BildundTonFabrik

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.

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

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

• Film and TV production
• Game development
• Visual effects services
• Documentary production
• Commercial production

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

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 Services: Client-funded productions for streaming platforms, broadcasters, and brands. Revenue generated through development deals, production fees, and licensing of completed content.
2. Game Sales and Licensing: Direct-to-consumer game sales through Steam, iOS, and Android platforms. Revenue from game purchases and potential in-app content.
3. Merchandise Sales: Direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through their LoveYourArtist merch store.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Paläontologische GesellschaftminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration 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 CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerlin-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

Broad 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@btfcologne
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/bildundtonfabrik
• Instagraminstagram.com/bildundtonfabrik
• TikToktiktok.com/@bildundtonfabrik
• Xx.com/BTFcologne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 BildundTonFabrik