What Uncommon Productions does

Uncommon Productions is a privately held independent film and theatrical production company headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, founded in 2000. The company produces social-issue documentaries and narrative films across topics including environmental advocacy (A Life Among Whales, The Last Mountain), human rights and social justice (The Price of Sugar, American Violet), and scientific innovation (Jim Allison: Breakthrough, Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution). Founder Bill Haney serves as director on the majority of the documentary slate, making the company a founder-led creative vehicle rather than a scaled production operation.

The company monetizes its catalog primarily through streaming licensing and royalty agreements across 10+ platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi, Kanopy, Roku, Vudu, Fandango, Google Play, YouTube, and Hoopla, supplemented by theatrical releases, special screenings, and a growing educational licensing line via free educator toolkits on Kanopy. Distribution is event-driven, leveraging film festival premieres (SXSW, Sundance), broadcast exposure (PBS Independent Lens), and SAG-AFTRA Foundation conversations to drive visibility. Awards recognition from SXSW, Sundance, Hollywood Reporter, and Vermont International Film Festival provides brand credibility.

The business operates with a very small team of 1-10 employees, no disclosed external funding, and no parent or subsidiary entities. Recent strategic moves include the 2025 launch of Cracking the Code with PBS Independent Lens broadcast, the 2024 entry into live theatrical production via The Poisoner in NYC, and continued investment in narrative films alongside the documentary core. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and is episodic in nature given the long-tail economics of independent film licensing.

Name

Uncommon Productions

Legal name

Uncommon Productions

Website

https://uncommonproductions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Uncommon Productions is an independent film and theatrical production company producing social-issue documentaries and narrative films distributed globally via 10+ streaming platforms, with a secondary educational line serving schools and libraries through Kanopy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Film Production

akta.pro primary industry

True Crime Documentaries (MPADADAN)

Keywords

• Documentary film production
• Independent film distribution
• Educational media content
• Streaming content licensing
• Narrative film production

Headquarters

HQ city

Waltham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Streaming Distribution: Films are distributed through major streaming platforms including Amazon, AppleTV, Tubi, Kanopy, Roku, Vudu, Fandango, Google Play, YouTube, and Hoopla. Revenue is generated through licensing agreements and platform revenue sharing.
2. Educational Licensing: The company provides educator toolkits and classroom materials for select films including The Price of Sugar, William, and A Life Among Whales, targeting educational institutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Uncommon Productions is an independent film production company that produces, distributes, and licenses its own documentary films, narrative films, and theatrical productions. Films cover environmental, social justice, civil rights, and scientific themes, and are distributed via major streaming platforms and theatrical release. The company also develops free educator toolkits and classroom materials for select documentaries used in K-12 and higher education.

Product overview

Uncommon Productions is a documentary and narrative film production company producing social issue documentaries and theatrical content. Their documentary portfolio includes environmental films like A Life Among Whales (2005), The Price of Sugar (2007), The Last Mountain (2011), Jim Allison: Breakthrough (2019), and Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution (2025). They also produce narrative films including American Violet (2009), William (2019), and What We Find on the Road (2024), as well as theatrical productions such as The Poisoner (2024 NYC). Many films are accompanied by educator toolkits for classroom use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A Life Among Whales Documentary exploring the unique relationship between humans and whales, told through the story of renowned whale biologist and activist Dr. Roger Payne and his pioneering work on whale songs.
• The Price of Sugar Documentary exposing the plight of up to 20,000 Haitians annually lured into laboring on sugar plantations in the Dominican Republic, and the efforts of Catholic priest Christopher Hartley to advocate for their rights.
• American Violet Narrative film based on the true story of Regina Kelly, an African American mother who was wrongfully arrested in a drug sweep and fought the Robertson County District Attorney in Hearne, Texas.
• The Last Mountain Documentary following citizens in Coal River Valley, West Virginia as they fight to stop Big Coal corporations like Massey Energy from Mountain Top Removal mining practices.
• Jim Allison: Breakthrough Documentary about Nobel Prize-winning scientist Jim Allison and his breakthrough work developing immune checkpoint therapy for cancer treatment.
• William Narrative film about the first Neanderthal to walk the earth in 35,000 years, exploring themes of identity, prejudice, and what it means to be human.
• What We Find on the Road Road trip movie exploring themes of family, friendship, and self-discovery as a young man journeys to find his father.
• Cracking the Code: Phil Sharp and the Biotech Revolution Documentary chronicling the life and career of Phil Sharp through his groundbreaking RNA biology discovery that redefined understanding of genes and genetic disorders, narrated by Mark Ruffalo.
• The Poisoner Theatrical production premiering in New York City in 2024.
• Educator Toolkits Classroom materials, worksheets, and viewing guides accompanying select films for educational use, including guides for The Price of Sugar, William, and A Life Among Whales.

Quantifiable outcome

• Films available on 10+ major streaming platforms
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Participant Media: Larger social-impact media company producing documentary and narrative films on environmental, civil rights, and scientific themes. Comparable in subject matter and advocacy positioning, though at meaningfully greater scale and with broader distribution infrastructure.
• PBS Distribution: Public broadcaster distribution arm that took Cracking the Code to air via Independent Lens. Comparable as a public-media exhibition and educational-licensing channel that the company already accesses and could grow into a deeper partnership.
• A24: Independent film production and distribution company spanning documentary and narrative features. Comparable as an indie prestige brand distributing through streaming and theatrical channels, though A24 operates at substantially larger scale.

Emerging players

• XTR: Documentary-focused streaming and production platform producing and distributing feature-length documentaries. Comparable as a newer documentary-native distribution model that competes for the same audience attention and filmmaker projects.

Direct peers

• Kartemquin Films: Long-running independent documentary production studio focused on social issue and impact filmmaking. Closely comparable to Uncommon Productions in mission-driven documentary production, awards profile, and educational outreach orientation.
• Abramorama: Distribution and marketing company focused on documentary and impact-driven films. Comparable as a go-to-market vehicle for documentary-first producers targeting both theatrical impact campaigns and digital release.
• Strand Releasing: Independent film distributor specializing in documentary, foreign-language, and specialty titles with theatrical and digital reach. Comparable as a distribution partner archetype for prestige indie documentaries.
• IFC Films: Independent film distributor with a long-running documentary and specialty film slate across theatrical, digital, and streaming channels. Comparable distribution footprint for an indie producer like Uncommon Productions.
• Magnolia Pictures: Independent film distribution company with strong documentary and specialty film slate released theatrically and on streaming. Comparable channel profile for indie documentaries seeking multi-platform distribution.
• Neon: Independent film distributor known for festival-acquired documentaries and narrative features. Comparable as a distribution counterpart for prestige indie documentaries premiering at SXSW/Sundance and reaching streaming and theatrical audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uncommonprod
• Facebookfacebook.com/uncommonprod
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uncommon-productions
• Instagraminstagram.com/uncommonprod

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Uncommon Productions