Lingo Pictures
Lingo Pictures is a Sydney-based scripted TV drama production company founded in 2015 that develops, produces, and co-produces premium drama series for Australian and international broadcasters and streaming platforms. It operates as ITV Studios' first Australian scripted label.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMoore Park, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Lingo Pictures does
Lingo Pictures is a Sydney-based scripted television drama production company founded in 2015 by Helen Bowden and Jason Stephens. The company develops, produces, and internationally co-produces premium drama series for Australian free-to-air broadcasters (ABC, Network Ten, SBS), pay TV (Foxtel), local streamers (Stan, Paramount+), and major international platforms including BBC One, Sky UK, Disney+/Hulu, and Lionsgate. Its catalog includes multiple AACTA-winning and BAFTA-nominated titles such as Upright, Lambs of God, The Secrets She Keeps, After the Party, Prosper, Watching You, and The Messenger.
The business operates as a project-based production studio without proprietary technology infrastructure — its core capability is creative development, talent packaging, and production management. Revenue is generated through production fees, licensing fees, and international co-production financing arrangements with partners including Foxtel, Sky UK, ITV Studios, and Lionsgate. Following ITV Studios' late-2022 acquisition of a majority stake, Lingo became ITV Studios' first Australian scripted label, gaining access to a global distribution network while founders Bowden and Stephens retained minority ownership and creative leadership. The company does not publicly disclose pricing or revenue, and operates with a small core team of 1–10 employees supported by project-based production crews.
Its go-to-market is sales-led and B2B, with pitches to commissioning editors at networks and streamers, supplemented by co-production deals that de-risk individual projects. Marketing is largely indirect, driven by the publicity of its broadcast distribution partners and the reputations of attached on-screen talent (e.g., Tim Minchin, Catherine Tate, Ann Dowd, Rebecca Gibney).
Lingo Pictures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lingo Pictures
- Legal name
- Lingo Pictures
- Website
- https://lingopictures.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Lingo Pictures is a Sydney-based scripted TV drama production company founded in 2015 that develops, produces, and co-produces premium drama series for Australian and international broadcasters and streaming platforms. It operates as ITV Studios' first Australian scripted label.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lingo Pictures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Scripted Television Drama Production
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International TV Broadcasters (Free-to-Air/Satellite/Cable) (MPABAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- International Thematic/Genre Broadcasters (Entertainment/Lifestyle/Documentary/Music) (MPABAEAL)
Keywords
Where Lingo Pictures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moore Park
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lingo Pictures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- TV Production and Licensing: Lingo Pictures produces drama series for Australian and international networks, earning revenue through production fees, licensing fees, and co-production financing. Content is sold to broadcasters like ABC, Network Ten, SBS, and streaming platforms including Stan, Paramount+, Disney+/Hulu.
- Co-production Financing: International co-productions with partners like Foxtel, Sky UK, ITV Studios, and Lionsgate provide co-production funding and distribution rights across multiple territories.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Lingo Pictures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lingo Pictures develops, produces, and licenses premium scripted drama television series for Australian and international broadcasters and streaming platforms. The company creates original concepts and adapts novels into series, securing commissions and co-production financing from networks including ABC, Network Ten, SBS, Foxtel, Stan, BBC, Paramount+, Disney+/Hulu, Sky UK, ITV Studios, and Lionsgate.
Product overview
Lingo Pictures is an Australian scripted television production company launched in 2015 and based in Sydney, New South Wales. The company operates as a single unified production entity producing drama series across multiple networks and streaming platforms. In 2022, ITV Studios acquired a majority stake, making it their first Australian scripted label. The company produces original drama content including titles such as After the Party, The Secrets She Keeps, Upright, Lambs of God, Prosper, Watching You, The Messenger, Queen of Oz, Erotic Stories, Wake in Fright, and On the Ropes, distributed through networks including BBC One, Network Ten, ABC, SBS, Stan, Paramount+, Foxtel, and Sky UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wake in Fright Two-part drama adapted from Kenneth Cook's iconic novel, following John Grant who becomes trapped in a small mining town after hitting a kangaroo and succumbing to the dangerous world of illegal gambling. Produced for Network Ten.
- On the Ropes Drama following Iraqi-Australian boxing trainer Amirah Al Amir as she navigates family dynamics while pursuing her dream of transforming women's boxing. Commissioned by SBS.
- Lambs of God Limited series about three Catholic nuns on a remote island whose peaceful existence is disrupted when an ambitious young priest arrives with hidden intentions. Starring Ann Dowd, Essie Davis, and Jessica Barden; produced for Foxtel.
- The Secrets She Keeps Six-part domestic noir series based on Michael Robotham's novel, exploring two women from different walks of life whose explosive secrets threaten to destroy everything. Aired on BBC1 and Network Ten.
- Upright Comedy-drama following a down-and-out musician who must drive a piano across Australia, joined by a fugitive teenage girl. Co-produced with Foxtel and Sky UK and starring Tim Minchin.
- The Secrets She Keeps Season 2 Second season continuing the domestic noir story two years after the events of season one. Aired on Paramount+.
- Upright Season 2 Second season following Lucky and Meg on a mission to find Meg's mother in Far North Queensland.
- The Messenger Drama based on Markus Zusak's best-selling novel, following Ed Kennedy who becomes an accidental hero after receiving mysterious messages. Produced for ABC.
- Queen of Oz Comedy series starring Catherine Tate as Princess Georgiana, the spare to the British throne, sent to Australia after public scandals threaten the monarchy. Produced for BBC One.
- Erotic Stories Bold anthology series exploring sex and intimacy amongst diverse characters not traditionally seen as sexual leads. Commissioned by SBS.
- After the Party Drama following Penny who loses everything when she accuses her husband of a sex crime against her daughter's teenage friend. Aired on Channel Four in the UK; nominated for BAFTA in 2025 and winner of 9 New Zealand TV Awards.
- Prosper Drama of faith, ambition and divided loyalties set in the inner sanctum of a family building an evangelical megachurch. Co-produced with Stan Australia and Lionsgate.
- Watching You Thriller series about Lina who sets out to unmask an insidious voyeur after her affair is captured by hidden cameras. Produced for Stan in 2025; subsequently licensed to Disney+ and Hulu for the rest of the world.
Quantifiable outcome
- 18 AACTA nominations and 9 wins for Lambs of God
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Lingo Pictures
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Lingo Pictures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lingo Pictures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Third Act StoriescoreCo-production partner for Pilli Sisters PI, an Indigenous-lensed crime drama commissioned by ABC.
- Meeniyan StoriescoreCo-production partner for Pilli Sisters PI, an Indigenous-lensed crime drama commissioned by ABC.
- ScreenwestminorWestern Australian screen funding body providing support for Pilli Sisters PI production.
- LotterywestminorWestern Australian government lottery funding body supporting Pilli Sisters PI production.
- FoxtelcoreMajor Australian pay TV provider and co-production partner for Upright and Lambs of God.
- Sky UKcoreInternational co-production partner for Upright, providing UK broadcast and distribution.
- LionsgatecoreInternational co-production partner for Prosper with Stan Australia.
- Sky VisionminorInternational distribution partner for Lambs of God.
- Endemol Shine InternationalminorInternational distribution partner for Wake in Fright.
- DCD RightsminorInternational distribution partner for On the Ropes and The Secrets She Keeps.
- All3MediaminorInternational distribution partner for The Messenger.
- Fifth SeasonminorInternational distribution partner for Queen of Oz.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lingo Pictures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fremantle: Global content production and distribution company (RTL Group). Jason Stephens was previously Creative Director at FremantleMedia. Operates at vastly larger scale across many genres and territories.
- Endemol Shine International: Global scripted and unscripted producer and distributor; previously distributed Lingo's Wake in Fright internationally. Wider portfolio across many genres and territories.
- Banijay: Largest global independent content producer and parent of Endemol Shine. Operates across unscripted and scripted at much larger scale than Lingo; a possible acquirer archetype for further consolidation.
Direct peers
- Hoodlum Entertainment: Australian scripted production company (The Cry, Sisters, Bloom). Comparable in producing character-driven drama series for Australian and international streaming platforms.
- Aquarius Films: Australian scripted production company (Nine Perfect Strangers, The Unusual Suspects). Direct peer with similar genre focus and Australian broadcaster relationships; Lingo's Head of Development (Bec Cubitt) was previously Head of Development there.
- Goalpost Pictures: Australian scripted drama producer (The Twelve, The Cry, Savage River). Similar boutique scale, genre focus, and Australian broadcaster customer base as Lingo.
- Easy Tiger Productions: UK-based scripted production company (Line of Duty, Bodyguard). Comparable in boutique scale, premium drama focus, and BBC/international commissioning relationships.
- Matchbox Pictures: Australian scripted drama production company owned by NBCUniversal, founded by Helen Bowden (now Lingo's co-founder). Closest direct comparable — same genre, model, customer base, and lineage as Lingo.
- See-Saw Films: Australian/UK scripted production company behind The Power of the Dog and Slow Horses. Closely comparable in producing premium international scripted drama from an Australian base with strong festival/awards positioning.
- Sister: UK/US scripted production company (Chernobyl, Landscapers). Boutique premium drama producer with a similar international co-production and prestige-television strategy to Lingo.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lingo Pictures social profiles
Digital presenceLingo Pictures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lingo Pictures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Lingo Pictures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lingo Pictures 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 Lingo Pictures
What does Lingo Pictures do?
Lingo Pictures develops, produces, and licenses premium scripted drama television series for Australian and international broadcasters and streaming platforms. The company creates original concepts and adapts novels into series, securing commissions and co-production financing from networks including ABC, Network Ten, SBS, Foxtel, Stan, BBC, Paramount+, Disney+/Hulu, Sky UK, ITV Studios, and Lionsgate.
Is Lingo Pictures a public or private company?
Lingo Pictures is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Lingo Pictures founded?
Lingo Pictures was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Lingo Pictures based?
Lingo Pictures is headquartered in Moore Park, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Lingo Pictures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. TV Production and Licensing is the primary driver. The others are co-production Financing.
Who are Lingo Pictures's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fremantle, Endemol Shine International and Banijay. Direct peers are Hoodlum Entertainment, Aquarius Films, Goalpost Pictures, Easy Tiger Productions, Matchbox Pictures, See-Saw Films and Sister.
Does Lingo Pictures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lingo Pictures.
What industry is Lingo Pictures in?
Lingo Pictures's product category is Scripted Television Drama Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABAEAJ, International TV Broadcasters (Free-to-Air/Satellite/Cable), with a secondary code of MPABAEAL, International Thematic/Genre Broadcasters (Entertainment/Lifestyle/Documentary/Music). Its NAICS code is 512110 and its SIC code is 7812.