What Wildseed Studios does

Wildseed Studios is a Bristol-based live-action and animation production company founded in April 2013 by Miles Bullough (formerly Head of Broadcast at Aardman Animations) and Jesse Cleverly. The studio produces scripted TV and film for premium kids, family, and young-adult audiences across 2D and 3D animation, live-action, and hybrid formats, with a portfolio exceeding 20 productions including 'Dodo' (Sky Kids), 'The Last Bus' (Netflix Original), 'Counterfeit Cat' (Disney XD EMEA), 'Incredible Ant' (Youku), 'Ama's Story' (Sky Kids), and BAFTA-winning content.

The company's core differentiator is a talent discovery and development model: an open submissions portal funds up to £10,000 per winner to develop scripts, show bibles, digital pilots, design work, and animatics before pitching to platform commissioners. Creators such as Drew Casson, Paul Neafcy, and Jack Bennett have progressed from initial submissions to BAFTA-nominated and commissioned series. In January 2023, French international media group Mediawan acquired partial ownership, strengthening rights acquisition, distribution, and co-production capabilities.

Commercially, Wildseed generates revenue through production commissions (professional services for platform-funded series), content distribution and licensing (rights to Netflix, Sky Kids, Disney, BBC, HBO Max, Youku, Fullscreen), and talent development investment. Pricing is negotiated per commission and is not publicly disclosed. The company maintains a Bristol headquarters with 11–50 employees and achieves Albert Sustainable Production certification across all productions.

Name

Wildseed Studios

Legal name

Wildseed Studios Limited

Website

https://wildseedstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wildseed Studios is a Bristol-based live-action and animation production company creating premium scripted content for kids, family, and young-adult audiences, sourcing projects through an open submissions portal and supplying major platforms including Netflix, Sky Kids, Disney, BBC, and HBO Max.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animated and Live-Action Children's Entertainment Production

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Scripted TV Series Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animated Series Production (TV/Streaming) (MPADACAG), Development & Packaging (IP Sourcing, Script, Attachments) (MPADAAAA)

Keywords

• Kids animation production
• Scripted content development
• Talent incubation programs
• Live-action series production
• Content licensing distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Production commissions: Wildseed creates original TV and film content for major streaming and broadcast platforms, generating revenue through production fees and commissions for commissioned series
2. Content distribution and licensing: Distribution of produced content across global platforms including Netflix, Sky Kids, Disney, BBC, generating licensing and distribution revenue
3. Talent development investment: Wildseed invests £1-10K in developing creator projects through their incubator program, with successful projects receiving full commission and development funding

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wildseed Studios is a live-action and animation TV and film production company that develops, produces, and licenses premium scripted content for kids, family, and young adult audiences. It operates a creator submissions and incubator program funding emerging talent with up to £10,000 per winning submission, providing end-to-end development including scripts, show bibles, digital pilots, design, and animatics before pitching to platforms. Productions are placed on Netflix, Sky Kids, Disney, BBC, HBO Max, Youku, Fullscreen, and other major international platforms.

Product overview

Wildseed Studios is a live action and animation TV and film production company based in Bristol, UK, specializing in premium content for kids, family, and young adult audiences. The portfolio includes animated series such as Dodo (Sky Kids), Lottie Bearshout (in development with ViacomCBS), Grim Repo Club, Tuff Pom (in development with ViacomCBS), Pepper & Monterey, Incredible Ant (streaming on Youku China), Counterfeit Cat (Disney), Tales from the Serengeti (BBC Three), Chris P Duck, Slug Riot, and (Not)Hero. Their live action productions include Netflix Original The Last Bus, Ama's Story (live action + animation hybrid for Sky Kids), PrankMe (Fullscreen), Phillip Human (Fullscreen), Hungerford, The Darkest Dawn, Heather's American Medicine, and Wolf Jenkins (BBC Three). The company focuses on discovering and developing fresh talent, offering up to £10,000 of development funding for selected projects through their submissions program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dodo A funny, relatable and heart-warming animated sitcom portraying everyday school life as told through the heightened emotions of 11-year-old Joe Connolly, navigating secondary school challenges. Commissioned by Sky Kids and distributed on NOW TV; also licensed to HBO Max for international distribution.
• The Last Bus A 10-episode action-packed family live-action sci-fi series where mismatched students on a school trip become unlikely heroes during a robot apocalypse. Original series commission for Netflix.
• Lottie Bearshout Kids 8-11 animated comedy following the anarchic adventures of a rascally 10-year-old girl and her best friend Hunter, a half-human-half-deer nature spirit, set between a tiny logging town and a magical forest.
• Grim Repo Club Kids 6-11 2D animated comedy/horror/fantasy series about two best friends who must contain the spread of mysterious paranormal forces accidentally unleashed into their sleepy coastal town.
• Tuff Pom Kids 6-11 2D animated comedy following two Pom Bros who take over running their parents' corner store, featuring a mix of animation and live action elements.
• Ama's Story A 22-minute live-action animated hybrid special for kids aged 4-7, based on a Black British family's real life experiences, encouraging kids to enjoy reading and tell their own stories. Co-produced for Sky Kids.
• Pepper & Monterey Kids 6-11 2D animated comedy about an unlikely friendship between a black cat who appears cute but is actually fierce, and a ghost who is surprisingly unfrightening.
• Incredible Ant Serialised animated comedy adventure for kids 6-11 about Xiao Yi, a young ant who sets out on an adventure to save his brother and protect his village from an evil force. Produced for the Youku/China domestic market (26 episodes).
• PrankMe A Fullscreen Original series following a young prank vlogger who begins to lose his grip on reality as he becomes torn between family pressures and his fervent online fanbase.
• Hungerford A horror sci-fi film following student Cowen Rosewell whose media studies assignment becomes a fight for survival after an epic storm changes everything in his small English town. Won Best Horror Sci-Fi at Berlin Film Festival 2014.
• The Darkest Dawn A British sci-fi movie telling the story of two teenage sisters as Britain descends into an alien apocalypse, the sequel to Hungerford. Acquired by Netflix.
• Phillip Human Comedy horror series about an average vlogger living in a spooky mansion with untold secrets, who wants to make human connections in the modern world. Commissioned by Fullscreen.
• Heather's American Medicine Adult comedy series starring Michelle Gomez as an outrageous agony aunt replying to problems sent in by the American public.
• Wolf Jenkins Balls-out action hero comedy series following Vietnam Vet and veterinarian Wolf Jenkins on missions of violence against bad guys to rescue animals. Commissioned by BBC Three.
• Counterfeit Cat Animated series for kids about an unconventional friendship between Gark, a naive kid alien destined to save the universe, and Max, an anxious but vain housecat he mistakes for a brave tiger. BAFTA-nominated for Disney XD.
• Tales from the Serengeti Animated sitcom following the crude, rude, and surprisingly tender lives of animals in the Serengeti, commissioned by BBC Three.
• Chris P Duck Adult animation following Lovable moron Chris, a well-meaning duck who wants to make friends and bring joy to his seedy run-down London park despite his cluelessness causing chaos.
• Slug Riot Comedy series following legendary self-destructive guitarist Slug Riot who returns home to rot and is pushed by his sister to reform his band.
• (Not)Hero Comedy series about Heromy, who is destined to be the kingdom's hero but just wants to bake banana cream pies and avoid other people.
• Submissions and Incubator Program Open-call talent discovery and development program offering up to £10,000 in development funding for winning submissions, with end-to-end development support including scripts, show bibles, digital pilots, design work, and animatics for emerging creators seeking platform commissions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple BAFTA and award-winning series commissions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CAKE EntertainmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCAKE Entertainment serves as the international distributor for Wildseed's animated series Dodo, handling global distribution outside of direct platform deals.
• Shaw Rocket FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShaw Rocket Fund co-produced the Startoon animation incubator competition with Wildseed Studios in Canada, supporting emerging animation talent development.
• Sky KidscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSky Kids is the primary broadcast partner for Ama's Story and other Wildseed productions, commissioning original content for their children's platform.
• Atomic CartoonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtomic Cartoons partnered with Wildseed to produce Incredible Ant for the Chinese domestic market, the most sophisticated animation created for China at the time.
• TelegaelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrish production company co-produced Dodo with Wildseed Studios.
• Toonz Media GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational animation studio co-produced Dodo with Wildseed Studios.
• Birkdale Film and TelevisionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Dodo animated series.
• Albert (BAFTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll Wildseed productions qualify for and have achieved Albert Sustainable Production Certificate, ensuring environmental sustainability in production practices.
• Bio BeeminorOthersBio Bee collects and processes Wildseed's production food waste for anaerobic digestion, powering their truck with biomethane from food waste and sewage.
• GREENSHOOTminorOthersGREENSHOOT handles donation of sets for reuse when productions are complete, supporting Wildseed's zero waste to landfill commitment.
• BioDminorOthersBioD provides natural cleaning products to Wildseed to avoid polluting waterways as part of their environmental policy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Zoo Animation Studio: Award-winning UK animation studio producing original kids content (Q Pootle 5, The Adventures of Paddington) for BBC, CBeebies, and international streamers. Directly comparable in scale, target audience, and commissioning footprint.
• Aardman Animations: Bristol-based animation studio producing premium animated content for kids and family audiences (Shaun the Sheep, Wallace & Gromit). Wildseed's founder Miles Bullough was previously Head of Broadcast at Aardman, and both studios operate in the same UK kids-animation category with overlapping platform buyers.
• Lupus Films: UK animation studio behind 'The Snowman and the Snowdog' and BAFTA-winning 'Ethel & Ernest'. Operates in the same premium UK kids-animation category with similar platform relationships and an award-led positioning.
• Locksmith Animation: UK animation studio producing premium CGI animated features and series (Ron's Gone Wrong, that Christmas). Comparable in targeting the kids/family premium segment with international co-production and platform distribution.
• A Productions: Portugal-based animation studio producing premium kids series for international broadcasters and streamers, with strong co-production capability across Europe. Comparable as a mid-sized European animation studio competing for the same international commissions.

Broad incumbents

• WildBrain (formerly DHX Media): Large Canadian kids-content company owning the Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, and Inspector Gadget IP. Operates at much larger scale and competes for the same streaming platform kids-content slots globally.
• Studio 100: European family-entertainment company (Maya the Bee, Heidi) producing animation, live-action, and merchandise for kids globally. Competes for the same European and international platform kids-content commissions.
• Tiger Aspect Productions: Established UK production company (part of Endemol Shine/Banijay) producing scripted and kids content including Mr. Bean, Charlie and Lola. Broader portfolio but competes for the same BBC, ITV, and streaming commissions.
• Zodiak Kids (Banijay Kids & Family): International kids-content division of Banijay Group producing and distributing animated and live-action series for global platforms. A larger, broader incumbent operating in the same commissioning landscape.

Others

• CAKE Entertainment: London-based international distribution and production company for kids animation. Already a distribution partner of Wildseed (Dodo) and competes in the same kids-content distribution and rights-administration layer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wildseedstudios
• Facebookfacebook.com/WildseedStudios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wildseed-studios

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Wildseed Studios