Apollo Media
Apollo Media Ltd is a UK-based, privately held film finance company founded in 1996 that finances and co-produces independent feature films, with a cumulative financed slate exceeding $500M across titles featuring notable directors and actors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Apollo Media does
Apollo Media Ltd is a UK-based, privately held content and technology finance company founded in 1996 by Gavin Poolman (CEO) and Mark Beilby (Chairman). Its core business is financing and co-producing feature films, with a cumulative financed slate of over $500M spanning more than two decades. The portfolio includes independently recognized productions such as The Dressmaker (2016, with Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth), The Secret Scripture (2017, directed by Jim Sheridan), 6 Days (2018), The Kindness of Strangers (2019), and Hope Gap (2020), alongside earlier titles including The Zookeeper, Festival Express, and Chelsea on the Rocks.
The company operates on bespoke, one-time financing arrangements with film production companies, earning returns through equity participation, financing fees, and back-end participation in distribution. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are negotiated per-project. The customer base is the film and entertainment industry, specifically production companies and rights-holders seeking capital for mid-budget independent features with established director and cast attachments.
In 2008, the founders separately co-founded Auga Technologies, which built the Vevox mobile polling and Q&A platform — a #1 globally rated engagement tool. Apollo Media itself remains a lean operation of 1-10 employees and does not disclose revenue, operating geographies beyond the UK, or institutional capital structure.
Apollo Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Apollo Media
- Legal name
- Apollo Media Ltd
- Website
- https://apollomedia.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Apollo Media Ltd is a UK-based, privately held film finance company founded in 1996 that finances and co-produces independent feature films, with a cumulative financed slate exceeding $500M across titles featuring notable directors and actors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Apollo Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Financing
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Development & Packaging (IP Sourcing, Script, Attachments) (MPADAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Project Finance Capital Raising Intermediation (FSAEALAJ)
Keywords
Where Apollo Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Apollo Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Content & Technology Finance: Apollo Media operates as a content and technology finance company that invests in and produces film and media productions. The company finances film productions and has built a portfolio of over $500M in financed content slate.
Apollo Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Apollo Media is a UK-based content and technology finance company that finances feature film productions. Since 1996 the company has co-financed an aggregate slate of over $500M in film productions, working with established directors and actors on independent features released through theatrical, festival, and distribution channels.
Product overview
Apollo Media is a UK-based content and technology finance company established in 1996 that finances film productions. The company has financed films totaling over $500M in aggregate slate. Apollo Media's portfolio includes both initial productions (such as THE ZOOKEEPER, FESTIVAL EXPRESS, and CHELSEA ON THE ROCKS) and more recent releases spanning 2016-2020 (including THE DRESSMAKER, THE SECRET SCRIPTURE, HUNTER'S PRAYER, WINTER, 6 DAYS, THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS, and HOPE GAP). Additionally, the founders co-founded Auga Technologies in 2008, which operates Vevox—a mobile insight and engagement platform with polling and Q&A capabilities. The company operates under the leadership of CEO Gavin Poolman and Chairman Mark Beilby.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Film Finance & Production Services End-to-end film financing and co-production support for independent feature films. Apollo Media finances productions and co-produces features with established directors and actors, having financed an aggregate slate of over $500M since 1996.
- The Dressmaker Financed feature film production released in 2016, directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse, starring Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth.
- The Secret Scripture Financed feature film production released in 2017, directed by Jim Sheridan, starring Rooney Mara, Vanessa Redgrave, and Eric Bana.
- Hunter's Prayer Financed feature film production released in 2017, directed by Jonathan Mostow, starring Sam Worthington.
- Winter Financed feature film production released in 2017, directed by Heidi Greensmith, starring Tommy Flanagan.
- 6 Days Financed feature film production released in 2018, directed by Toa Fraser, starring Jamie Bell, Mark Strong, and Abbie Cornish.
- The Kindness of Strangers Financed feature film production released in 2019, directed by Lone Scherfig, starring Caleb Landry Jones, Andrea Riseborough, Jay Baruchel, and Zoe Kazan.
- Hope Gap Financed feature film production released in 2020, written and directed by Bill Nicholson, starring Annette Benning, Bill Nighy, and Josh O'Connor.
Companies that use Apollo Media
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Apollo Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Apollo Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Auga TechnologiescoreIn 2008, Apollo Media founders Gavin Poolman and Mark Beilby co-founded Auga Technologies, a global market leader in mobile insight and engagement through its #1 rated Polling and Q&A platform Vevox. This represents a strategic co-founding relationship extending beyond traditional film finance into technology ventures.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Apollo Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Protagonist Pictures: UK-based film sales and finance company; directly comparable as a boutique financier and co-producer of independent features.
- BBC Films: BBC's feature film division financing UK and international co-productions; comparable as a long-standing UK film financier with talent-driven slate strategy.
- BFI (British Film Institute): UK lead body for film with Lottery funding for feature production; comparable as a UK film financing entity supporting independent productions and talent development.
- Film4: Channel 4's feature film financing and development arm; directly comparable as a UK-based film financier that co-produces and funds indie features with established talent.
- Silver Reel: International film production and finance company active in co-productions; comparable as a film financing specialist deploying capital into indie feature slates.
- Ingenious Media: UK-based media finance specialist investing in film, TV, and content; directly comparable as a private film finance intermediary operating in the same niche as Apollo Media.
- Altitude Film Entertainment: UK integrated film finance, production, sales, and distribution company; directly comparable as a UK-based indie film financier operating across the value chain.
- WestEnd Films: UK-headquartered international film sales and co-financier; comparable as an independent film finance and distribution entity serving similar content partners.
Broad incumbents
- Lionsgate Films: Major independent studio with deep involvement in film finance, co-production, and distribution; comparable as a broader incumbent that finances and acquires independent feature slates at scale.
Regional players
- Screen Ireland (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland): Irish national film financing body; comparable as a regional film financier supporting indie productions, though focused on the Irish market rather than the UK.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Apollo Media social profiles
Digital presenceApollo Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Apollo Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Apollo Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Apollo Media 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 Apollo Media
What does Apollo Media do?
Apollo Media is a UK-based content and technology finance company that finances feature film productions. Since 1996 the company has co-financed an aggregate slate of over $500M in film productions, working with established directors and actors on independent features released through theatrical, festival, and distribution channels.
Is Apollo Media a public or private company?
Apollo Media is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Apollo Media founded?
Apollo Media was founded in 1996. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Apollo Media based?
Apollo Media is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Apollo Media make money?
One revenue line is on record: content & Technology Finance.
Who are Apollo Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Protagonist Pictures, BBC Films, BFI (British Film Institute), Film4, Silver Reel, Ingenious Media, Altitude Film Entertainment and WestEnd Films. Lionsgate Films is listed as a broad incumbent. Screen Ireland (Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland) is listed as a regional player.
Does Apollo Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Apollo Media.
What industry is Apollo Media in?
Apollo Media's product category is Film Financing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAAAA, Development & Packaging (IP Sourcing, Script, Attachments), with a secondary code of FSAEALAJ, Project Finance Capital Raising Intermediation. Its NAICS code is 51211 and its SIC code is 7812.