Northern Pictures

What Northern Pictures does

Northern Pictures is an Australian television and documentary production company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Redfern, Sydney. The company produces content across four primary verticals — factual/documentary, scripted comedy and drama, children's programming, and natural history/reality formats — for major Australian broadcasters (ABC, SBS, Network 10/Paramount+), international streamers (Netflix), and global distribution partners (BBC, ITV Studios, ACTF). Its flagship production, Love on the Spectrum, is a seven-time Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award winner and the most awarded Australian production at the Emmys, having originated on ABC Australia and been adapted for US Netflix. The portfolio spans roughly 20 titles including Austin, Hardball, Spreadsheet, See What You Made Me Do, The Jury: Death on the Staircase, Strong Female Lead, Magical Land of Oz, and Employable Me.

The company's technology and capability stack is creative rather than computational: format development and localization (demonstrated by the Australian-to-US adaptation of Love on the Spectrum), multi-genre production expertise, and post-production leadership. Northern Pictures earns revenue through three primary streams: (1) broadcast commissioning fees from Australian networks for original content production, (2) international licensing and format royalties (principally Netflix's Love on the Spectrum US), and (3) international co-production financing with partners such as ITV Studios UK, Sinking Ship Entertainment, and Beach House Pictures, which also facilitates global distribution rights. The company also accesses Australian government production funding through Screen Australia and co-production treaties.

Northern Pictures operates as a subsidiary of RACAT Group, a diversified media conglomerate, and maintains a joint venture (Yoowarni Productions) with First Nations creatives for Indigenous content. Distribution reaches 180+ countries. The company employs 11-50 people and has been twice named Screen Producers Australia "Production Business of the Year" (2022 and 2025). Key leadership includes Managing Director Matt Vitins (former COO at Matchbox Pictures/Tony Ayres Productions) and Head of Factual Karina Holden (UNESCO Sydney Filmmaker of the Year).

Name

Northern Pictures

Legal name

Northern Pictures Pty Ltd

Website

https://northernpictures.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northern Pictures is a Sydney-based television production company founded in 2010 that produces Emmy-winning factual, documentary, scripted, and children's programming for Australian broadcasters (ABC, SBS, Network 10) and global streamers/distributors (Netflix, BBC, ITV Studios), with content reaching 180+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Redfern

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broadcast Commissioning Fees: Production companies receive commissioning fees from broadcasters like ABC, SBS, and Network 10 to produce original content. These fees cover production costs and typically include rights allocations.
2. International Licensing and Format Sales: Successful formats like Love on the Spectrum are licensed internationally. The US version produced for Netflix generates licensing revenue, with Northern Pictures serving as the production company behind the Australian original and US adaptation.
3. International Co-Production Financing: Co-productions with international partners (e.g., ITV Studios UK for Austin) bring in co-production financing and facilitate global distribution rights.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Northern Pictures is an Australian B2B television production company that develops, produces, and delivers scripted comedy and drama, factual entertainment, documentary, children's, and reality programming for broadcasters and streaming platforms. The company secures commissioning fees, co-production financing, and format licensing revenue by pitching original formats (such as Love on the Spectrum, Austin, and Hardball) to Australian networks and global streamers like Netflix.

Product overview

Northern Pictures is an Australian television production company established in 2010 that delivers Scripted, Children's, Factual Entertainment and Documentary content. The company produces multiple distinct programs across several categories: factual/documentary series (Love on the Spectrum, See What You Made Me Do, The Jury: Death on the Staircase, Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator, The Matter of Facts), scripted comedy (Austin, Spreadsheet), children's programming (Hardball, Animal Mania, Hiccup and Sneeze), and theatrical documentaries (Strong Female Lead, Whiteley, BLUE). The portfolio also includes natural history programming (Magical Land of Oz, Reef Live) and factual entertainment series (Employable Me, Asking For It). The company's flagship production is Love on the Spectrum, a seven-time Primetime Emmy Award-winning documentary series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Love on the Spectrum Seven-time Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award-winning documentary series following people on the autism spectrum as they navigate dating and relationships. Originally produced for ABC Australia and distributed globally by Netflix as Love on the Spectrum US.
• Austin Narrative comedy series about a neurodivergent young man (Michael Theo) whose previously estranged father Julian Hartswood (Ben Miller) and stepmother Ingrid (Sally Phillips) navigate modern family life. Produced for ABC Australia and ITV Studios.
• The Jury: Death on the Staircase Five-part documentary series that re-enacts a real manslaughter trial with actors reciting real court transcripts word-for-word, while a new jury of everyday Australians deliberates the verdict. Produced for SBS.
• Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator Two-part documentary exposing how celebrity and unchecked power shielded decades of abuse by Australian entertainer Rolf Harris. Produced for ABC Television in association with Arrow Media.
• The Matter of Facts Three-part documentary series hosted by Hamish Macdonald exploring truth and lies in the digital information ecosystem and how misinformation is created at scale.
• Hardball International Emmy Award-winning live-action children's comedy series following Mikey and his dream to become a handball champion in Western Sydney. Produced for ABC ME.
• Spreadsheet Sex-and-the-city style comedy about a divorced mother-of-two who uses a database to manage her sex life. Commissioned by Network 10 and Paramount+.
• Strong Female Lead Documentary exploring gender politics during Julia Gillard's term as Australia's first female Prime Minister. Produced for SBS.
• See What You Made Me Do Three-part documentary series on domestic violence and coercive control in Australia, based on Jess Hill's book. Produced for SBS.
• Employable Me Documentary series following people with neurodiverse conditions seeking meaningful employment. Winner of the 2018 AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program.
• Reef Live Live broadcast documentary covering the annual mass coral spawning on the Great Barrier Reef.
• Magical Land of Oz Blue-chip natural history series showcasing Australian wildlife across the continent.
• BLUE Theatrical documentary.
• Whiteley Theatrical documentary about Australian artist Brett Whiteley.
• Animal Mania Spanish and Portuguese language children's show produced for Nat Geo Latin America about animals, targeted at 7-9 year olds.
• Hiccup and Sneeze Preschool series about Bibi and two young forest monsters Hiccup and Sneeze. Co-produced with Beach House Pictures for Nine Network and OKTO JNR.
• News of the Wild Children's programming.
• Creature Mania Children's programming.
• Asking For It Documentary series examining consent in Australia.
• Better Date Than Never Documentary series.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards won (most by any Australian company)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• BBCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 10 July 2024BBC acquired Australian comedy series Austin for UK broadcast. Deal demonstrates international appetite for Northern Pictures content and provides additional revenue stream through international licensing.
• Yoowarni ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2022Joint venture with First Nations creatives Benny Eggmolesse and Scott Wilson to form Yoowarni Productions. Strategic partnership focused on developing and producing First Nations content, bringing authentic Indigenous storytelling to broader audiences.
• Sinking Ship EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2021Co-development partnership with Canadian production company Sinking Ship Entertainment for children's live-action series 'Dance Spies'. Northern Pictures brings Australian production expertise and access to local talent, while Sinking Ship provides international distribution and co-production experience.
• Beach House PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partnership with Beach House Pictures for preschool series Hiccup and Sneeze. Beach House Pictures contributed as creative developer and co-producer of the original preschool series concept.
• ABC TelevisionflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary commissioning broadcaster for Australian productions. Long-standing partnership resulting in commissions including Love on the Spectrum Australia, Austin, Hardball, The Matter of Facts, and many documentary series.
• SBSflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor commissioning broadcaster for documentary and factual programming. Produced The Jury: Death on the Staircase, See What You Made Me Do, and Strong Female Lead for SBS.
• NetflixflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal streaming partner for Love on the Spectrum US. Commissioned Northern Pictures to produce US version of the format. Deal enabled global distribution of the format outside Australia.
• ITV StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner with ABC on comedy series Austin. ITV Studios UK serves as international production partner and facilitates global distribution rights for the Australian comedy series.
• Australian Children's Television Foundation (ACTF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational distributor for Australian children's content. Sold Hardball to BBC, France Televisions, NRK, RTE, TVO, TFO, TVB, RTP, RTV, SABC and other international broadcasters.
• Jump Street Films (Jewish Australian Screen Fund)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern Pictures producing a historical thriller limited series for the Jewish Australian Screen Fund in 2026. Fund was launched in 2024 to support authentic Jewish Australian storytelling.
• Arrow MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator documentary. Arrow Media serves as co-producer for the two-part documentary series produced for ABC.
• Media OceanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for The Matter of Facts documentary. Media Ocean associated with production of the ABC documentary series on misinformation and truth.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CJZ: Australian production company (part of CJZ Group) producing factual, entertainment, and documentary content. Direct peer — same Australian production market, similar factual/entertainment slate positioning.
• Hoodlum Entertainment: Australian production company producing drama and factual content (Harrow, The Twelve, RFDS) for domestic and international buyers. Direct peer — same Australian premium-TV market and broadcaster relationships, with comparable scripted and factual capability.
• Easy Tiger Productions: Australian factual and entertainment production company behind MasterChef Australia, Gruen, and Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds. Direct peer — competes for the same factual/documentary commissions from Australian public broadcasters and global streamers.
• Matchbox Pictures: Australian production company (owned by NBCUniversal) producing premium drama, comedy, and documentary for domestic broadcasters and global streamers. Direct peer — same Australian production market, similar slate breadth, and direct prior leadership overlap (Matt Vitins was previously COO at Matchbox).
• Essential Media & Entertainment: Australian production company producing factual, reality, and documentary content for broadcasters and global streamers. Direct peer — comparable factual/reality capability, overlapping Australian broadcaster relationships.
• Southern Pictures: Australian factual and documentary production company (Whale with Steve Backshall, Outback Truckers). Direct peer — comparable factual/documentary capability, competing for SBS, ABC, and global streaming commissions.

Broad incumbents

• Fremantle Australia: Australian production division of global studio Fremantle, producing drama, entertainment, and documentary (Neighbours, Australian Idol). Broad incumbent — much larger portfolio and global distribution reach via parent company.
• Endemol Shine Australia: Large Australian arm of global production group Banijay, producing MasterChef, Married at First Sight, and Big Brother. Broad incumbent — significantly larger scale and format library, but competes for the same broadcaster commissions and talent.
• ITV Studios Australia: Australian arm of UK broadcaster ITV Studios, co-producing content like Austin with Northern Pictures. Broad incumbent — functions both as co-production partner and competitor for premium Australian commissions.

Regional players

• Wildbear Entertainment: Australian natural history and factual production company producing blue-chip wildlife and environmental content. Regional player — comparable factual capability and Australian broadcaster relationships, but focused primarily on natural history rather than Northern Pictures' broader slate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/northernpictures
• Instagraminstagram.com/npcasting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Northern Pictures