What Thunder Studios does

Thunder Studios operates a 13-acre, 150,000-square-foot full-service production campus in Long Beach, California, approximately 25 minutes south of Hollywood and 20 minutes from LAX. Founded in 2013, the company consolidates 12-20 sound stages (sized from 1,700 to 16,000 sq ft), an 8K LED virtual production volume (Stage 14), a 4K UHD master control room, mobile broadcast trucks, fly-pack kits, and a 10,000 sq ft esports and live event venue (The Arena) on a single site. Differentiated stage configurations include a 21-foot hydraulic automotive turntable (Stage 02), a dedicated pre-lit green cyc with motion capture (Stage 11), a sound-isolated dialogue/ADR stage (Stage 05), and a large black cyc convertible for live events (Stage 03).

The business model is enterprise B2B rental and production services sold on a quote-based, day-rate basis (12-hour minimum, full balance paid upfront to secure booking). Revenue streams span stage rentals, virtual production / LED volume day rates plus Unreal environment creation services, broadcasting (on-site control room, mobile truck deployment across the US and Mexico, and fly-pack rentals), event venue rental (Arena, Backlot, lounges), and add-on production services such as catering, G&E and equipment rentals, crewing, and supporting rooms. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; distribution is direct enterprise field sales supported by a website with segmented inquiry forms, a downloadable capabilities deck, and on-site studio tours for qualified prospects.

Thunder serves film and television productions, brands and agencies (Nike, Apple, Samsung, Toyota, Nissan, Skechers), broadcasters and streamers (HBO, Apple TV+, Amazon Studios, Fox, Hulu, Univision), live sports and combat sports clients (UFC, DAZN, Most Valuable Promotions), and gaming/esports organizers (Riot Games, Blizzard, Twitch Rivals, Esports Awards). The company has won two LA Area Emmy Awards (2015 and 2017) for Rose Parade live broadcast coverage for Univision. Revenue, ownership structure, and headcount are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Thunder Studios

Legal name

Thunder Studios

Website

https://thunderstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Thunder Studios operates a 13-acre, 150,000 sq ft production campus in Long Beach, CA offering sound stages, an 8K LED virtual production volume, 4K broadcast control, mobile trucks, and a live event venue to film, TV, brand, sports, and esports clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film & TV Production Facilities

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Other Sound Recording Industries (51229), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Studio Campus / Production Facility Operators (MPADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Soundstage & Stage Rental (Film/TV) (MPADAIAA), Event Technical Production Management & Crew (MPAGAKAH), Audio & Communications Equipment Rental (MPADAFAC)

Keywords

• Film production stages
• Virtual production services
• Live broadcast production
• Sound stage rental
• Live event venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Stage Rental: Core revenue from renting 12+ sound stages ranging from 1,700 to 16,000 sq ft. Day-rate model (12-hour minimum). Revenue influenced by stage size, type (LED, cyc, turntable, sound-isolated), and duration. Multiple stage types serve different production needs enabling cross-selling.
2. Virtual Production Services: Revenue from LED volume and XR production on Stage 14. Includes day-rate for LED stage plus environment creation services. Custom Unreal environment creation scoped separately (2-6 week lead time). 2-day minimum for XR shoots, 1-day minimum for LED.
3. Broadcasting Services: Three broadcast service lines: on-site control room at Long Beach, mobile truck deployment (US + Mexico), and fly pack/flight pack rentals. Revenue varies by deployment type, duration, and crew requirements. 48+ hour lead time for on-site, 5+ days for mobile/flypack.
4. Event Venue Rental: Revenue from The Arena (10,000 sq ft, 1,000+ capacity), Backlot (5,000-10,000 sq ft outdoor), Hollywood Lounge, and Marquee Bar. Event spaces can be booked individually or combined for large-scale productions.
5. Production Support Services: Add-on services including catering, equipment rentals (G&E, camera, set dec), supporting rooms (offices, holding, HMU), production supplies, and crewing. Most productions add standard services (catering, rentals, supporting rooms, production supplies) with optional crewing and XR environment creation available.
6. Parking: Ancillary revenue from on-site parking. $20/vehicle/day for standard vehicles, $40/vehicle/day for trucks/trailers. 400 vehicle spaces available on private lot.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Thunder Studios rents sound stages, virtual production (LED/XR) volume, broadcast control room capacity, mobile broadcast trucks and event venue space on a day-rate basis to film, television, advertising, sports and live event producers. Bundled production support services — catering, G&E rentals, supporting rooms, crewing, and Unreal environment creation — are scoped alongside each stage booking.

Product overview

Thunder Studios operates as a full-service production campus offering 14 dedicated sound stages and multiple production support services across a single 150,000-square-foot lot in Long Beach, CA. The core product portfolio centers on film and TV stage rentals (Stages 01, 02, 03, 05, 06, 11, 14), supplemented by virtual production capabilities via Stage 14's 8K LED XR volume, live broadcasting infrastructure including a UHD master control room and mobile trucks, and an esports/live events venue (The Arena). Support spaces include talent suites (Bondi, Sydney, Hollywood Lounge, Bronte, Coogee), production offices, and on-site bars. Production support services (catering, rentals, crewing, environment creation) are offered as add-on modules priced alongside stage bookings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stage 14 — LED / XR Volume 15,000 sq ft virtual production stage with an 8K LED wall (55' x 14.5', Absen PL2.5 panels, 2.5mm pitch, 1,500 NITS, 10-bit color) and stYpe RedSpy camera tracking, designed for automotive beauty shots, fashion photography, episodic and commercial virtual production, music video virtual environments, live event XR capture and film/TV scenes; 2-day minimum for XR shoots.
• Stage 01 7,400 sq ft film stage with 3-wall white cyc and prelit feature, suited for sound-sensitive productions with direct outside access for large item unloading, water set capability and gas line.
• Stage 02 — Automotive Turntable 7,100 sq ft automotive stage with a 21-foot hydraulic turntable that elevates, rotates and tilts, 3-wall white cyc, 26-foot partial ceiling return, and 10x40-foot lightbox for controlled vehicle photography.
• Stage 03 16,000 sq ft film stage with 3-wall black cyc and optional 210-linear-foot digi-green curtain conversion, vehicle access through elephant doors, 30-ton A/C unit, and doubles as a 2,000-capacity live event venue.
• Stage 05 — Sound Isolated Compact 1,700 sq ft sound-isolated film stage with paper seamless cyc, walls and ceiling treated for maximum sound isolation and deadening, purpose-built for dialogue-heavy scenes, ADR, podcasts and voiceover sessions.
• Stage 06 — Talent Privacy Suite 1,900 sq ft self-contained shooting suite with dedicated photo stage, adjacent production holding area, talent lounge on mezzanine, client lounge with private interior window, and private parking lot access for high-profile talent and clients.
• Stage 11 — Green Cyc & Motion Capture 5,000 sq ft dedicated green cyc stage with prelit 3-wall chroma green setup, full motion gantry system, flying flats, motion capture support, volumetric capture capability, 16' x 40' flying flat and dedicated fiber internet optimized for QTake and video conferencing.
• The Arena — Esports & Live Event Venue 10,000 sq ft dedicated live event and performance venue with 1,000-person standing capacity, built-in main stage, casting stage, host main desk, gaming desks/chairs/peripherals, two VIP lounges, green screen and digi-blue interview stages, video wall, programmable moving lighting, and 1–10 Gbps dedicated fiber ring.
• The Backlot 5,000–10,000 sq ft private outdoor space with direct Arena connection, vehicle gate access, 6'x4' steeldeck platform stage, 30mb WiFi, 100mb hardline drops, awning area and outdoor bar for branded activations and open-air filming.
• Virtual Production Services Virtual production offerings including XR mode (live 3D tracked environments using Unreal Engine with stYpe camera tracking) and LED mode (plate playback without camera tracking), with environment creation services, tech consultation, camera calibration and on-set operator support.
• Live Broadcasting Services Broadcast production services including on-site UHD control room with 100+ streams and scalable fiber out, mobile broadcast trucks for US and Mexico deployments (500+ deployments experience), and fly pack compact broadcast kits for roadshows and press events; supports studio shows, news, esports and events with REMI international signal receive.
• On-Site Production Services A la carte production support services including catering (hot breakfast, lunch, dinners), G&E rentals (grip, electric, heavy equipment), supporting rooms (talent suites, HMU, green rooms), production supplies (expendables, stands, PPE), crewing, and custom Unreal environment creation for Stage 14 XR productions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000 square feet of production infrastructure under one roof
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• World Building PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationCreative partners for Unreal Engine environment creation and virtual production asset development. Services include previz & techvis passes, asset library dressing, custom world construction, and on-shoot operator for real-time tweaks.
• Mega Advanced LTDminorOthersProduction company credited for Esports Awards Red Carpet 2024 project shot at Thunder Studios
• MetaphrenieminorOthersProduction company credited for The Whistle XR production project shot at Thunder Studios

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NEP Group: NEP Group is the world's largest outsourced broadcast production partner, operating mobile trucks, fly packs, and master control rooms across sports, entertainment, and live events. Thunder's Broadcast pillar (4K UHD control room, mobile fleet across US/Mexico, fly pack rentals) directly competes for the same tier-1 sports and live-event clients (DAZN, UFC, etc.) on overlapping delivery models including REMI workflows.
• Vū Technologies: Vū operates network of large-format LED volume virtual production studios (Vū Orlando, Vū Nashville, etc.) using Unreal Engine workflows. Vū is the most direct head-to-head competitor to Thunder's Stage 14 LED volume for episodic, commercial, and film VP work, competing on similar technical specs (Unreal integration, camera tracking) and on price-per-day for VP-dedicated capacity.
• NantStudios: NantStudios (El Segundo, CA and New York) combines LED-volume virtual production with traditional soundstage rental for film, episodic, and commercial clients. Like Thunder, NantStudios offers integrated stage + VP infrastructure with similar Unreal-based workflows and competes for the same Apple TV+, Amazon Studios, and premium brand budgets.
• Game Creek Video: Game Creek Video is one of the largest US mobile-broadcast production companies (50+ trucks), serving NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, and major live events with REMI and fly pack capabilities. Game Creek directly competes with Thunder's mobile broadcast fleet for the same tier-1 sports rights holders and live-event promoter contracts.
• LA Center Studios: LA Center Studios is a 20-acre, ~600,000 sq ft soundstage and production facility in downtown LA, offering multiple stages, production offices, and support spaces. As one of the largest independent LA studio campuses, it competes head-to-head with Thunder for film/TV stage rental, production office, and crewing business in the same metro.
• Sunlight Studios: Sunlight Studios operates LED volume virtual production facilities (notably Burbank-based) with Unreal Engine integration and camera tracking. Direct competitor to Thunder Stage 14 for VP commercials, music videos, and episodic content in the LA market, particularly in the music video and brand film verticals where Thunder has Halle Bailey and music artist credits.

Regional players

• Trilith Studios: Trilith Studios is a 700+ acre production campus in Fayetteville, Georgia (Atlanta metro) with 20+ stages including large LED volumes, production offices, and a purpose-built town for location filming. Trilith is the largest competitor to LA-based facilities like Thunder by leveraging Georgia's 30% production tax credit, drawing away productions that might otherwise stage at LA facilities.
• Pinewood Studios: Pinewood Studios (Shepperton and Pinewood, UK) and Pinewood Atlanta are part of the global Pinewood Group soundstage portfolio. Pinewood competes with Thunder indirectly for the global feature/streaming production budget by leveraging UK creative-industry tax relief, although it serves a different geographic market primarily.

Broad incumbents

• Sunset Studios (Hackman Capital): Sunset Studios (Sunset Las Palmas Studios, Sunset Bronson, Sunset Gower) is Hackman Capital's Hollywood studio campus portfolio with 30+ stages across multiple lots. As the largest US independent studio operator, Sunset/Hackman competes with Thunder on premium stage rental for scripted TV, features, and major-streamer content in Hollywood-adjacent locations.
• CBS Studio Center: CBS Studio Center (Studio City, CA) is a 40-acre production campus operated by Hackman Capital Partners with 18+ stages, production offices, and broadcast facilities. Now part of the largest US soundstage portfolio (Hackman Capital), it competes with Thunder on general stage rental, episodic TV, and sitcom work in the LA market, with more entrenched major-studio relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thunder_inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thunder-studios
• Instagraminstagram.com/thunderstudios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Thunder Studios