Aperture Media Partners

What Aperture Media Partners does

Aperture Media Partners is a privately held media finance, advisory, and production company founded in 2016 by Jared Underwood (CEO) and Andrew Robinson (President & COO), both former Comerica Entertainment Group executives. The firm operates from West Hollywood, California, with a team of 1-10 professionals, and provides a comprehensive suite of 11 financing products targeting the independent film and episodic entertainment industry. Its product portfolio spans the full lifecycle of a film — Production Loans and Gap/Supergap loans during principal photography, Finishing Funds and Tax Credit Loans during post-production, Bridge and Sales Agent Advances for working-capital needs, P&A Financing for theatrical release, and Library and Ultimate Loans against projected post-release revenue — augmented by a Media Production arm that co-develops and co-finances projects, and an Advisory practice that sources and negotiates large capital investments in media and entertainment.

The company serves four customer segments — film/TV producers, studios, sales agents, and content creators — and differentiates itself by structuring transactions that traditional banks and mainstream credit investors decline to underwrite (such as gap/supergap loans against unsold territory estimates and ultimate loans against projected net revenues). Pricing is quote-based and transaction-specific; the firm does not publish rates, advance rates, or fee schedules. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations run on industry relationships and bespoke underwriting.

Commercially, the firm is relationship-driven: senior team members originate deals through direct outreach to producers, studios, and sales agents, supplemented by referrals within the entertainment finance ecosystem. Marketing is minimal beyond industry participation. Management's prior track record includes arranging financing for nearly 1,000 films at prior institutions, and the current team holds alumni credentials spanning Comerica, McKinsey, East West Bank, Goldman Sachs, Guggenheim Partners, Cantor Fitzgerald, Miramax, Sony Pictures, and Houlihan Lokey. Aperture is not publicly traded, has not announced funding rounds, and does not disclose financial metrics; ownership appears to reside with founders and management.

Name

Aperture Media Partners

Legal name

Aperture Media Partners

Website

https://aperturemediapartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aperture Media Partners is a privately held, West Hollywood-based media finance, advisory, and production company that provides specialized debt and co-financing solutions for independent film and episodic entertainment projects, targeting producers, studios, sales agents, and content creators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media & Entertainment Finance

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Media & Entertainment (FSABACAL)

Keywords

• Media finance lending
• Film production loans
• Entertainment advisory services
• Gap financing films
• Film tax credit loans

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Production Loans: Senior secured loans collateralized by pre-sale contracts and receivables, where distributors commit to purchase films upon completion. Interest income is earned on the drawn principal throughout the production period.
2. Media Production: Co-production arrangements partnering with other producers and talent to develop, finance and complete film/TV projects. Revenue generated through production participation, distribution fees, and profit participation.
3. Advisory Services: Advisory fees for deploying or sourcing large capital investments in the media and entertainment space. Services include deal structuring, negotiation support, and capital introduction.
4. Specialty Lending Products: Various specialized loan products including Gap/Supergap Loans, Finishing Funds, Bridge Loans, Tax Credit Loans, Sales Agent Advances, P&A Financing, Library Loans, and Ultimate Loans. Each generates interest income on the capital deployed, with terms ranging from short-term bridge facilities to longer-dated ultimate loans tied to theatrical release.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Aperture Media Partners is a media finance, advisory and production company that provides specialized lending products and production/advisory services to the entertainment industry. The firm focuses on feature film and episodic television projects, offering a range of structured loan products as well as production and strategic advisory services to producers, studios, and international sales agents.

Product overview

Aperture Media Partners is a media finance, advisory and production company offering a comprehensive suite of financing solutions for the film and television industry. The company's product portfolio consists of 11 distinct financial products organized as a one-stop shop for producers, studios, sales agents, and content creators. The core offerings include Production Loans, Gap/Supergap Loans, Bridge Loans, Tax Credit Loans, Sales Agent Advances, P&A Financing, Library Loans, and Ultimate Loans for various stages of film financing. These are complemented by Media Production (co-development and co-financing partnerships) and Advisory services for large capital investments. The products work together to provide end-to-end financing coverage from pre-production through post-release distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acquisition Loan Loan product used to finance the acquisition of completed or in-process film and television content, typically by distributors or rights buyers, for projects within the entertainment industry.
• Bridge Loan Short-term financing used to bridge cash flow gaps for film and television producers between expected receivables and immediate production or operational needs.
• GAP Financing Financing designed to cover the funding gap between a project's identified sources (pre-sales, tax credits, equity) and its total budget, enabling completion of feature films and episodic content.
• Senior Secured Loan Senior-secured debt facility for film and television projects, with priority claim on underlying collateral such as distribution rights, tax credits, and receivables.
• Stretch Loan Loan product that provides incremental financing beyond traditional senior debt capacity, based on underwriting of overall package elements rather than single sources.
• Tax Credit Loan Loan monetizing expected federal and state film tax credits before they are refunded, providing working capital to producers during production or post-production.
• Foreign Pre-Sale Loan Financing advanced against committed foreign distribution pre-sales, allowing producers to access capital tied to international territory commitments.
• Distribution Advance Advance against future distribution receipts for completed film and television assets, used to monetize existing content libraries.
• International Co-Production Financing Specialized financing structures tailored to multi-country co-productions, supporting complex cross-border film financing arrangements.
• Sovereign Tax Credit Loan Loan product advanced against tax credits issued by foreign sovereign nations for qualifying productions filmed in their jurisdictions.
• Senior/Mezzanine Loan Hybrid capital structure combining senior secured debt with a mezzanine tranche, used to maximize leverage on film and television projects while accommodating risk tiers.
• Production Services Project-level production services for feature film and episodic projects, supporting producers through the production lifecycle.
• Advisory Services Strategic and financial advisory services provided to producers, studios, and content owners across film finance, packaging, and structuring matters.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Stick Figure ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAperture Media Partners served as a production partner and financier for 'Satisfied,' a film produced by Stick Figure Productions in association with Amblin Documentaries and Aperture Media Partners. The film was released in theaters on September 30 and represents a co-production arrangement.
• Amblin DocumentariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAperture Media Partners co-produced 'Satisfied' with Amblin Documentaries and Stick Figure Productions. This represents a project-specific partnership arrangement for documentary film production.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Newbridge Film Capital: PE fund specialized in mezzanine debt for the entertainment industry; co-headed by Aperture EVP Dan Mandel prior to joining Aperture. Direct predecessor and most comparable business in film-structured finance.
• Sandbox Media Finance: Boutique media finance and advisory firm providing loans and capital introduction to film/TV producers and distributors. Closely comparable advisory + lending hybrid model targeting the same independent-producer segment.
• 361Firm: Boutique investment bank assisting in capital raising for entertainment/media deals; earlier employer of Director Ryan Fine. Direct comp for advisory + capital introduction capabilities.
• MUFG Union Bank Entertainment Finance: Bank entertainment lending group where SVP Matthew Anderson spent years on the media-sector finance side; offers production loans, gap, and other lines to film/TV producers. Same business model from a commercial banking incumbent.
• BondIt Media Capital: Specialty film finance company providing production loans, gap financing, tax credit loans, and P&A lines to independent producers. Direct peer offering nearly identical loan products across the same borrower base.
• East West Bank Entertainment Group: Bank-led specialty entertainment lending division formerly led by Aperture EVP Dan Mandel as SVP/MD. Directly comparable underwriting franchise and product set serving film and media borrowers.
• Comerica Entertainment Group: Long-established industry-leading independent film finance division at Comerica Bank where CEO Jared Underwood spent 18 years and helped finance nearly 1,000 films. Closest legacy comparable for the Aperture business model.

Others

• Stick Figure Productions: Independent production company that partnered with Aperture as a production partner and co-financier on the documentary "Satisfied." Adjacent industry participant that illustrates the company's co-financing and producer-customer relationship.

Broad incumbents

• Goldman Sachs Media & Entertainment Group: Investment banking division serving media and entertainment clients with M&A, capital raises, and credit facilities; previous employer of team member Colin Marshall. Larger incumbent offering overlap in advisory work for entertainment clients.
• City National Bank Entertainment Banking: Bank with dedicated entertainment industry division providing production financing, cash management, and credit facilities to studios, producers, and talent. Larger incumbent offering overlapping products as part of full-service commercial banking.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 Aperture Media Partners