What Gunpowder & Sky does

Gunpowder & Sky is an independent, digital-first entertainment studio founded in 2016 by Van Toffler (former CEO of Viacom Media Networks Music Group) and Floris Bauer (former global head of strategy at Endemol), with founding backing from Otter Media — the Chernin Group and AT&T joint venture. The studio is headquartered in Playa Vista, Los Angeles, with a secondary office in New York, and operates with a headcount of 11-50 employees. It functions as a B2B content business, producing and licensing documentaries, feature films, series, podcasts, FAST channels, live events, and VR concerts for major acquirers including Netflix, Paramount+, HBO Max, Hulu, Showtime, Discovery, MGM+, Audible, and Meta. Its proprietary genre brands — DUST (sci-fi) and ALTER (horror) — extend into short-form web content, podcasts, and ad-supported streaming channels (DUSTx), while the company maintains integrated distribution through FilmBuff (Gunpowder & Sky Distribution) and production capabilities via Supergravity Pictures.

The company's core technology is content production and multi-platform distribution rather than software. Operational platforms include DUSTx FAST distribution across Roku, Vizio, Comcast FLEX, Sling TV, Samsung TV Plus, Twitch, STIRR, NBC's WatchBack, and Channel 4's All 4; podcast delivery through Audible and Spotify; VR concert experiences deployed in Meta Horizon Worlds (Notorious B.I.G., Sabrina Carpenter); live-event production including the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards; and theatrical releases through Regal. The catalog spans 70+ documentaries, films, and series alongside scripted and unscripted podcasts such as The DUST Podcast, Words + Music, Drawn & Recorded, Lighters in the Sky, Shelved, and In the Cut with Ghetto Gastro. Notable titles include Prospect, Cam, Her Smell, The Little Hours, Sheryl, Call Me Miss Cleo, Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boybands, 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, Last Exit: Space, and 50 States of Fright.

Revenue is generated through five identifiable streams: (1) content licensing and distribution fees from premium streaming platforms (licensing/royalties), (2) theatrical box office via partners like Regal (transaction fees), (3) advertising revenue from FAST channel DUSTx and the horror FAST channel (advertising), (4) podcast production and first-look fees, primarily from Audible (professional services), and (5) live-event and concert-special production fees including the VMAs and CBS concert specials (professional services). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; deals are negotiated through licensing agreements, co-productions, and first-look / multi-picture arrangements. First-look deals with HBO Max, HBO, and Audible, plus a multi-picture deal with MTV Entertainment Studios, indicate a relationship-driven sales motion toward premium platform acquirers, complemented by FAST channel and YouTube for reach-driven monetization.

Name

Gunpowder & Sky

Legal name

Gunpowder & Sky

Website

https://gunpowdersky.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gunpowder & Sky is an independent, digital-first entertainment studio founded in 2016 by former MTV and Endemol executives that produces and licenses documentaries, films, series, podcasts, VR concerts, and live events for major streaming platforms including Netflix, Paramount+, HBO Max, and Audible.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Entertainment Studio

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH)

Keywords

• Independent content studio
• Documentary production
• Film distribution licensing
• Podcast audio production
• Sci-fi entertainment brand

Headquarters

HQ city

Playa Vista

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Content Licensing & Distribution: Gunpowder & Sky produces films, documentaries, series, and podcasts that are licensed to major streaming platforms and networks. They have released 70+ projects in partnership with platforms including Paramount, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Showtime, and Discovery. Revenue is generated through content licensing fees, co-production deals, and distribution agreements.
2. Theatrical Distribution: The company distributes select films theatrically, such as 'Prospect' through Regal theaters nationwide. Revenue is generated through theatrical box office sales.
3. FAST Channel Advertising: DUSTx and the horror-themed FAST channel generate advertising revenue from free ad-supported streaming TV distribution on platforms like Roku, Vizio, Comcast FLEX, Sling TV, and Samsung TV Plus.
4. Podcast Production Deals: First-look podcast deal with Audible, producing original audio content including Words + Music franchise and scripted/unscripted series. Also partnered with Roc Nation for podcast content.
5. Live Event Production: Production of live events including MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), VR concerts, and concert specials (Ringo Starr, Dolly Parton Pet Gala). Revenue from production fees and sponsorship/partnership components.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gunpowder & Sky is an independent entertainment studio that develops, produces, and distributes original content — including documentaries, feature films, TV series, podcasts, and VR concert experiences — and licenses it to major streaming platforms (Netflix, Paramount+, HBO Max, Hulu, Showtime, Discovery, MGM+) and broadcast networks, with proprietary genre brands DUST (sci-fi) and ALTER (horror) operating owned FAST channels, plus live event production such as the MTV Video Music Awards.

Product overview

Gunpowder & Sky is an independent entertainment studio launched in 2016 by Van Toffler and Floris Bauer. The company operates a multi-platform content business producing and distributing documentaries, feature films, TV series, podcasts, and VR concert experiences. Key products include DUST (sci-fi sub-brand and streaming channel), ALTER (horror brand), Drawn & Recorded (animated music podcast), Words + Music (documentary series), and The DUST Podcast (sci-fi audio drama). The portfolio encompasses 70+ documentaries, films, and series released in partnership with platforms including Paramount, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Showtime, Discovery, and YouTube. Live events include the MTV Video Music Awards and Ringo Starr concert specials. VR offerings include concerts in Meta Horizon Worlds. Content spans music documentaries, horror, sci-fi, comedy, and true crime across multiple distribution channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DUST: Sci-fi content brand featuring films, TV shows, original short films, podcasts and streaming channel DUSTx.
• ALTER
• Gunpowder & Sky Distribution

Products and services

• DUST (Sci-Fi Sub-Brand and Streaming Channel) Gunpowder & Sky's proprietary sci-fi label and streaming platform featuring films, TV shows, and original short films distributed across multiple channels including DUSTx on Roku, Vizio, Comcast FLEX, Sling TV, Samsung TV Plus, Twitch, STIRR, and YouTube; licensed to international platforms including Channel 4's All 4 in the UK.
• ALTER (Horror Sub-Brand and FAST Channel) Gunpowder & Sky's horror brand that produces and curates horror content, including the ALTER horror-themed FAST channel distributed on Roku and additional free ad-supported streaming platforms, and short films developed for distribution and feature pickup (e.g., Amblin Partners picked up ALTER short 'The Blue Door' for feature development).
• The DUST Podcast (Sci-Fi Audio Drama) Award-winning multi-season sci-fi audio drama podcast featuring A-list voice talent including Corey Hawkins, Toni Collette, Lance Reddick, and Haley Joel Osment; seasons include Horizons (anthology), Flight 008 (in partnership with XPRIZE), and Chrysalis. Distributed on Audible, Spotify, and iTunes/Stitcher.
• Drawn & Recorded (Animated Music History Podcast) Animated music history podcast featuring hand-drawn animation and T-Bone Burnett's narration, telling stories from music history; originally a Spotify Original.
• Words + Music (Audible Original Documentary Series) Music documentary series featuring iconic artists like Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, and John Legend performing personal tracks while sharing stories behind them, set on an immersive LED stage. Produced under the first-look podcast deal with Audible.
• Sabrina Carpenter: A VR Concert (Meta Horizon Worlds Concert) Virtual reality concert experience featuring Sabrina Carpenter's chart-topping hits in Meta Horizon Worlds, offering hyperrealistic avatars and interactive performances.
• The Notorious B.I.G. Sky's The Limit VR Concert Virtual reality concert experience in Meta Horizon Worlds featuring The Notorious B.I.G.; nominated for 'Outstanding Emerging Media Program' at the 2023 Emmys.
• 2025 MTV Video Music Awards (Live TV Event Production) Annual music awards show produced by Gunpowder & Sky for MTV/Paramount, featuring live performances and celebrity appearances; the 2025 VMAs delivered the largest TV audience in six years.
• Last Exit: Space (Documentary Film) Documentary examining humanity's quest to extend its footprint beyond Earth, narrated by Werner Herzog and directed by Rudolph Herzog.
• Prospect (Sci-Fi Feature Film) Sci-fi adventure film starring Pedro Pascal about a man and his teenage daughter searching for gems on an alien moon; theatrically released through Regal nationwide.
• Cam (Feature Film) Technology-driven psychological thriller about a cam girl whose account is stolen by a look-alike; acquired by Netflix.
• Sheryl (Music Documentary) Intimate documentary about Sheryl Crow navigating her musical career, featuring Keith Richards, Laura Dern, and Joe Walsh.
• Everybody's Everything (Lil Peep Documentary) Documentary exploring Lil Peep's meteoric rise from bedroom recordings to worldwide tour; streamed on Netflix.
• Call Me Miss Cleo (Documentary) Documentary exploring the life of TV psychic Miss Cleo; nominated for 'Best Streaming Documentary Movie' at HCA TV Awards.
• 50 States of Fright (Horror Anthology TV Series) Horror anthology series featuring scariest stories from every state, executive produced by Sam Raimi for Quibi.
• Larger Than Life: Reign of the Boy Bands (Documentary) Documentary tracing boy bands' evolution from The Beatles to K-pop, directed by Tamra Davis for Paramount+.
• Heist 88 (Crime Feature Film) Crime drama starring Courtney B. Vance about a criminal mastermind planning an $80 million bank heist; produced under multi-picture deal with MTV Entertainment Studios.
• Gaming Wall St (Documentary Series) Two-part limited series exploring the historic GameStop short squeeze and how armchair investors exposed Wall Street practices.
• I Wanna Rock: The '80s Metal Dream (Documentary Series) Three-part limited series following young dreamers chasing stardom in the 1980s metal scene.
• Lighters In The Sky (Concert Podcast Series) Concert-focused podcast series exploring iconic live performances, based on Corbin Reiff's book, with interviews and behind-the-scenes details.
• Shelved (Investigative Music Podcast) Investigative podcast series examining songs and albums that were shelved, exploring unlikely collaborations and the intersection of art and commerce; Audible Original.
• In The Cut with Ghetto Gastro (Food Culture Podcast) Gastronomical deep dive into Bronx food culture featuring culinary collective Ghetto Gastro with cooking demos.
• Released (YouTube Original Music Series) YouTube Originals series premiering music artists and showing moments before new music drops; partnership with YouTube's Susanne Daniels and Lyor Cohen.
• Dolly Parton's Pet Gala (TV Special) Two-hour variety TV special for dog lovers co-hosted by Dolly Parton and Jane Lynch, aired on CBS.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 million+ monthly viewers across platforms
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and regional.

• AudiblecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2023First-look podcast deal with Audible for development of original podcast content. Partnership includes Audible Original Words + Music franchise and other scripted and unscripted series.
• MTV Entertainment StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Multi-picture deal with MTV Entertainment Studios for content production. The deal includes projects like 'Heist 88' produced with Courtney B. Vance and Angela Bassett as part of their overall deal with MTV Entertainment Studios.
• Roc NationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2021Partnership for podcast development with Roc Nation, combining Gunpowder & Sky's production capabilities with Roc Nation's music industry connections.
• MiramaxminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2021DUST sci-fi brand teamed with Miramax for sci-fi thriller 'The Masseuse' development.
• Jim Morrison EstatemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2021Jim Morrison documentary in development with Jim Morrison's estate, using never-seen journals and film reels.
• HBO Max / HBOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2021First-look documentary deal with HBO Max and HBO for development and production of documentary content.
• Balboa Productions (Sylvester Stallone)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020DUST sci-fi brand partnered with Sylvester Stallone and Braden Aftergood's Balboa Productions to develop sci-fi sports drama series 'Meshed' based on Rich Larson's short story.
• YouTube / Susanne Daniels / Lyor CohenmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2020Partnership to launch YouTube's 'Released' — a reimagining of MTV's 'TRL' for a new generation, featuring K-pop stars Blackpink and other artists premiering new music.
• Werner Herzog and Rudolph HerzogmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2020Partnership with Werner and Rudolph Herzog on 'Last Exit: Space' documentary examining mankind's push to colonize space, with Werner Herzog narrating and executive producing.
• XPRIZEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2020DUST partnered with XPRIZE for Season 2: Flight 008 of the DUST podcast, featuring stories written by prominent sci-fi writers.
• John Davis / Black Label MediaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2020DUST partnered with John Davis and Black Label Media to develop feature film based on Korean short 'Time Agent' with John Wick's Derek Kolstad attached to write.
• Circle of ConfusionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2020Joint venture with Circle of Confusion to develop and produce sci-fi and horror films and TV projects from writers, directors, and producers whose work has been released on DUST or ALTER.
• Channel 4 (UK)regionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 September 2019DUST sci-fi channel expanded internationally by launching on Channel 4's on-demand service All 4 in the UK.
• Comcast FLEX, Vizio, Sling TV, Samsung TV PlusregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 6 September 2019DUSTx channel launched on additional OTT platforms including Comcast FLEX, Vizio TV, and Sling TV, as well as Samsung TV Plus in the UK.
• Amblin PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2019Amblin Partners picked up ALTER short film 'The Blue Door' for feature film development, with Van Toffler and Floris Bauer of Gunpowder & Sky executive producing.
• YouTube Red (YouTube)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 November 2017Worldwide distribution partnership for nine films and series from YouTube Red as they rolled off exclusive status.
• Indigenous MediaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2017Co-development, co-production, and co-distribution deal with Jon Avnet, Rodrigo Garcia and Jake Avnet's Indigenous Media for four 'social-first' films designed for initial distribution on social platforms.
• Mandalay Sports MediaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2017Partnership with Mandalay Sports Media to create sports-themed horror titles, with 'Lucky Number' as the first project.
• Supergravity PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2017Acquisition of Supergravity Pictures following a strategic investment in July 2015 to create an equity financing and co-production relationship on film projects.
• FilmBuffcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 September 2016Acquisition of FilmBuff, a global distributor, to serve as the company's distribution division 'Gunpowder & Sky Distribution' for marketing and distribution.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Participant Media: Independent entertainment company producing socially conscious documentaries and narrative content. Directly comparable for documentary licensing pipeline and platform-first-look deal structure (similar to G&S's HBO Max documentary deal).
• CuriosityStream: Streaming-focused factual content producer and distributor. Comparable for documentary production pipeline and FAST/streaming distribution orientation, particularly relevant to G&S's documentary franchises.
• NEON: Independent film production and distribution company. Comparable as a similarly sized indie studio competing for the same platform licensing deals and prestige film positioning.
• Blumhouse Productions: Independent film and TV producer specializing in horror and genre content at efficient budgets. Closely comparable to Gunpowder & Sky's ALTER horror brand and low-cost horror feature strategy (e.g., Tragedy Girls, Villains, Like Share Follow).
• STX Entertainment: Independent film and television studio producing and distributing content across platforms. Comparable multi-platform strategy spanning theatrical, streaming, and talent-driven productions.
• BuzzFeed Studios: Digital-first content production arm producing social-first, multi-format entertainment. Comparable for cross-platform content strategy and digital-native audience targeting.
• A24: Independent film and television studio producing differentiated, premium content for streaming and theatrical release. Directly comparable as a private, founder-driven indie studio with a similar model of platform licensing deals, genre/demographic focus, and prestige positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Imagine Entertainment: Larger independent film and television production company producing documentaries and feature content. Comparable documentary production pipeline and talent-driven project model, though at meaningfully larger scale and longer operating history.
• Vice Media: Larger digital-first media company producing documentary, news, and entertainment content for global audiences. Comparable as a digital-first content producer targeting millennial/Gen Z audiences, though at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Rooster Teeth: Digital-first content studio producing genre entertainment (sci-fi, animation, podcasts) across multiple platforms. Comparable through DUST's sci-fi podcast and short-form digital-first content approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/jobs/search/?f_C=10676334&locationId=OTHERS.worldwide
• Xx.com/gunpowdersky
• Facebookfacebook.com/gunpowdersky

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gunpowder & Sky