Departure Films

Name

Departure Films

Legal name

Departure Films

Website

http://departure-films.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Departure Films is a full service production company with a focus on reality television.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Dailies & Editorial Support (DIT, Lab, Transcoding, Proxies) (MPADAGAG)

Keywords

• Television production services
• Reality TV production
• Unscripted series production
• Branded content production
• Digital content production

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TV Series Production: Production of original television series for cable and streaming networks including HGTV, Peacock, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Universal Kids, National Geographic Kids, and A&E.
2. Branded Content Partnerships: Branded content deals with consumer brands for promotional content integrated with TV properties such as HGTV Dream Home and Smart Home giveaways. Partners include 5-hour ENERGY, Dunkin Donuts, Wayfair, Homes.com, Belgard, Trex, Mercedes, and My Q.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Departure Films is a full-service production company that develops and produces unscripted/reality television series and branded digital content. The company takes projects from concept to air for cable networks and streaming platforms (HGTV, Peacock, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Universal Kids, National Geographic Kids, A&E) and operates a DF Digital division offering promo, branded, and social content production services.

Product overview

Departure Films is a full-service production company that has operated since 2001, producing innovative and acclaimed crime, paranormal, lifestyle, and kids programming. The company operates as a portfolio of distinct television series and a digital content service. Its television portfolio includes competition and renovation series such as Battle on the Beach, the HGTV Dream Home Giveaway Series, HGTV Smart Home Giveaway Series, Build It Forward, Rehab Addict Lake House Rescue, Create the Escape, Backyard Blowout, and Get Out of My Room. The company also maintains a DF Digital division offering Promo, Branded, and Social digital content services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DF Digital: Digital production services division offering Promo, Branded content, and Social media content production

Products and services

• Battle on the Beach

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MercedescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Branded partnership for Smart Home 2025, featuring Mercedes vehicles and smart home technology integration.
• BelgardcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Dream Home 2025 branded partnership featuring Belgard outdoor living products.
• Homes.comcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Branded partnership for Smart Home 2024, integrating Homes.com branding into HGTV Smart Home Giveaway Series programming.
• TrexcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Dream Home 2024 branded partnership featuring Trex composite decking products.
• My QminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Urban Oasis 2024 branded partnership featuring My Q smart home technology.
• 5-hour ENERGYcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with 5-hour ENERGY featuring influencer Avery Cyrus, including Comic Con activations.
• Dunkin DonutsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Dunkin Donuts room makeover branded content project.
• WayfaircoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Urban Oasis 2023 branded partnership with Wayfair for home furnishing and décor integration.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Authentic Entertainment: Independent unscripted TV production company producing lifestyle and home-design programming for major US networks, including long-running relationships with HGTV and Discovery. Closely comparable to Departure Films in scale, genre mix and buyer base.
• High Noon Productions: US-based unscripted production company producing competition and lifestyle reality formats for cable networks and streamers. Comparable to Departure Films in operating model and reliance on network commissions.
• Pie Town Productions: Reality and lifestyle production company producing food, home, and competition series for major US cable networks. Closely comparable in genre mix, format style and network-buyer relationships.
• Left/Right Inc. Independent unscripted production house producing reality, docuseries and lifestyle programming for US cable and streaming. Comparable in size, format focus and full-service production capability.
• 51 Minds Entertainment: Reality TV production company focused on competition and relationship formats, now part of Endemol Shine. Comparable to Departure Films in unscripted genre and multi-network delivery.
• Original Media: US unscripted production company producing lifestyle, true-crime and competition formats for cable networks. Comparable in scale, genre breadth and reliance on US cable/streaming commissions.
• Shed Media: Reality and unscripted production company producing formats across lifestyle, crime and competition genres. Now part of Warner Bros. Discovery, providing a direct comparability point on what scaled buyers value in this category.

Broad incumbents

• Endemol Shine North America: Large global unscripted production group operating MasterChef, Big Brother and Survivor franchises. Comparable to Departure Films in unscripted TV production but at materially larger scale and with global IP ownership.
• Fremantle: Global content producer and distributor covering unscripted, scripted and format sales. Comparable business model to Departure Films' production-for-networks model but at multinational scale with format-library advantages.
• ITV Studios America: US production arm of ITV Studios producing unscripted and scripted programming for major US networks and streamers. Comparable in network-buyer model and unscripted format production at meaningfully larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@averycyrus23
• Instagraminstagram.com/househuntingseries
• Xx.com/departurefilm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/departure-films

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Departure Films