BildundTonFabrik
BildundTonFabrik (btf) is an independent German production company, founded 2012 in Cologne, delivering end-to-end fiction, documentary, games, and branded content for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, German public broadcasters, and automotive clients, with an in-house Games Department and complete VFX and post-production capabilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersKöln, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BildundTonFabrik does
BildundTonFabrik (btf GmbH) is an independent German production company founded in 2012 by Philipp Käßbohrer and Matthias Murmann, headquartered in Cologne-Ehrenfeld with additional studios in Berlin-Kreuzberg. The company delivers end-to-end content production across fiction, documentary, entertainment shows, games, commercials, and post-production/visual effects, with all work performed in-house from concept and script through final delivery. Its primary commissioning clients are international streaming platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+) and German public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD/WDR, SWR, NDR, Radio Bremen), supplemented by automotive brand work (BMW, Nissan, Audi) and government/educational clients such as the Ministerium des Innern NRW.
btf operates two complementary business units. The first is a commissioned production services business (professional services model) where btf develops, produces, and licenses content on a project basis against bespoke client contracts; revenue is generated through development deals, production fees, and licensing of completed content. The second is the btf Games Department, an independently operating division established in 2017 with approximately 20 employees in Cologne and Berlin, which produces and self-publishes narrative-driven games (Trüberbrook, The Berlin Apartment, Constance, Game Royale 2, Dino Dino, Leon's Identität) via direct-to-consumer distribution on Steam, iOS App Store, and Google Play, alongside a direct-to-consumer merchandise channel through the LoveYourArtist storefront. Technology underpinning the games work includes a distinctive miniature-to-digital pipeline using photogrammetry, 3D engines, motion capture for interactive performance, and proprietary narrative-architecture techniques for non-linear storytelling; VFX and post-production capabilities are integrated into all film and series work. The company is privately held with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or institutional shareholders, and the founders serve as Geschäftsführer.
BildundTonFabrik firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BildundTonFabrik
- Legal name
- btf GmbH
- Website
- https://btf.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- BildundTonFabrik (btf) is an independent German production company, founded 2012 in Cologne, delivering end-to-end fiction, documentary, games, and branded content for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, German public broadcasters, and automotive clients, with an in-house Games Department and complete VFX and post-production capabilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BildundTonFabrik industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media Production Services
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB), Motion Graphics & Titling (2D/3D, Broadcast Graphics) (MPADAGAD)
Keywords
Where BildundTonFabrik is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Köln
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
BildundTonFabrik business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Commissioned Production Services: Client-funded productions for streaming platforms, broadcasters, and brands. Revenue generated through development deals, production fees, and licensing of completed content.
- Game Sales and Licensing: Direct-to-consumer game sales through Steam, iOS, and Android platforms. Revenue from game purchases and potential in-app content.
- Merchandise Sales: Direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through their LoveYourArtist merch store.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
BildundTonFabrik product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BildundTonFabrik is an independent German production company that produces commissioned content across fiction (TV series and feature films), documentaries, entertainment shows, narrative video games, and advertising/commercials for streaming platforms, broadcasters, and brands. The company handles the full production lifecycle entirely in-house, from concept and scriptwriting through filming, visual effects, and post-production, with a dedicated Games Department creating adventure and educational games for PC and mobile platforms.
Product overview
BildundTonFabrik (btf) is an independent production company founded in 2012 that creates content across multiple formats: Fiction (TV series and feature films), Documentaries, Shows & Entertainment, Games, Commercials, and Design & VFX. The company operates an internal Games Department (btf Games Department) with approximately 20 employees in Cologne and Berlin. Their portfolio includes award-winning productions such as the adventure game Trüberbrook, Netflix series like 'How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)' and 'Buba', Prime Video's 'Perfekt Verpasst', Disney+'s 'Pauline', and various documentary series for Netflix, ZDF, and ARD. The company produces all work in-house from concept through final delivery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- btf Games Department: Independently operating division of btf GmbH implementing game development visions with current 20 employees in Cologne and Berlin since 2017.
- Saftladen Indie Games Collective
Products and services
- Trüberbrook Atmospheric mystery adventure game set in a 1960s German spa town. Players take on the role of a young American physicist. Landscapes were built as miniature sets and digitized using photogrammetry. Sold directly to consumers on Steam.
- The Berlin Apartment First Person Exploration Adventure Game telling independent short stories from the perspective of a Berlin Altbauwohnung (old Berlin apartment) across 120 years of history, told in episodes from a first-person perspective. In development for PC and gaming consoles.
- Constance Metroidvania game with puzzle and jump'n'run elements featuring hand-drawn environments and frame-by-frame character animations. Focuses on mental health themes including overcoming mental blocks and fears. In early development for PCs and consoles.
- Leons Identität Detective adventure game focused on exploring an interactive game world, where the player investigates the mysterious disappearance of Leon and uncovers his drift into right-wing extremism. Produced for the Ministerium des Innern NRW as a prevention program.
- Dino Dino Educational app for preschool children (age 4+) to learn about dinosaurs through interactive minigames. Available on iOS and Android with content in 13 languages including English, German, French, Spanish, and Mandarin. Developed in partnership with Paläontologische Gesellschaft for scientific accuracy.
- Game Royale 2 Adventure game where players take on the role of Jan Böhmermann waking up on a lonely South Sea island with no memory. Includes a parallel storyline featuring William Cohn searching for Jan Böhmermann.
- Pauline Disney+ supernatural coming-of-age series about Pauline who discovers she is pregnant with the son of the devil while dealing with the epic battle between good and evil. Produced for Disney+ with a diverse cast.
- Perfekt Verpasst Prime Video series starring Anke Engelke and Bastian Pastewka about two people stuck in their lives who would be perfect together if only they would meet. Eight-episode original series produced for Amazon Prime Video.
- Buba Netflix feature film about small-time criminal Jakob 'Buba' Otto and his Albanian rival (who is not actually Albanian) and his old-new flame. Produced for Netflix.
- Commissioned TV and Film Production Services Full-service commissioned production of original TV series, feature films, documentaries, and entertainment shows for streaming platforms (Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+), German public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD, WDR, SWR, NDR), and brands. Includes concept development, scriptwriting, filming, visual effects, and post-production.
- Commercial and Brand Documentary Production Production services for automotive and brand advertisers, including brand documentaries, international TV commercials, and campaign content. Clients include BMW (Chasing iNEXT documentary), Nissan (Winter 2015 crossover campaign), and Audi (Gebrauchtwagen :plus international TV commercials).
Quantifiable outcome
- Most successful German Kickstarter campaign for a video game (Trüberbrook)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use BildundTonFabrik
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
BildundTonFabrik technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
BildundTonFabrik partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Paläontologische GesellschaftminorCollaboration for Dino Dino educational app ensuring scientific accuracy of dinosaur content for preschool children. Content partner providing expert paleontological knowledge and latest research for educational game development.
- Saftladen Indie Games CollectiveminorBerlin-based indie games collective that btf Games Department is part of. Collaborative ecosystem for independent game developers in Berlin-Kreuzberg location.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BildundTonFabrik competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bavaria Film: Major German film and TV production company and studio operator based in Munich. Competes for the same streaming and broadcaster commissions as btf, with established premium drama and feature film capabilities.
- Studio Hamburg Production Companies: Major German production group producing TV series, films, and digital content for broadcasters and streamers. Direct competitor for ARD-commissioned and streaming projects with a similar fiction/documentary focus.
- UFA (Bertelsmann): One of Germany's largest production companies, owned by RTL Group/Bertelsmann. Produces premium content across TV series, films, and shows for German broadcasters and global streamers. Direct competitor for streaming platform commissions but with vastly greater scale and resources.
- Constantin Film: One of Germany's largest independent film and TV producers with extensive film, series, and distribution operations. Competes for high-budget Netflix, Prime Video, and theatrical projects; comparable fiction feature work.
Direct peers
- NEUESUPER: Berlin-based independent production company producing premium scripted series and documentaries for streaming platforms and broadcasters. Closely comparable in scale, model, and platform relationships to btf.
- Wiedemann & Berg Film: Independent German production company known for high-end television and film content including Dark (Netflix). Most directly comparable peer: similar scale, premium streaming client roster, and reputation for distinctive original content.
- Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft: Independent German production company producing high-quality series, films, and documentaries for German broadcasters and international streamers. Comparable scale and B2B production services model to btf.
- Studio Fizbin: Independent German game studio focused on narrative and puzzle games (The Inner World, Shift Happens). Highly comparable to btf Games in size, narrative focus, and German indie identity.
- Bon Voyage Films: Berlin-based independent production company producing premium scripted series for streamers and broadcasters, including Netflix commissions. Closely aligned with btf in scale, format focus, and platform client mix.
- Daedalic Entertainment: German independent game studio and publisher specializing in narrative adventure games (Deponia series, Silence). Most direct comparable to btf's Games Department in narrative genre and indie scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BildundTonFabrik social profiles
Digital presenceBildundTonFabrik financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BildundTonFabrik leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
BildundTonFabrik funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BildundTonFabrik 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 BildundTonFabrik
What does BildundTonFabrik do?
BildundTonFabrik is an independent German production company that produces commissioned content across fiction (TV series and feature films), documentaries, entertainment shows, narrative video games, and advertising/commercials for streaming platforms, broadcasters, and brands. The company handles the full production lifecycle entirely in-house, from concept and scriptwriting through filming, visual effects, and post-production, with a dedicated Games Department creating adventure and educational games for PC and mobile platforms.
Is BildundTonFabrik a public or private company?
BildundTonFabrik is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BildundTonFabrik founded?
BildundTonFabrik was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is BildundTonFabrik based?
BildundTonFabrik is headquartered in Köln, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does BildundTonFabrik make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Commissioned Production Services are the primary driver. The others are game Sales and Licensing and merchandise Sales.
Who are BildundTonFabrik's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bavaria Film, Studio Hamburg Production Companies, UFA (Bertelsmann) and Constantin Film. Direct peers are NEUESUPER, Wiedemann & Berg Film, Polyphon Film- und Fernsehgesellschaft, Studio Fizbin, Bon Voyage Films and Daedalic Entertainment.
Does BildundTonFabrik have an API?
No public API is recorded for BildundTonFabrik.
What industry is BildundTonFabrik in?
BildundTonFabrik's product category is Media Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAF, Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio), with a secondary code of MPADADAB, Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming). Its NAICS code is 512110 and its SIC code is 7812.