Dept.9 Studios

What Dept.9 Studios does

Dept.9 Studios is a privately held, full-service film and television production company headquartered in a 26,000 sq ft boutique studio facility in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 2019, the company operates five integrated divisions: Development, Production, Post (sound and picture), Music, and an in-house Distribution arm. Its core capability stack centers on certified production infrastructure including a Dolby Atmos 11.1.6 mixing suite (Trinnov Altitude 32, Avid S4), a Neve Genesys 32-channel music recording studio, Davinci Resolve Studio with Dolby Vision, and two sound stages (5,300 sq ft and 3,010 sq ft), enabling end-to-end content creation from development through theatrical and streaming release.

The business model combines original IP production with service revenue. Original productions include Dark Match (2024, horror action), Soul's Road (2026, drama/music), and Department of Paranormal Affairs (2024, comedy series), distributed through Blue Finch Films (international ex-Canada), Shudder (US horror streaming), Hollywood Suite (Canadian broadcast), and broad VOD/AVOD platforms. Service revenue is generated by renting studio space, sound stages, and production offices to external productions, and by providing post-production and music recording services to third parties. The Edmonton location unlocks material cost advantages via Alberta's 22-30% Film & Television Tax Credit, no provincial sales tax, 8% corporate tax, and free city permits.

Go-to-market is hybrid: industry events and festivals (Banff World Media Festival Silver Partner, Fantasia, FrightFest, Sitges), direct outreach to producers, channel partnerships with distributors, and event-driven marketing. Customer segments are primarily independent filmmakers, external production companies seeking Edmonton for tax-driven cost savings, and musicians/recording artists. The company is founder-controlled (John K. MacDonald / Johnny Mac) with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds, and no parent company.

Name

Dept.9 Studios

Legal name

DEPT.9 STUDIOS

Website

https://dept9studios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dept.9 Studios is a privately held, full-service film and television production company in Edmonton, Alberta, operating a 26,000 sq ft facility with certified Dolby Atmos post-production and music recording capabilities, serving independent filmmakers, external productions, and musicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211), Sound Recording Studios (512240), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Studio Campus / Production Facility Operators (MPADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Post-Production Facilities & Suites (Edit/Color/Sound Stages) (MPADAGAI), Re-Recording Mixing (Theatrical/TV/Streaming) (MPAHAEAF), Recording Studios (Commercial, Project, Mobile) (MPAIAHAA), Production Management & Studio Support Services (Studio Managers, Techs) (MPAIAHAO)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Post-production sound mixing
• Television studio rental
• Music recording facility
• Feature film distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Film and Television Production: Developing and producing original film, television, and digital content including feature films and series. Revenue generated from production financing, distribution deals, and theatrical releases.
2. Post-Production Services: Sound post-production (mixing, dialogue editing, ADR, sound design) and picture post-production (editing, color grading, delivery, archiving) services for external productions.
3. Music Recording Services: Music recording, production, mixing, mastering, and session musician acquisition services at the music recording studio.
4. Studio and Facility Rental: Rental of production studios (Studio A, Studio B), production offices, makeup rooms, VIP rooms, green room, and seamstress room to external productions.
5. In-House Distribution: The in-house distribution division strategically releases original projects across multiple platforms, generating revenue from licensing and distribution agreements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dept.9 Studios develops, produces, and distributes original film, television, and digital content while providing full-service post-production (Dolby Atmos 11.1.6 sound mixing and picture editing/color grading), music recording services, and rental of its two sound stages (Studio A: 5,300 sq ft; Studio B: 3,010 sq ft), production offices, and music recording facility from its 26,000 sq ft Edmonton, Alberta facility. Its in-house Distribution division releases completed productions theatrically and via global streaming and VOD platforms.

Product overview

Dept.9 Studios is a comprehensive film and television production company operating from a 26,000 sq ft boutique studio facility in Edmonton, Alberta. The company is organized into five divisions: Development (original film, TV, and digital content), Production (original and service production), Post (Sound and Picture post-production), Music (recording studio), and Distribution (in-house release division). Their core product is their full-service production facility supporting productions from development through distribution, supplemented by post-production services including a certified 11.1.6 Dolby Atmos mixing suite and picture editing suites. Productions in their portfolio include feature films like Dark Match and Soul's Road, and series content such as Department of Paranormal Affairs. They also rent studio spaces including Studio A (5,300 sq ft) and Studio B (3,010 sq ft) to external productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dept.9 Music: Canada's premier music recording facility with a huge array of vintage and modern equipment and experienced top-class engineers. Located at dept9music.com with a 32 channel Neve Genesys Console and full recording services.

Products and services

• Sound Post Production Creative and technical sound finishing services for film, TV, and commercials — including re-recording mix, dialogue editorial, ADR and voice-over, and sound design/FX — delivered from a certified 11.1.6 Dolby Atmos mixing suite with Avid S4 console, Trinnov Altitude 32 processor, and ProTools Recorder. For external productions and in-house projects.
• Picture Post Production Creative and technical picture editing services including dailies, editorial, remote editorial, picture finishing/color grading with HDR-SDR conversion and Dolby Vision licensing, delivery, and archiving, in state-of-the-art editing suites with DaVinci Resolve Studio and Avid Media Composer v24.6.
• Music Recording Studio (Dept.9 Music) Wholly-owned subsidiary Dept.9 Music — Canada's premier music recording facility offering music recording, production, mixing, mastering, and session musician acquisition, anchored by a 32-channel Neve Genesys analog console with digitally controlled EQs and compressors, plus a roster of experienced engineers and in-house producers.
• Studio A 5,300 sq ft production sound stage with overhead door, lighting grid, green screen capabilities, and acoustic treatment, available for rental to large-scale film and television productions.
• Studio B 3,010 sq ft production studio equipped with Wi-Fi, 200-amp camlock panel, and overhead door, for rental by small and medium-sized productions.
• Production Offices 1,291 sq ft of production offices including boardroom, meeting spaces, fully equipped kitchen, 10 workstations, 22 lockers, and a 55" monitor, available for rental to productions booking sound stages.
• Dark Match 94-minute action/thriller feature film produced by Dept.9 Studios, directed by Lowell Dean, and starring wrestling legend Chris Jericho as a small-time wrestling company booking a gig in a backwoods town run by a cult leader. Distributed via Shudder (US) and Blue Finch Films (international, excluding Canada).
• Soul's Road 1h 40min drama/music feature film produced by Dept.9 Studios about a disgraced rock star (Dallas Smith) who returns to his hometown with a heart full of regret. Theatrically released across Canadian cities starting February 2026.
• Department of Paranormal Affairs Comedy series produced by Dept.9 Studios about government employees dedicated to helping supernatural beings live among humans, featuring Jenny Hicks and Scott Power. Distributed via Hollywood Suite (Canada) and free streaming platforms Tubi, Roku, Xumo, Local Now, and DistroTV (US).

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blue Finch FilmscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2024UK-based sales and distribution outfit acquired worldwide rights (excluding Canada) to Dark Match. Blue Finch Films will handle international sales and distribution, launching with festival premiere and beginning sales at Cannes Film Market.
• Hollywood SuitecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian broadcast and streaming platform for Department of Paranormal Affairs series. Available on Hollywood Suite and Prime Video through Hollywood Suite subscription in Canada.
• Banff World Media FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Partner for 2026 and 2025 festivals. Co-sponsoring sessions including 'Alberta Beyond Limits: Meet, Mingle, and Moving Forward' and 'The Future of Unscripted: Global, Social, Scalable'.
• Canadian Screen AwardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting the 'Directors on Directors' panel - an in-person event celebrating Canadian directing. Dept.9 Studios contributing to industry dialogue and mentorship.
• Fantasia International Film FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDark Match world premiere at Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal.
• Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting partner of CCMA Awards coming to Edmonton. Dept.9 Music positioned as a cornerstone of Edmonton's music community during the event.

Scale indicators7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SEVEN24 Films: Calgary-based independent film and television production company with similar scale and Western Canadian footprint. Closely comparable to Dept.9 as a regional indie producer leveraging Alberta incentives and developing original scripted content for global distribution.
• Shaftesbury Films: Toronto-headquartered Canadian film/TV production company producing scripted drama and comedy series. Comparable as a Canadian-owned producer-developer-distributor with a multi-genre slate and global streaming platform relationships.
• Lark Productions: Vancouver-based independent film and television producer with a similar development-to-distribution model. Comparable as a Canadian indie production company operating integrated development and production services with international distribution ambitions.
• Bron Studios: Vancouver-based film/TV production company with integrated financing and international sales capabilities. Comparable as a Canadian indie producer combining in-house development with global distribution partnerships and a similar multi-genre strategy.
• Don Carmody Productions: Toronto-based Canadian film production company producing feature films and series. Comparable as a Canadian independent producer with similar vertically oriented development, production, and distribution capabilities, serving similar genre and budget segments.

Broad incumbents

• Cineflix Media: Montreal-headquartered Canadian content producer and international distributor with a large catalog spanning scripted and unscripted. Comparable in combining production with global distribution, though operating at significantly larger scale and broader genre scope.
• Entertainment One (eOne): Toronto-based entertainment company with film/TV production and global distribution arms (now Hasbro-owned). Comparable as a Canadian-headquartered producer-distributor model, but operating as a much larger incumbent with substantially deeper IP catalog and distribution infrastructure.

Others

• William F. White International: Canada's largest provider of production equipment, studio facilities, and technical services to the film/TV industry. Comparable as adjacent production infrastructure serving the same Canadian production customer base that Dept.9 targets, though focused on equipment rental rather than creative content.
• Blue Finch Films: UK-based international sales and distribution company that is Dept.9's distribution partner on Dark Match. Comparable as a global sales/distribution counterpart in indie film, providing the international channel into which Dept.9's productions feed.

Regional players

• Pacific Northwest Pictures: Vancouver-based Canadian film sales, distribution, and production company. Comparable as a Western Canadian independent production-distribution peer operating in the same geographic ecosystem with similar Canadian-content incentives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dept9studios
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEvmoh-AIcTa_W1BkhQnJHw
• Facebookfacebook.com/dept.9studios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dept-9-studios
• Instagraminstagram.com/dept.9studios
• TikToktiktok.com/@dept.9studios?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Dept.9 Studios