Automatic Entertainment

What Automatic Entertainment does

Automatic Entertainment is a Los Angeles-based independent motion picture and television financing and distribution management company founded in 2013. The company develops, finances, produces, and distributes films for theatrical, television, and streaming platforms worldwide, working with content creators from development through global sales. It is co-owned and operated by partners Michael Lurie (responsible for distribution, licensing, marketing, and business development) and Jeffrey Giles (responsible for development, finance, production, sales, and distribution), who also operate The Syndicate in parallel.

The company's core product is a film library of over 60 titles spanning action, horror, comedy, drama, family, science-fiction, documentary, faith-based, and parody genres, including multiple Jurassic-branded creature features and titles featuring recognized actors such as Jean-Claude Van Damme, Ron Perlman, Mira Sorvino, Guy Pearce, Anna Kendrick, Zac Efron, and Josh Hutcherson. Distribution is executed through direct sales relationships with theatrical distributors (Cinedigm, ARC Entertainment, Well Go USA, Screen Media, Breaking Glass Pictures), television networks, and streaming platforms, supplemented by film festival placements at Cannes, SXSW, Method Fest, Deadcenter, SITGES, and FrightFest. The company additionally operates as a foreign sales agent for third-party slugs such as Terror Films, providing international distribution services.

Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and there is no evidence of institutional capital, external shareholders, or a parent holding company. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, and the technology stack is described as a film production and distribution management platform with no AI/ML components disclosed. Marketing is conducted primarily through organic social channels (Facebook, Twitter, IMDb, Vimeo), the company website, and earned media coverage in trade outlets including Variety, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, and Screen Daily.

Name

Automatic Entertainment

Legal name

Automatic Entertainment

Website

https://automaticent.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Automatic Entertainment is a Los Angeles-based independent film financing and distribution management company founded in 2013, developing and globally distributing a library of over 60 titles across multiple genres to theatrical distributors, TV networks, and streaming platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Distribution

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Entertainment Distribution (Digital: TVOD/EST) (MPADAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Free TV / Syndication Distribution (MPADAJAI), Pay-TV / Premium Window Distribution (MPADAJAH)

Keywords

• Independent film distribution
• Motion picture financing
• Television licensing
• International film sales
• Film production management

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Automatic Entertainment is an independent motion picture and television financing and distribution management company that develops, produces, acquires, and distributes original and third-party film content to global audiences. It manages a film library of more than 60 titles across multiple genres and delivers them to theatrical distributors, television networks, streaming platforms, and film festivals worldwide. The company also serves as a foreign sales agent for specialty genre labels such as Terror Films.

Product overview

Automatic Entertainment is a Los Angeles-based independent motion picture and television financing and distribution management company that develops and produces films for global audiences. The company's core product is its film library portfolio, which includes titles across genres such as action, horror, comedy, drama, documentary, family, sci-fi, western, and faith-based films. The portfolio features productions from various stages including Completed, Post-Production, and In Post-Production, with notable titles such as Breaking Them Up (Comedy-Drama), Burn (Thriller), Dragon Soldiers (Creature-Feature), Pound of Flesh (Action starring Jean-Claude Van Damme), That Awkward Moment (Romantic Comedy), The Kings of Summer (Sundance feature), Breathe In (Drama), The Walking Deceased (Zombie Spoof), Avengers of Justice: Farce Wars (Parody), and many others spanning horror franchises like Jurassic Hunt/Jurassic Expedition/Jurassic Galaxy/Jurassic City. The company works with theatrical distributors, television networks, and film festivals worldwide to secure distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automatic Entertainment Film Library Portfolio of more than 60 independent films across multiple genres (action, horror, comedy, drama, family, documentary, sci-fi, faith-based), licensed and distributed to theatrical distributors, television networks, streaming platforms, and film festivals worldwide; available for acquisition by enterprise buyers.
• Breaking Them Up Comedy-drama about an eighth-grader who schemes to help his parents find new partners; status: Completed.
• Burn Thriller about a gas station attendant who finds an unexpected connection with a robber; cast includes Josh Hutcherson and Suki Waterhouse.
• Indiscretion Crime-drama-romance psychological thriller starring Mira Sorvino and Cary Elwes about a psychiatrist whose weekend fling turns dangerous.
• Dead Zone Action-horror film about elite soldiers on a stealth mission in a radiation-poisoned town; status: Post-Production.
• Sparkle Family-adventure film about a girl who runs away from an orphanage to save animals on her family's farm and discovers a magical unicorn.
• Jurassic Hunt Monster-action film where trophy hunters must evade dinosaurs and mercenaries in a Jurassic park; status: In Post-Production.
• Dead Driver Action film starring Mark Dacascos as an assassin battling hordes of zombies to save his daughter.
• The Escape of Prisoner 614 Action-adventure-comedy about two small-town deputies who catch an escaped prisoner they believe was wrongly convicted; cast includes Ron Perlman.
• Dragon Soldiers Creature-feature-action film where elite soldiers become the hunted while fighting a fire-breathing monster in a suburban forest.
• Pink Opaque Drama about a homeless young man balancing school, family, forbidden romance, and adversaries in pursuit of fulfillment.
• Teenage Cocktail Drama-thriller about two girls who run away from their small town and overbearing parents, only to face violent consequences.
• Dawn of the Predator Sci-fi action film where commandos retrieve technology from an alien crash site while fighting robots and an extraterrestrial warrior; status: Post-Production.
• Age of Summer Coming-of-age comedy about a teenage boy struggling for acceptance in the Hermosa Beach Jr. Lifeguards in 1986.
• Don't Leave Home Horror film (SXSW Official Selection) about an American artist investigating an urban legend at a reclusive painter's estate in Ireland.
• The Mad Whale Drama about inmates at a women's mental asylum staging Herman Melville's Moby Dick; cast includes Camilla Belle and James Franco.
• Jurassic Expedition Creature feature about a scouting team of humans and biorobotic individuals trapped on a planet with Jurassic monsters.
• King Cohen Documentary about writer-producer-director Larry Cohen featuring interviews with Martin Scorsese, John Landis, and others.
• Jurassic Galaxy Sci-fi film about space explorers who crash on a dinosaur-inhabited planet and must fight to reach their broken ship.
• Robin Hood: The Rebellion Action-adventure film about Robin Hood rescuing his true love from the Sheriff of Nottingham, directed by Nicholas Winter.
• Behind the Walls Horror film about a family moving into a haunted house that watches and wants them to stay forever.
• Paws P.I. Family comedy about a boy and his talking dog and parrot trying to save his father's detective business; cast includes Jon Lovitz.
• Round of Your Life Faith-based family film about a young golf prodigy seeking redemption after his father falls into a coma.
• Robo-Dog: Airborne Family comedy about a robotic dog with superpowers who loses his memory and is taken in by a new family.
• Avengers of Justice: Farce Wars Parody-spoof superhero film about SuperBat and other superheroes saving the universe; status: Complete.
• Snake Outta Compton Satirical creature-feature about a rap group facing a giant mutated snake while pursuing stardom.
• Pound of Flesh Action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme about an ex-covert agent hunting organ thieves in China.
• Saving General Yang Historical epic set during the Song Dynasty about seven warrior sons rescuing General Yang.
• That Awkward Moment Romantic comedy about three friends who vow to stay single but each fall in love; cast includes Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan; status: Completed.
• The Kings of Summer Sundance feature about three teenage friends building a house in the woods and living off the land; cast includes Nick Robinson.
• Breathe In Drama about a foreign-exchange student affecting a piano teacher's family; cast includes Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones.
• Deep in the Heart Inspirational family film about a man seeking redemption, building a business, finding love, and reuniting his family.
• The Hammer Biographical drama about deaf wrestler Matt Hamill, based on a true story.
• David vs Goliath: Battle of Faith Historical film retelling the battle between David and Goliath; status: Completed.
• The Walking Deceased Zombie comedy spoof mocking zombie films of the last decade.
• Jurassic City Action-horror film about military containing escaped raptors in a Los Angeles prison.
• Goddess of Love Erotic psychological thriller about an unstable stripper's descent into psychosexual insanity after a breakup.
• Haunt Horror film about a boy who befriends a neighbor and unknowingly summons a demon.
• The Chosen Horror film about a young man who must kill family members to save his possessed niece.
• Antidote Horror film in a post-apocalyptic world where an infected man seeks a cure.
• Elsewhere Mystery film about a teen girl who disappears after meeting men online; cast includes Anna Kendrick.
• Big Foot County Documentary-style horror about a filmmaker investigating Bigfoot sightings in Siskiyou County, California.
• The Guardsman Historical action film set during the Qing Dynasty about Emperor Qianlong and guardsman Xue Shuying facing assassins.
• Chemical Peel Horror film about a bachelorette party trapped in a haunted cabin facing ghostly threats.
• International Sales Agent Services Foreign sales agent services for specialty genre labels such as Terror Films, handling international distribution of genre horror films.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Terror FilmsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Automatic Entertainment served as the official foreign sales arm for Terror Films, handling international distribution of their genre horror films. Sunrise Pictures launched Terror Films as a genre label in 2015 with Automatic handling foreign sales.
• CinedigmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCinedigm acquired two films produced by James Franco through Automatic Entertainment for distribution.
• ARC EntertainmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorARC Entertainment acquired The Walking Deceased for distribution.
• Well Go USAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWell Go USA acquired American Muscle for distribution, bulking up their action film catalog.
• Screen MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScreen Media acquired Western Religion for distribution.
• Breaking Glass PicturesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBreaking Glass Pictures acquired White Rabbit for North America distribution.
• Nu Image/Millennium FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJeffrey Giles began his career at Nu Image/Millennium Films and retains experience in business affairs, sales and production of notable titles such as The Expendables, Conan, Rambo, and The Mechanic.
• The SyndicatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichael Lurie and Jeffrey Giles are partners at both The Syndicate and Automatic Entertainment, managing film development, financing, production, sales, marketing and distribution operations collaboratively.
• Red Sea MediaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRed Sea Media presentation appears on films including NYC Underground and Chemical Peel.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Screen Media (Screen Media Films): Independent film distribution and acquisition company that handles theatrical, VOD, and TV rights for indie and genre films. Directly comparable because it occupies the same role as a downstream acquirer of Automatic Entertainment's titles and competes for similar indie content.
• Well Go USA Entertainment: Specialty distributor of action, horror, and Asian cinema in North America, with theatrical and home entertainment operations. Comparable as it acquires the same type of mid-budget genre/action content (e.g., American Muscle) that Automatic Entertainment produces.
• Cinedigm: Independent digital content distributor with a heavy focus on streaming, AVOD, and channel distribution. Comparable as a downstream acquirer of indie films (including James Franco titles originally produced by Automatic) and as a competitor for streaming distribution rights.
• Breaking Glass Pictures: Independent distributor focused on genre films (horror, thriller, action) with theatrical and home-video operations. Comparable because it acquires similar indie genre content (e.g., White Rabbit) and serves the same filmmaker customer base.
• FilmRise: Independent film and TV distributor with a large AVOD/FAST channel footprint and acquisition pipeline. Comparable as a competing acquirer of indie library content and a channel for similar genre/arthouse titles.
• Vertical Entertainment: Independent distribution company specializing in theatrical and digital release of indie films. Comparable as a direct competitor in acquiring and releasing similar mid-budget independent content across multiple windows.
• Gravitas Ventures: Independent film distributor focused on transactional VOD, EST, and SVOD/AVOD distribution of indie titles. Comparable as a competing buyer of low-to-mid-budget indie film rights and a channel partner for similar catalogs.
• XYZ Films: Independent genre film production and international sales company focused on action, horror, and sci-fi. Comparable as a similarly-sized indie outfit combining production financing with international sales-agent services for genre content.
• ARC Entertainment: Distribution company that acquired The Walking Deceased from Automatic Entertainment. Comparable as a former specialty distributor that operated in the same indie/genre acquisition space, though it has since been wound down into Lionsgate.

Broad incumbents

• Lionsgate: Major independent studio with a Motion Picture Group that produces and distributes indie, genre, and mid-budget films at scale. Comparable as a broader incumbent whose specialty film division competes for the same content, talent, and downstream distribution windows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/automaticent
• YouTubevimeo.com/automaticent
• Facebookfacebook.com/AutomaticEntertainment

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 Automatic Entertainment