Six Pixels Studios is a creative program for young people that merges the basics of STEAM education – science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics – and interactive learning in moviemaking, stop motion, animation, YouTube, coding and photography. By Kelsi Trinidad
Six Pixels Studios is a creative program for young people that merges the basics of STEAM education – science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics – and interactive learning in moviemaking, stop motion, animation, YouTube, coding and photography. The program provides an engaging and fun way for children of all ages to explore and develop critical- and creative-thinking skills while completing real-world activities.
The Six Pixels Studios franchise model was born from the success of the Florida Film Academy in 2009 when a local school requested some mentoring for its students. The demand for the company’s exciting classes and ever-evolving curriculum outgrew its local community, as more parents and children became eager to participate. Six Pixels Studios became the franchising branch of the program in 2018 and is now growing nationwide. Benefits include low-cost entry, large territories, scalability and multiple revenue streams from afterschool programs, kids’ camps, homeschooling and events such as birthday parties.
“We find that there are certain communities where it’s the same old, same old,” said Stefanie Robinson, Six Pixels Studios co-founder and executive vice president of operations. “They have dance, karate, baseball and that’s it. Well, not every kid is a karate kid or a dancer or a baseball player. This is definitely filling that need for something unique and something different for a child.”
During onboarding, new franchisees are immersed in hands-on training and are encouraged to visit the corporate location to observe classes and further learn how to teach the curriculum. The corporate team is regularly developing new courses that are available to franchisees. In the fall, the team plans to introduce Pixel Labs, tying YouTube with science experiments that students can film and upload to the internet.
Six Pixels Studios provides its franchisees with ongoing training and support, so filmmaking or education experience is not required. When new programs are launched, Zoom training sessions show owners how to implement them in the classroom. The business model also promotes franchisee feedback and collaboration, including sharing ideas that have worked well in their classrooms.
“They’re not on their own,” Robinson said of franchisees. Six Pixels Studios is with them every step of the way.
Kelsi Trinidad