Mama Bear Studios
Mama Bear Studios is a Los Angeles-based independent entertainment studio producing original feature films, podcasts, and comedy shows, distributing its content directly to consumers via YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mama Bear Studios does
Mama Bear Studios, LLC is a small, independent, founder-controlled entertainment studio headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2015 and operating with 1-10 employees, the company produces original feature films, podcasts, and comedy shows. Its catalog includes film projects Rollers, Dayveon, Howard, EHIH, NGB, and HG, alongside audio properties Monster (a horror-themed sonic memoir tied to a Latvia film shoot) and THATWAY (a weekly comedy show featuring founder Isaiah Smallman and Jon). The studio also maintains animated branding content (MB Animated Logo).
The studio distributes its entire output through consumer-facing digital platforms — YouTube for film and video, and Apple Podcasts for audio — rather than via theatrical releases, streaming aggregator deals, or B2B customers. Its commercial footprint is correspondingly minimal: no pricing, no enterprise customers, no funding rounds, no disclosed revenue, no parent company, and no external institutional shareholders. The company website functions as a project showcase plus email signup, reinforcing a direct-to-consumer, low-monetization posture.
Commercially, the studio displays characteristics of a passion/experimental creative venture rather than a venture-backable business. It is structured as a California LLC with sole reported leadership (Isaiah Smallman as founder and CEO), no disclosed management bench, and no evidence of acquisitions, partnerships, regulatory milestones, or M&A activity. The economic model, to the extent one exists, appears to rely on free content distribution with implied but unconfirmed ad or sponsorship revenue — making financial forecasting inherently low-confidence.
Mama Bear Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mama Bear Studios
- Legal name
- Mama Bear Studios, LLC
- Website
- https://mamabearstudios.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Mama Bear Studios is a Los Angeles-based independent entertainment studio producing original feature films, podcasts, and comedy shows, distributing its content directly to consumers via YouTube and Apple Podcasts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mama Bear Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Film and Podcast Production
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Studios (51224), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Record Production and Distribution (51225)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)
Keywords
Where Mama Bear Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mama Bear Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Mama Bear Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mama Bear Studios is an independent entertainment studio that produces original feature films, podcasts, and comedy shows. Its film projects (Rollers, Dayveon, Howard, EHIH, NGB, HG) are distributed via YouTube, while its audio programming — the horror memoir podcast "Monster" and the weekly conversational comedy show "THATWAY" — is distributed via Apple Podcasts and YouTube. The studio targets general audiences seeking independent horror, documentary, and comedy content.
Product overview
Mama Bear Studios is a Los Angeles-based entertainment studio that produces films, animated content, and podcasts. The company operates as a single unified creative studio offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their portfolio includes multiple film/video projects (Rollers, Dayveon, Howard, EHIH, NGB, HG) distributed via YouTube, two podcast productions (Monster - a horror podcast, and THATWAY - a weekly comedy show), and animated content (MB Animated Logo). Content is distributed through YouTube and Apple Podcasts platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rollers An independent film produced by Mama Bear Studios and distributed to consumers via YouTube, promoted with a poster on the studio's website.
- Dayveon An independent film produced by Mama Bear Studios and made available to consumers on YouTube.
- Howard An independent film produced by Mama Bear Studios and made available to consumers on YouTube.
- EHIH An independent film produced by Mama Bear Studios and made available to consumers on YouTube.
- NGB An independent film produced by Mama Bear Studios and made available to consumers on YouTube.
- HG An independent film produced by Mama Bear Studios and made available to consumers on YouTube.
- Monster A sonic-memoir horror podcast from Mama Bear Studios about meeting a real demon while making a horror movie in Latvia, distributed to consumers via Apple Podcasts.
- THATWAY A weekly conversational comedy show produced by Mama Bear Studios, hosted by Isaiah and Jon, covering life, popular culture, and the challenges of producing movies in Hollywood; distributed to consumers via YouTube.
- MB Animated Logo An animated brand-logo content piece for Mama Bear Studios, displayed on a dedicated page of the company website.
Companies that use Mama Bear Studios
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Mama Bear Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Mama Bear Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Mama Bear Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Annapurna Pictures: Independent production and distribution company producing original feature films. Compares as a similarly structured indie studio focused on creative-driven, non-franchise filmmaking.
- Blumhouse Productions: Independent film production company specializing in low-budget horror and genre content. Closely aligned with Mama Bear Studios' horror-focused podcast (Monster) and horror/comedy film catalog.
- Gimlet Media: Podcast production company creating original narrative and conversational audio programming. Comparable to Mama Bear Studios' podcast production side, particularly the THATWAY conversational comedy format.
- Rooster Teeth: Multi-format content studio producing video, audio, and animated programming distributed across YouTube and podcasts. Closely comparable given Mama Bear Studios' similar multi-format, multi-platform approach.
- Neon: Independent film studio/distributor focused on distinctive auteur-driven releases. Comparable in producing and distributing original indie content to niche audiences.
- Wondery: Podcast studio and network producing original narrative and conversational audio content. Directly comparable to Mama Bear Studios' Monster and THATWAY podcast productions on Apple Podcasts.
- Magnolia Pictures: Independent film distribution company focused on original and documentary features. Comparable in curating and releasing distinctive indie film content for engaged audiences.
- A24: Independent film studio producing original narrative features with a distinctive creative voice. Directly comparable to Mama Bear Studios as both develop and own original indie film IP for distribution to audiences.
Broad incumbents
- IFC Films: Long-established independent film distributor with broad catalog. Comparable as an established indie distribution channel that competes for the same audience attention as Mama Bear Studios' self-distributed titles.
- Lionsgate: Major independent studio with significant film and television production across multiple genres. Represents a scaled incumbent in the same production space where Mama Bear Studios operates at the indie level.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Mama Bear Studios social profiles
Digital presenceMama Bear Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mama Bear Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Mama Bear Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mama Bear Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mama Bear Studios
What does Mama Bear Studios do?
Mama Bear Studios is an independent entertainment studio that produces original feature films, podcasts, and comedy shows. Its film projects (Rollers, Dayveon, Howard, EHIH, NGB, HG) are distributed via YouTube, while its audio programming — the horror memoir podcast "Monster" and the weekly conversational comedy show "THATWAY" — is distributed via Apple Podcasts and YouTube. The studio targets general audiences seeking independent horror, documentary, and comedy content.
Is Mama Bear Studios a public or private company?
Mama Bear Studios is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Mama Bear Studios founded?
Mama Bear Studios was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Mama Bear Studios based?
Mama Bear Studios is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Mama Bear Studios's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Annapurna Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Gimlet Media, Rooster Teeth, Neon, Wondery, Magnolia Pictures and A24. Broad incumbents are IFC Films and Lionsgate.
Does Mama Bear Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mama Bear Studios.
What industry is Mama Bear Studios in?
Mama Bear Studios's product category is Independent Film and Podcast Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAIAJ, Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams), with a secondary code of BPAFAIAE, Audio Production & Podcasting. Its NAICS code is 51224 and its SIC code is 7812.