Practical Characters with Production Experience
Why TV Bears International Is Different
Lifelike animal characters, experienced actors, and practical production support designed to give brands a believable physical presence on screen.
Based in Toluca Lake, California, with a UK service hub in Watford, London. Available for productions worldwide.
The Timeless Power of Practical Effects
At TV Bears International, we believe in the timeless power of practical effects. Our lifelike bear characters are built for screen use and tailored to brand storytelling. Unlike digital-only solutions, our characters exist in front of the camera alongside your actors and director, creating organic interaction, emotional depth, and faster decision-making on set.
We work with emerging brands seeking to expand their audience and established companies looking to remain fresh, relevant, and memorable. For clients who require exclusivity, we offer dedicated contracts where a specific bear will not be used for another campaign during the agreed period. This helps keep the character unique to your brand’s story.
Because sometimes, you just need a bear.
What We Offer
Production-Ready Bear Characters
Our bears are camera-ready and meticulously maintained, giving your campaign a cinematic presence that feels real, textured, and memorable.
Skilled Actors and Coordinators
Every bear comes as a complete package with an experienced actor, the full creature suit, and a dedicated coordinator. The coordinator manages safety, resets, cooling systems, and the character’s appearance throughout the shoot.
We can also collaborate with live voice-over artists on set to provide real-time dialogue or character presence when the production requires it.
Practical Effects That Last
Unlike CGI, our bears are tangible and filmed in camera, giving your campaign authenticity and long-term legacy value.
CGI Integration Support
When needed, we can provide clearly placed tracking markers so your post-production team can build hybrid CGI enhancements without losing the realism of the captured performance.
Exclusivity Packages
Many brands want their bear to stand apart. We offer structured exclusivity options that protect the relationship between your selected character and campaign.
Campaign Exclusive
The bear you select will not appear in another campaign during the active period of your project, helping tie the character uniquely to your message.
Brand Exclusive
For larger or long-term partnerships, a specific bear can be reserved for your brand across an agreed timeframe or campaign cycle.
Both options provide peace of mind and help keep your bear aligned with your brand identity.
Levels of Production Support
Choose the level of involvement that fits your production, from a complete on-set character package to campaign development and delivery.
Production Level One
Essential Production Support
Designed for brands working with their own production company. It includes:
- Bear character, experienced actor, and coordinator
- On-set safety and reset management
- Health and safety briefing for cast and crew
- A camera-ready package that fits into your production schedule
Production Level Two
Enhanced Creative Collaboration
For brands and production companies that want deeper integration, we step in during pre-production to align creative intent with practical execution. We can work with your team to develop storyboards, plan movement, and map shot sequences that highlight the natural impact of our bear characters.
This service can also include collaboration with live voice-over artists for on-set interaction and dialogue delivery, helping the campaign feel immediate and dynamic.
Production Level Three
Full Production Support
When required, TV Bears International can lead or co-lead the production process from concept through delivery. This can include creative development, script collaboration, storyboarding, scheduling, cinematography planning, and post-production support. Live voice-over support can be integrated during scripting, recording, or directly on set.
Our full production service can also cover location scouting and set decoration so the environment complements the bear and fits the campaign’s creative tone. We maintain an inventory of bear-related props and accessories that may save time while enhancing the visual story.
Brand clients can add exclusivity options, dedicating a chosen bear to the campaign for an agreed period and helping protect the character’s public association with the brand.
We draw on an extended creative network of directors, producers, art directors, and editors to deliver a fully realized campaign. This option is ideal for high-concept television commercials, short-form social media marketing, and related digital campaigns where consistency and creative oversight are essential.
Pre-Production: Where Practical Meets Precise
Every great production starts before the cameras roll. In pre-production, we can:
- Align creative concepts with your brand’s tone and platforms
- Plan storyboard beats and character movement
- Integrate entrances, exits, and resets into the schedule
- Advise on cinematography and lighting for practical effects
- Discuss health and safety considerations in advance
- Plan wardrobe, props, or CGI markers as required
A Legacy of Visual Impact
Practical effects create moments audiences remember. Our bears have supported campaigns across fashion, food, tourism, finance, state lotteries, automotive projects, and sustainability initiatives, delivering scale and texture that stand the test of time.
Whether your brand is seeking a single hero moment or a recurring character across multiple campaigns, we offer flexible support and production experience designed to elevate your story.
Selected Clients and Collaborators
Client Testimonials
Our company, Dare Foods Ltd., worked with Matt and his company on an advertising campaign in the summer of 2023 for our Bear Paws brand, and I have nothing but positive things to say about the experience! Matt and his team are talented professionals who have produced incredibly lifelike bear suits. The added bonus is that Matt M. and his colleague have the capability and experience to act in the suits, which is no easy feat. Our production shoot went exactly as planned, and the creative output was business- and brand-building. We value our partnership with Matt’s team, and we look forward to doing more work together.
Scott Chapman
Category Manager, Dare Foods Ltd.
Matthew and his bear were absolute champions on a hard one-day shoot. Everything hinged on him, and we never missed a beat. The client was over the moon and happy with him and the final product. I hope I am able to bring him back for many more projects.
Michael Sapienza
Executive Producer, Lowes Foods
Matthew was collaborative, flexible, and extremely helpful on a project I worked with him on, a short film about a bear invading a neighborhood. I’m proud to say that our collaboration has created great success for the film, which has been celebrated across the world. Matt’s ability to problem-solve and troubleshoot is excellent, as is his ability to communicate with his team, who executed our project to the utmost perfection. 10/10 would recommend!
Jessica Redish
Director, Exit, Pursued by a Bear
Bring Your Vision to Life
From pre-production planning to full campaign delivery, our team can help your brand harness the power of practical effects. Whether you need a bear integrated into your existing production or a complete service led by our creative team, we will help create an impact audiences remember.
Because sometimes, you just need a bear.