StoryFirst

What StoryFirst does

StoryFirst is an independent television production company that develops, produces, and co-produces premium drama content for global broadcasters and streaming platforms. The company operates out of London and operates on a founder-controlled model managed by Peter Gerwe, an American media executive whose prior exits include CTC Media (NASDAQ-listed), HELLO! Magazine (Russia), and Corvette Telecom. The core capability spans the full production pipeline from script development through delivery, with completed output spanning UK (BBC One), Nordic (SVT, Viaplay), and US (The CW, HBO Max) markets; content is produced across Swedish, Russian, and English languages.

The company's completed portfolio comprises five productions: The Child in Time (BBC One, 2017, adapted from Ian McEwan with Benedict Cumberbatch), Jordskott II (SVT, 2017, Banff Rockie and Kristallen award winner), Conspiracy of Silence (Viaplay, 2018, Viaplay's second-largest premiere at launch), Max Anger: With One Eye Open (Viaplay, 2021, 8-part Swedish thriller), and Sherlock & Daughter (The CW/HBO Max, 2025, the network's most-watched drama of the 2024-25 season). A development pipeline of approximately 15 series with pilot scripts is in place, including Chronicles of Nick (Dark-Hunters franchise adaptation), Portobello Road (with Eric Clapton as EP), Oligarchs (directed by Timur Bekmambetov), and Stiggy (Robert Stigwood biopic).

The business model is professional services in nature: revenue derives from production fees, co-production financing arrangements, tax credit optimization (drawing on Ivan Dunleavy's Pinewood Group expertise), and backend participation where applicable. GTM is sales-led via direct relationships with broadcasters and streaming platforms (BBC One, Viaplay, SVT, The CW, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Topic) and distribution partners (STUDIOCANAL TV, Eccho Rights, ITV Global Entertainment, REinvent, Federation Studios). Co-production partners include Twelve Town, Palladium Fiction, Brain Academy, Krempelwood, and MBM3, and Nordisk Film & TV Fond provides support funding for Nordic projects. Marketing relies on industry events, the company website, and partner-driven promotion of completed content. The company is privately held with no disclosed external investors.

Name

StoryFirst

Legal name

StoryFirst Ltd.

Website

https://storyfirst.media

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

StoryFirst is an independent London-based television production company that develops, co-produces, and delivers premium drama series for global broadcasters and streaming platforms including BBC One, SVT, Viaplay, The CW, and HBO Max.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Television Production: StoryFirst generates revenue through producing television dramas for broadcasters and streaming platforms. The company produces content across multiple formats including limited series, returning series, and feature-length television movies. Revenue comes from production fees, co-production arrangements, and backend participation where applicable.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

StoryFirst is an independent television production company that develops, packages, and produces premium drama content for international broadcasters and streaming platforms, including limited series, returning series, and feature-length television movies. The company works with major networks, streaming platforms, and distributors worldwide, developing projects from script to screen with the flexibility to collaborate with best-fit partners. Revenue is generated through production fees, co-production arrangements, and backend participation.

Product overview

StoryFirst is an independent television production company that develops, produces, and co-produces drama series for international markets. The company operates a portfolio of completed productions including feature-length dramas (The Child in Time), multi-part thrillers (Max Anger, Conspiracy of Silence, Jordskott II), and contemporary detective series (Sherlock & Daughter). StoryFirst maintains a development pipeline of future projects including Chronicles of Nick (dark fantasy), Portobello Road (period music drama), Oligarchs (historical drama), and Stiggy (biographical drama about entertainment impresario Robert Stigwood). The company works with co-production partners including Twelve Town, Palladium Fiction, and Pinewood Television, and partners with distributors such as STUDIOCANAL TV, Viaplay, Eccho Rights, and Federation Studios for international distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Child in Time Feature-length television drama adapted from Ian McEwan's novel, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Kelly Macdonald, about a writer whose daughter disappears in a supermarket and the couple's diverging paths through grief. Produced for BBC One with international distribution by STUDIOCANAL TV. Won the Banff Rockie Award for Television Movie.
• Max Anger: With One Eye Open 8-part Swedish thriller about former military member Max Anger whose lover Pashie disappears while investigating a Russian conspiracy targeting Sweden. Produced under the Twelve Town banner with Nice Drama as primary production company. Starred Adam Lundgren and Evin Ahmad. Languages: Swedish, Russian, and English. Distributed by REinvent, with support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
• Conspiracy of Silence / Ingen Utan Skuld Swedish thriller about arms dealer Robert Kastell returning from 30 years exile to seek vengeance against an international arms trade broker. Produced by Brain Academy and co-produced by Twelve Town. International distribution by Eccho Rights. Became available on US/Canada streaming service Topic and Amazon Prime in January 2020.
• Jordskott II 8-part Swedish crime thriller sequel following detective Eva Thörnlblad investigating a mysterious case connected to her past. Co-produced under the Pinewood Television banner with Palladium Fiction as primary production company. Achieved over 1.6 million consolidated viewers and won the Banff Rockie Award for Best Serial and Kristallen Award for Best Television Drama.
• Sherlock & Daughter Period detective series starring David Thewlis as an aging Sherlock Holmes discovering he has a daughter, produced in association with Krempelwood and MBM3 and produced with Albion Television. Became The CW's most-watched drama of the 2024-25 TV season and entered HBO Max's top 10 in fourth place after its initial release. International distribution by Federation Studios. Official selection at the 64th Golden Nymph Awards and nominated for Venice TV Award for Best TV series.
• Portobello Road 8x60 returnable period drama set in 1973 London music scene, positioned as 'the Call My Agent of the 1970s.' Executive producer Eric Clapton with planned original music by Barry Gibb; writer and director Steve Shill (credits include Dexter, The Sopranos, The Wire, Rome).

Quantifiable outcome

• The Child in Time drew an average audience of 4.5 million viewers in its prime time slot
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Albion TelevisioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Production partner for Sherlock & Daughter (2025), starring David Thewlis and Blu Hunt. The series became The CW's most-watched drama of the 2024-25 TV season.
• Nice DramacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner with StoryFirst on Max Anger: With One Eye Open (2021), an 8-part thriller produced under the Twelve Town banner. Nice Drama served as the primary production company with StoryFirst.
• Brain AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary production company for Conspiracy of Silence (2018), with StoryFirst's Twelve Town serving as co-producer. The series premiered at MIPTV 2018 and became Viaplay's second biggest premiere ever.
• Palladium FictioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary production company for Jordskott II (2017), co-produced with StoryFirst's Pinewood Television banner. The series achieved over 1.6 million consolidated viewers and won the Banff Rockie Award for Best Serial.
• Eric ClaptonflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Producer attached to Portobello Road, a planned 8x60 returnable series set in 1970s London music scene. Clapton brings significant music industry credibility and creative involvement to the project.
• Barry GibbflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProviding planned original music for Portobello Road, the 1970s London music management drama. Gibb's involvement ensures authentic musical content alongside needle-drop classics of the era.
• Timur BekmambetovflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector attached to Oligarchs (8x50), an 8-part series depicting the rise and fall of figures involved in building a new nation. Bekmambetov is known for films including Wanted and Ben-Hur.
• Steve ShillflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWriter and director for Portobello Road. Shill's credits include Dexter, The Sopranos, The Wire, and Rome, bringing premium television credentials to the project.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bad Wolf: Independent UK drama production company behind His Dark Materials and Industry. Closely comparable to StoryFirst as a similarly-sized indie focused on premium scripted drama for UK and US broadcasters/streamers.
• Left Bank Pictures: UK-based independent drama producer known for The Crown and Outlander. Comparable as an independent drama specialist selling premium content to global streamers and broadcasters.
• See-Saw Films: Indeendent UK/Australian production company behind The Power of the Dog and Slow Horses. Comparable as an indie producer of prestige drama with international co-production and distribution reach.
• Federation Studios: French independent production and distribution company behind Call My Agent and Find Me in Paris. Directly comparable as an indie producing premium international drama, and additionally a current distribution partner of StoryFirst (Sherlock & Daughter).
• Sister (production company): Global independent production company producing premium drama and documentary (Chernobyl, Fleabag distribution). Comparable in scale, indie positioning, and focus on high-end scripted content for streamers.

Broad incumbents

• Banijay: Largest independent content producer globally with a deep scripted slate. Comparable as a major independent scripted producer-distributor competing for the same global commissioning partners.
• Fremantle: One of the world's largest production and distribution companies (part of RTL Group). Comparable as a global scripted content producer and international distributor with deep broadcaster relationships.
• ITV Studios: Production and distribution arm of ITV plc, producing drama across global markets. Comparable as an established drama producer-distributor with international sales infrastructure similar to StoryFirst's distributor partners.
• Lionsgate Television: US-based scripted content producer and distributor with a global library. Comparable as a producer-distributor of premium drama selling into US and international markets.
• All3Media: Large UK-based global production group with a portfolio of scripted labels. Relevant incumbent comparable as a UK-headquartered scripted content supplier to broadcasters and streamers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 StoryFirst