Silverback Films

What Silverback Films does

Silverback Films is a Bristol, UK-based production company founded in 2012 by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey that specializes in premium natural history documentaries for global streaming platforms, public-service broadcasters, and theatrical release. Its catalogue spans multi-episode landmark series such as Our Planet (Netflix, 2019), Our Planet II (Netflix, 2023), Life on Our Planet (Netflix, 2023, in association with Amblin Entertainment and Industrial Light & Magic), The Dinosaurs (Netflix, 2023), Wild Isles (BBC, 2023), and Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles (BBC, 2024); feature-length theatrical and premium-streaming films including Ocean with David Attenborough (global cinema, May 2025), Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story, Secrets of the Bees (National Geographic, 2026), and A Gorilla Story (Netflix); and conservation-aligned commissions for WWF, the RSPB, National Trust, and The Open University. The company also operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, Studio Silverback Limited, which produces branded events and content such as The Earthshot Prize ceremonies.

The company's technology stack is built around custom cinematography hardware and specialized filming methods — macro motion-control rigs with Laowa probe lenses for Secrets of the Bees, purpose-built underwater systems for capturing bottom-trawling footage, thermal/infrared and UV/fluorescence imaging, FPV micro-drones navigating forest canopies at millimeter precision, super high-speed (up to ~1,000 fps) rotational rigs for hummingbird flight, and virtual production environments with LED volumes for controlled wildlife scenes. Where live capture is impossible, the company partners with Industrial Light & Magic for hyperrealistic VFX, including 867 VFX shots on Life on Our Planet to reconstruct extinct species.

Commercial revenue is generated through commissioned production fees and content licensing with a narrow set of enterprise buyers — Netflix, BBC, and National Geographic/Disney+/Hulu — supported by theatrical box-office for premium events and Studio Silverback event-production services. Distribution is anchored by long-running talent relationships with Sir David Attenborough, Morgan Freeman, James Cameron, Steven Spielberg (via Amblin Entertainment), Leonardo DiCaprio (via Appian Way), and rising on-screen naturalists such as Bertie Gregory and Hamza Yassin. Silverback Films Limited is privately held by its founders, with no disclosed external investment and no parent company.

Name

Silverback Films

Legal name

Silverback Films Limited

Website

https://silverbackfilms.tv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Silverback Films is a Bristol-based wildlife documentary production company creating premium natural history films and series for global streamers (Netflix, Disney+/Hulu), broadcasters (BBC, National Geographic), and global theatrical release, anchored by talent partnerships with Sir David Attenborough, Morgan Freeman, and James Cameron.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Production Services

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Nature, Science & Wildlife Documentaries (MPADADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE), Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO) (MPADADAK)

Keywords

• Wildlife documentary production
• Natural history filmmaking
• Documentary production services
• Television series production
• Cinematic documentary production

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Production Deals: Silverback Films creates documentary content commissioned by major broadcasters and streaming platforms (Netflix, BBC, National Geographic, Disney+). Revenue comes from production fees and licensing agreements with these partners.
2. Streaming Rights and Licensing: Distribution agreements with Netflix and other streaming platforms generate revenue through content licensing. Our Planet has over 570 million viewing hours on Netflix.
3. Theatrical Distribution: Some productions (Ocean with David Attenborough) are released as global cinema events, generating box office revenue through theatrical distribution.
4. Studio Services (Studio Silverback): Studio Silverback produces events and content for clients like The Earthshot Prize, providing production services for award ceremonies and promotional content.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Silverback Films creates exceptional wildlife and natural history documentaries for television and cinema, combining powerful storytelling with world-class cinematography. It produces multi-part documentary series and feature-length films commissioned by and co-produced with global streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+/Hulu), broadcasters (BBC, National Geographic), and conservation partners (WWF, RSPB, National Trust, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund). Offerings include flagship series such as Our Planet, Our Planet II, Life on Our Planet, The Dinosaurs, and Wild Isles, as well as theatrical films like Ocean with David Attenborough, frequently featuring Sir David Attenborough and produced with pioneering custom camera technologies and Industrial Light & Magic VFX.

Product overview

Silverback Films is a wildlife documentary production company that creates exceptional films for television and cinema. Their portfolio includes landmark Netflix documentary series (Our Planet, Our Planet II, Life on Our Planet, The Dinosaurs), BBC One productions (Wild Isles, Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles, The Hunt), National Geographic/Disney+ content (Ocean with David Attenborough, Secrets of the Bees, Billy & Molly), and Disneynature theatrical releases. The company collaborates with major partners including Netflix, BBC, WWF, Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, and Industrial Light & Magic for visual effects. They also produce environmental programming like The Earthshot Prize series through their Studio Silverback division.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Studio Silverback: Production division producing The Earthshot Prize awards ceremony and related content for Prince William's Earthshot Prize initiative.

Products and services

• Our Planet Eight-part Netflix documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough, exploring natural wonders, iconic species and urgent threats, produced by Silverback Films in collaboration with WWF using 4K camera technology and multi-media storytelling.
• Our Planet II Four-part Netflix documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough unraveling the mystery of how and why animals migrate, featuring innovative cinematography of animal movement and reaching 570+ million viewing hours on Netflix.
• Life on Our Planet Eight-part Netflix series narrated by Morgan Freeman, telling the story of life's epic battle to survive on Earth through hyperrealistic VFX created with Industrial Light & Magic in partnership with Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television.
• The Dinosaurs Four-part Netflix documentary series narrated by Morgan Freeman charting the rise and fall of the dinosaurs, reuniting with executive producer Steven Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment.
• A Gorilla Story Intimate Netflix documentary blending David Attenborough's first encounter with a baby gorilla named Pablo with a return to Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, produced with Appian Way (Leonardo DiCaprio) and built on 55 years of Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund research; recognized by BAFTA Albert as a sustainability case study.
• Ocean with David Attenborough Feature documentary co-produced with Open Planet Studios, delivering Sir David Attenborough's message of hope on ocean conservation; released globally in 1,700+ cinemas across 30 countries then on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu, with 1,500+ free advocacy screenings in 110+ countries.
• Secrets of the Bees Two-part National Geographic series executive produced by James Cameron, with Bertie Gregory exploring the extraordinary lives of bees using custom-built macro motion-control rigs and specialized Laowa probe lenses for unprecedented close-up footage.
• Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles Four-part BBC One and iPlayer series following wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin revealing hidden wildlife gems across the British Isles, filmed using drone, thermal, infrared, underwater and macro cinematography.
• Wild Isles Landmark BBC One natural history series narrated by Sir David Attenborough about nature across the British Isles, complemented by co-produced conservation documentary Saving Our Wild Isles.
• Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story Heart-warming feature documentary produced for National Geographic and Disney+ about the relationship between a wild otter and a man in the remote Scottish islands of Shetland, winner of the 2024 Wildscreen Golden Panda and multiple Critics Choice Award nominations.
• Saving Our Wild Isles Conservation documentary for WWF, RSPB and the National Trust highlighting people working to halt the decline in UK nature, complementing the Wild Isles series on BBC.
• Hamza: Strictly Birds of Prey BBC One special following wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin on a journey across the British Isles to film his favourite birds of prey.
• The Hunt Seven-part BBC One landmark series examining the fascinating relationship between predators and their prey, focusing on strategies rather than predation footage.
• The Earthshot Prize (documentary series) Landmark five-part BBC and Discovery+ documentary series exploring five Earthshot goals: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, Fix Our Climate.
• Studio Silverback Event Production (The Earthshot Prize 2023) Studio Silverback event and video production services for clients such as The Earthshot Prize, producing awards ceremonies, promotional content, and Earthshot Prize finalist video series.
• Disneynature Penguins Disneynature feature film following an Adélie penguin named Steve on a quest to build a nest, find a partner, and start a family in the Antarctic.
• Dancing with the Birds Documentary narrated by Stephen Fry following rarely-seen birds-of-paradise, bowerbirds and manakins displaying in spectacular fashion during their search for mates.
• Disneynature Growing Up Wild Disneynature feature film following five courageous animals tackling the first challenges of their young lives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 million households reached by Our Planet series since April 2019
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Open Planet StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 2025Open Planet Studios co-produced Ocean with David Attenborough with Silverback Films. The film was released as a global cinema event coinciding with Attenborough's 99th birthday.
• The Earthshot PrizecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 November 2023Studio Silverback (Silverback Films' production arm) produced The Earthshot Prize 2023 awards ceremony in Singapore and associated video series for Prince William's global environmental initiative.
• Amblin EntertainmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2023Amblin Entertainment (Steven Spielberg's company) partnered with Silverback Films on The Dinosaurs series for Netflix and Life on Our Planet, serving as executive producer.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 April 2019Netflix is Silverback Films' primary streaming distribution partner, releasing major productions including Our Planet (2019), Our Planet II (2023), The Dinosaurs, A Gorilla Story, and Life on Our Planet. Our Planet has achieved over 570 million viewing hours on Netflix.
• BBCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBBC is the primary UK broadcast partner for Silverback Films, commissioning and airing productions including Wild Isles (2023), Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles, Hamza: Strictly Birds of Prey, Saving Our Wild Isles, and The Hunt.
• National GeographiccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational Geographic is a key broadcast and streaming partner for productions including Secrets of the Bees (executive produced by James Cameron), Ocean with David Attenborough, and Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story.
• Disney+ / HulucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDisney+ and Hulu serve as streaming distribution partners for Silverback Films content including Ocean with David Attenborough, Secrets of the Bees, and Billy & Molly.
• WWFflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF co-produced Our Planet (2019) with Silverback Films and Netflix - described as the largest natural history project of its kind. WWF also partnered on Saving Our Wild Isles documentary alongside RSPB and National Trust.
• National TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Trust co-produced Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles (with The Open University) and partnered on Saving Our Wild Isles alongside WWF and RSPB.
• The Open UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Open University co-produced Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles as an educational partner alongside BBC and National Trust.
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationILM partnered with Silverback Films on Life on Our Planet and The Dinosaurs to create hyperrealistic VFX of extinct creatures. For Life on Our Planet, ILM created 867 VFX shots across the 8-part series.
• Appian WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppian Way (Leonardo DiCaprio's production company) served as executive producer for A Gorilla Story alongside Silverback Films, releasing on Netflix.
• Lightstorm EarthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLightstorm Earth (James Cameron's company) served as executive producer for Secrets of the Bees alongside Silverback Films and National Geographic.
• RSPBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRSPB partnered with Silverback Films on Saving Our Wild Isles documentary alongside WWF and National Trust, highlighting conservation work in the UK.
• Dian Fossey Gorilla FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund - the world's longest-running and largest organization dedicated to gorilla conservation - provided foundation for A Gorilla Story, contributing over 55 years of research.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BBC Studios Natural History Unit: The world's most established natural-history production unit, based in Bristol. Produces landmark series (Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Dynasties) for BBC and global partners. Most direct competitor to Silverback in wildlife/nature documentary production, often sharing talent and access in the UK market.
• Plimsoll Productions: UK-based independent producer of premium natural-history and factual content, including Apple TV+'s Night on Earth and Apple TV+'s Tiny World. Direct competitor for global streamer commissions and natural-history talent in the same UK production ecosystem.
• Wildgaze Films: Independent UK natural-history producer behind series such as Dynasties II and Mammals. Competes head-to-head with Silverback for BBC and global streamer commissions in the premium wildlife documentary category.
• Wildstar Films: UK-based wildlife and natural-history production company producing premium content for global platforms. Overlaps with Silverback in targeting the same streamer/broadcaster commissioning pool for flagship nature programming.
• True to Nature: UK natural-history production company producing premium wildlife documentaries for global broadcasters and streamers. Competes directly with Silverback for nature commissions and shares access to UK-based wildlife cinematography talent.
• NHNZ (Natural History New Zealand): Long-established wildlife and natural-history production company, now part of Blue Ant Media. Produces natural-history content for global broadcasters; competes with Silverback for international natural-history commissions, particularly with US and Asian broadcasters.

Broad incumbents

• Disneynature: Disney's branded nature-film label, which commissions theatrical nature films. Silverback has been a production partner (Penguins, Dolphin Reef, Growing Up Wild, In the Footsteps of Elephant), making Disneynature both a client and a structural alternative for premium wildlife theatrical releases.
• National Geographic Studios: The in-house production arm of National Geographic/Disney, which commissions premium natural-history content. Silverback has produced Ocean with David Attenborough and Billy & Molly for NatGeo/Disney+; competes and partners for premium documentary commissions in the same global distribution ecosystem.
• Netflix Documentary: Netflix's in-house documentary division. Silverback's primary streaming partner and a structural competitor as Netflix increasingly commissions and produces natural-history content internally, affecting Silverback's share of Netflix's natural-history slate going forward.

Emerging players

• Offspring Films: Independent UK factual production company with a strong natural-history slate including Attenborough's Life on Earth and other premium commissions. An emerging-to-direct peer competing in the same UK natural-history commissioning market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silverback-films-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Silverback Films