landscape is changing daily. Our job is to embrace it – adapting to new technologies and trends without compromising on artistic skill. Storytelling remains our foundation, regardless of the medium.”

In a noisy, fast-moving production world, Eyebolls stands out not by rushing to chase trends, but by staying grounded in story, people and purpose. That clarity of vision, combined with a decade of inventive, award-winning work, means they’re here to stay, so watch this space.


To find out more, visit the Eyebolls website here.