Filmtools
Filmtools is a Burbank, California-based e-commerce and retail retailer of professional film, video, and photography equipment serving Hollywood production professionals, photographers, students, government agencies, and B2B production companies worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersBurbank, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Filmtools does
Filmtools is a privately held e-commerce and physical retailer of professional film, video, and photography equipment, headquartered in Burbank, California. Founded in 1998, the company operates the filmtools.com storefront on a Magento platform augmented by iOS and Android mobile applications, and maintains a flagship retail showroom, two warehouse locations in Burbank for will-call pickup, and a corporate office. The product catalog spans cameras, lenses and optics, grip and electrical equipment, lighting, digital storage, sound, expendables, bags and cases, carts and dollies, monitors, tripods, and on-location and studio supplies, with a private-label "FT Exclusives" line. Specialty services include a Custom Cable Builder, a Quick Order bulk-purchasing tool with CSV upload, and Affirm-based installment financing including a 24-month Canon EOS program.
The company serves professional filmmakers, professional photographers, students and educators, government agencies via a GSA procurement program, and B2B/production company accounts with tax exemption handling and bulk pricing. International shipping reaches over 190 countries via DHL, UPS, and FedEx, while a same-day shipping cutoff on in-stock items at 3:30pm PST supports time-sensitive production workflows. The business is operated by Filmtools Inc. as a Magnasync/Moviola company, with no institutional funding, no disclosed M&A history, and identified leadership including Jorge Jimenez (Vice President / GM, Business Operations) and Joe Nunez (Data Controller).
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time hardware sales at retail pricing with no subscription component, supplemented by transaction fees tied to third-party financing. Customer acquisition relies on multi-channel digital presence (email newsletter, social media across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and SEO), event participation including Cinegear, and a hybrid direct-to-consumer plus B2B account sales motion. No AI/ML, SaaS, or recurring platform revenue is evident from the source material.
Filmtools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Filmtools
- Legal name
- Filmtools Inc.
- Website
- https://filmtools.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Filmtools is a Burbank, California-based e-commerce and retail retailer of professional film, video, and photography equipment serving Hollywood production professionals, photographers, students, government agencies, and B2B production companies worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Filmtools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Film, Video, and Photography Equipment Retail
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459), Photographic Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423410)
- SIC
- Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Video Camera & Production Gear Retail (Camcorders, Cinema Cameras, Rigs) (CRACAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Camera & Lens Retail (Photo Cameras, Lenses & Optical Accessories) (CRACAHAA), Lighting & Studio Equipment Retail (Flash, Continuous, Modifiers, Backdrops) (CRACAHAF), Gimbals, Stabilizers & Camera Support Retail (Tripods, Sliders, Mounts) (CRACAHAE), Drone Parts, Batteries & Accessories Retail (CRACAHAL), Action Cameras & Adventure Imaging Retail (CRACAHAD)
Keywords
Where Filmtools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burbank
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Filmtools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: One-time product sales of professional film, video, and photography equipment including cameras, lenses, lighting, grip equipment, storage, sound equipment, and expendables. Revenue generated through retail pricing with no recurring component.
- Financing Services: Partnership with Affirm to offer installment payment options to customers. Canon-specific 24-month financing program for Canon EOS products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Shipping on orders over $150 |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Student/Educator Discount Program |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | California Teleproduction Tax Discount |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Monthly | Financing through Affirm |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Filmtools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Filmtools is a specialized retailer that sells professional film, video, and photography equipment directly to filmmakers, photographers, and production professionals. The company operates its own e-commerce storefront (filmtools.com), a flagship Burbank retail showroom, and offers build-to-order services such as a Custom Cable Builder and a Quick Order bulk purchasing tool. Inventory spans cameras, lenses, lighting, grip and electrical gear, digital storage, sound equipment, expendables, bags, cases, and carts.
Product overview
Filmtools is an e-commerce platform offering professional film, video, and photography equipment. The platform operates as a single storefront rather than a modular architecture, providing a comprehensive product catalog across multiple categories including Camera Equipment (cameras, lenses, supports, monitors, tripods), Grip & Electrical Equipment (clamps, rigging, stands, cables), Lighting (fixtures, controls, gels, stands), Digital Storage (drives, memory cards, archival solutions), Sound Equipment (microphones, recorders, cables), Expendables (tape, fabric, cleaning supplies), Bags & Cases, Carts & Dollies, and specialized offerings like FT Exclusives brand products, Student Store discounts, and studio/on-location equipment. The company also provides services including Custom Cable Builder, Quick Order bulk purchasing, and Financing through Affirm. Filmtools serves professional filmmakers, photographers, educators, and content creators with both retail products and build-to-order capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Camera Equipment Professional cinema cameras, mirrorless cameras, DSLR cameras, action cameras, drones, PTZ cameras, and point-and-shoot cameras along with accessories including camera cages, bridge plates, sliders, dollies, jibs, and video stabilizers, sold to filmmakers, videographers, and photographers.
- Lenses and Optics Photo lenses, cine lenses, and lens accessories including French flags, lens storage, lens caps, cleaning solutions, lens gears, and lens converters/diopters, sold to cinematographers and photographers.
- Grip and Electrical Equipment Grip clamps and clips including Cardellini and Mathellini clamps, rigging equipment, hardware, stands, booms, jibs, C-stands, baby stands, combo stands, and electrical cables and distribution, sold to film and video production crews.
- Lighting Equipment Lighting fixtures and kits including tungsten, fluorescent, LED, HMI/daylight lighting, china balls, tube lights, bulbs, dimmers, DMX controllers, lighting control accessories, gels, diffusion, lighting stands, and green screen/backdrop equipment, sold to film, video, and photography productions.
- Digital Storage Hard drives, RAID storage, SSD drives, memory cards, memory card readers, USB flash drives, data archiving solutions (CD, DVD, LTO, Blu-Ray), digital recorders, rugged drives, and Thunderbolt storage, sold to production and post-production teams.
- Sound Equipment Microphones (wireless, shotgun, handheld), audio interfaces, audio recorders and mixers, audio cables and connectors, boom poles, shock mounts, sound bags, sound carts, headphones, and monitors, sold to film, video, and broadcast production sound crews.
- Expendables Tape and adhesives including cloth tape and paper tape, fabrics and plastics (Duvetyne, Visqueen), cleaning supplies, marking utensils, ropes and chains, foam core, seamless paper, cable management, and blankets, sold to film and production crews.
- Bags and Cases Hard cases, backpacks, lens and filter pouches, tripod bags, and bag accessories, with Pelican hard cases as a featured brand, sold to filmmakers and photographers for equipment transport and protection.
- Carts and Dollies Converted carts, grip and electrical carts, vertical carts, and cart accessories including nose plates, shelves, wheels, tents, umbrellas, cable hooks, cabinets, and drawers, sold to film and broadcast production crews.
- Monitors and Viewfinders Viewfinders, on-camera monitors, viewfinder accessories, on-camera monitor accessories, and monitor/viewfinder bags and cases, sold to camera operators and DPs.
- Tripods and Monopods Tripod systems and kits, tripod legs, tripod heads (pan and tilt heads, ball heads), monopods, and tripod bags and cases, sold to camera operators and photographers.
- FT Exclusives Filmtools brand-exclusive products including apparel, camera accessories, car mounts, carts and dollies, expendables, grip and electrical equipment, and tapes and adhesives, sold under the Filmtools private label.
- Student Store Discounted equipment packages for students including hard drives, gaffer tape, lighting, camera accessories, and grip gear, offered to film and media students at educational pricing.
- Custom Cable Builder Online custom cable building service allowing customers to configure and order bespoke cables tailored to specific production requirements.
- Quick Order Bulk Purchasing Bulk ordering tool allowing business customers to enter multiple SKUs via CSV file upload for efficient large-volume purchasing of grip and electrical cart parts.
- Financing Services Payment financing options through Affirm offering 0% interest Pay-in-4 plans and monthly installments, plus Canon EOS 24-month financing programs for higher-ticket purchases.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serving Hollywood and worldwide filmmaking community for 20 years
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Filmtools
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Filmtools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Filmtools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- CanoncoreCanon partnership includes special financing program (24-month Canon EOS financing), featured brand presence on site, and dedicated Canon product categories including cinema cameras and lenses.
- DHLcoreDHL used for international shipping with Express Worldwide, Express 12:00, and Express Easy delivery options.
- UPScoreUPS partner for domestic and international shipping with multiple service levels from Ground to Worldwide Express options.
- FedExcoreFedEx partner for domestic shipping with Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight, 2Day, and Ground delivery options.
- PelicanmajorFeatured brand for hard cases and protective equipment with dedicated brand page and featured placement.
- Backstage EquipmentmajorFeatured brand partner for carts and production equipment with dedicated brand page and featured placement.
- Pro TapesmajorFeatured brand partner for expendables including tape and adhesive products.
- SanDisk ProfessionalmajorFeatured brand partner for storage solutions including G-RAID project storage arrays.
- SonymajorFeatured brand partner for cameras and imaging equipment with dedicated brand page.
- SigmamajorFeatured brand partner for lenses with deal promotions and dedicated product listings.
- RODE MicrophonesmajorFeatured brand partner for professional microphones with dedicated brand page.
- HollylandmajorFeatured brand partner for wireless video transmission equipment.
- Magnasync/MoviolacoreParent company. Filmtools is a Magnasync/Moviola Company, providing corporate affiliation and shared brand heritage in the film/media industry.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Filmtools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Full Compass Systems: US retailer of professional audio, video, lighting, and musical equipment serving production, broadcast, and AV professionals. Direct overlap with Filmtools' lighting, sound, and grip categories and B2B/pro customer base.
- B&H Photo Video: Largest US specialty retailer of professional photo, video, audio, and film production equipment. Directly competes with Filmtools across cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, and sound for the same professional filmmaker and photographer customer base.
- Markertek: Specialty retailer of professional broadcast, video, and audio production gear including cables, connectors, and infrastructure. Overlaps directly with Filmtools' cabling, sound, and broadcast/streaming categories.
- Backstage Equipment: Featured brand partner of Filmtools that also retails its own production carts, expendables, and grip gear directly. Overlaps with Filmtools' carts/dollies and expendables categories as both a partner and adjacent retailer.
- Adorama: Major US specialty retailer offering cameras, lighting, audio, and production gear to filmmakers and photographers. Overlaps directly with Filmtools' core catalog and B2B/educator programs.
- Cinequipt: Minneapolis-based specialty retailer and rental house for professional film and video production equipment. Direct overlap with Filmtools in camera support, lighting, and grip gear for the US production market.
Regional players
- CVP (Broadcast & Production): UK-based specialist retailer of professional cinema, broadcast, and video production equipment serving the European production market. Comparable catalog and customer base to Filmtools but geographically distinct.
- Camera West / Midwest Photo: US specialty retailer of professional cameras, lenses, and production equipment serving Midwest and West Coast production markets. Comparable product mix and pro customer base to Filmtools but with regional focus.
Broad incumbents
- Sweetwater: Large specialty retailer of music and audio production equipment with strong B2B/educator programs. While focused on music/audio rather than film/video, the retail model, customer service intensity, and pro/educator GTM overlap with Filmtools' sound and production categories.
- Bogen Imaging (Manfrotto distribution): Distributor and retailer of professional tripods, supports, lighting, and accessories under brands like Manfrotto, Gitzo, and Lowel. Competes with Filmtools in tripods, lighting, and supports categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Filmtools social profiles
Digital presenceFilmtools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Filmtools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Filmtools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Filmtools 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 Filmtools
What does Filmtools do?
Filmtools is a specialized retailer that sells professional film, video, and photography equipment directly to filmmakers, photographers, and production professionals. The company operates its own e-commerce storefront (filmtools.com), a flagship Burbank retail showroom, and offers build-to-order services such as a Custom Cable Builder and a Quick Order bulk purchasing tool. Inventory spans cameras, lenses, lighting, grip and electrical gear, digital storage, sound equipment, expendables, bags, cases, and carts.
Is Filmtools a public or private company?
Filmtools is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Filmtools founded?
Filmtools was founded in 1998. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Filmtools based?
Filmtools is headquartered in Burbank, United States, in the North America region.
How does Filmtools make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are financing Services.
Who are Filmtools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Full Compass Systems, B&H Photo Video, Markertek, Backstage Equipment, Adorama and Cinequipt. Regional players are CVP (Broadcast & Production) and Camera West / Midwest Photo. Broad incumbents are Sweetwater and Bogen Imaging (Manfrotto distribution).
Does Filmtools have an API?
No public API is recorded for Filmtools.
What industry is Filmtools in?
Filmtools's product category is Professional Film, Video, and Photography Equipment Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACAHAB, Video Camera & Production Gear Retail (Camcorders, Cinema Cameras, Rigs), with a secondary code of CRACAHAA, Camera & Lens Retail (Photo Cameras, Lenses & Optical Accessories). Its NAICS code is 459 and its SIC code is 3861.