Media Stockade

What Media Stockade does

Media Stockade is an independent Australian documentary production company founded in 2012 by co-founders Rebecca Barry and Madeleine Hetherton-Miau, headquartered in Sydney. The company produces documentary films, multi-part series, short films, and factual TV formats for Australian and international distribution, with a portfolio of over 50 productions across genres including true crime, social issues, nature, music history, and international current affairs.

The company's productions are commissioned by and licensed to Australian broadcasters (ABC, SBS, Foxtel) and international networks and streaming platforms (Netflix, National Geographic, BBC, PBS, Sky Arts UK, Apple TV, Prime Video, Hulu, Al Jazeera, Discovery). It maintains international distribution partnerships with TVF International, Abacus Media Rights, Beyond Rights, Escapade Media, and Bonsai Films. Core technology is conventional documentary filmmaking and factual entertainment production with no proprietary digital platform disclosed.

The business model is project-based and revenue is assembled from multiple sources per production: broadcaster/streaming commissions, international co-productions, government production financing (Screen Australia, Screen NSW, Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, South Australian Film Corporation), festival premieres and subsequent theatrical distribution, and downstream streaming licensing. Recent notable outputs include Mozart's Sister (4th highest grossing Australian documentary of 2024), Netflix's The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari co-produced with Imagine Entertainment, and a forward pipeline anchored by Troublemaker (2025) and Saving Tuvalu and Seahorse School (2026).

Name

Media Stockade

Legal name

Media Stockade & Media Stockade Two Pty Ltd

Website

https://mediastockade.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Media Stockade is an independent Australian documentary production company founded in 2012, producing documentary films and TV series for Australian and international broadcasters and streaming platforms including Netflix, ABC, National Geographic, BBC, and PBS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business, Politics & Current Affairs Documentaries (MPADADAJ)

Keywords

• Documentary production
• Factual entertainment
• Feature films
• TV series production
• International distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Darlinghurst

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Broadcast Commissioning: Productions commissioned by Australian broadcasters (ABC, SBS, Foxtel) and international networks (Netflix, National Geographic, BBC, PBS, Sky Arts UK). Primary revenue stream for original content creation.
2. Distribution and Licensing: International distribution deals with rights holders (TVF International, Abacus Media Rights, Beyond Rights). Revenue from streaming licenses, broadcast licensing, and theatrical distribution.
3. Film Festival Revenue: Festival premieres generate revenue through awards, industry recognition, and subsequent sales opportunities. Mozart's Sister became 4th highest grossing Australian documentary cinema release in 2024.
4. Government Funding: Production financing from Screen Australia, Screen NSW, and other screen bodies. Troublemaker received $2.3 million from Screen Australia.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Media Stockade is an independent Australian production company that creates documentary films and television series, focusing on real-life stories for international distribution. The company produces feature-length documentaries, documentary series, short films, and TV factual formats, partnering with Australian and international broadcasters (ABC, SBS, Foxtel, Netflix, BBC, National Geographic, PBS, Sky Arts UK) for commissions and licensing.

Product overview

Media Stockade is an independent Australian documentary production company that creates feature-length documentaries, documentary series, and short films. Their portfolio includes investigative true crime series (The Family Court Murders, Frozen Lies), social impact documentaries (I am a Girl, Power Meri, Call Me Dad), environmental/nature series (Back to Nature), historical documentaries (Mozart's Sister), international current affairs (Disaster Capitalism, The Opposition), and medical documentaries (The Surgery Ship). The company also develops TV factual formats (The Love Experiment) and produces content for major Australian and international broadcasters and streaming platforms including ABC, Netflix, National Geographic, BBC, SBS, Foxtel, PBS, and Sky Arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mozart's Sister A feature documentary investigating the 250-year-old musical mystery of Mozart's sister Maria-Anna Mozart, who was forced to withdraw from public life because she was a woman. Distributed via Australian broadcasters and theatrical release.
• Back to Nature An eight-part documentary series where hosts Aaron Pedersen and Holly Ringland guide viewers through Australian landscapes, exploring stories that reconnect audiences with the natural world. Commissioned by ABC TV.
• The Surgery Ship An eight-part documentary series following volunteer doctors and nurses on a medical ship providing life-saving treatment to the poorest communities in Africa. Produced for National Geographic.
• Power Meri Award-winning documentary following Papua New Guinea's first national women's rugby league team, the PNG Orchids, on their journey to the World Cup. Commissioned by ABC TV.
• I am a Girl Feature documentary following six extraordinary girls coming of age, exploring what it means to grow up female in the 21st century.
• The Opposition Documentary following Joe Moses as he fights to save his Papua New Guinean community from forced eviction to make way for a five-star hotel development.
• China Love A feature documentary exploring contemporary China through the window of the pre-wedding photography industry, following Chinese and Australian participants navigating love and weddings.
• Debi Marshall Investigates: Frozen Lies A five-part true crime series where investigative journalist Debi Marshall explores the case of a lawyer found frozen, investigating potential miscarriage of justice. Premiered on Foxtel.
• The Family Court Murders A four-part true crime series where investigative crime journalist Debi Marshall brings a killer to justice after four murders, five bombings, and two shootings.
• Call Me Dad Documentary following a group of fathers confronting the pain they have caused as they go through a Men's Behaviour Change Program.
• Disaster Capitalism Documentary revealing the dark underbelly of global aid and investment industry, exploring Haiti, Afghanistan, and Papua New Guinea.
• Psychics in the Suburbs A half-hour documentary short film offering an insider's look at the Australian psychic medium industry through the life of south-western Sydney's top psychic.
• The Love Experiment A TV format based on psychologist Dr. Arthur Aron's 36 questions study, where two strangers ask intimate questions and engage in three minutes of eye contact to explore if love will blossom.
• The Day We Saved The Zoo A single documentary following the keepers of Mogo Zoo fighting to save their animals during Australia's devastating 2020 bushfires. Streaming on ABC iView.
• The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari Netflix documentary film exploring the 2019 New Zealand volcano Whakaari eruption that trapped 47 tourists and guides, claiming 22 lives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mozart's Sister became 4th highest grossing documentary in Australian cinemas for 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FilmtankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International co-production partner for Saving Tuvalu documentary with Media Stockade.
• Grumpy Turtle FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaborators with Media Stockade on Seahorse School documentary. Director Harriet Spark and cinematographer Woody Spark from Grumpy Turtle.
• Threshold PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-production partner for Mozart's Sister (with PBS and Sky Arts UK) and Back to Nature series. Jane Manning of Threshold is series producer for Back to Nature.
• Bonsai FilmscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Australian theatrical distributor for Mozart's Sister.
• Abacus Media RightscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024International distributor for Mozart's Sister and format rights for The Love Experiment.
• PBScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024American public broadcaster co-producing Mozart's Sister documentary.
• Sky Arts UKcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024UK broadcaster co-producing Mozart's Sister documentary.
• Imagine EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration on Netflix documentary The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari. Imagine Entertainment, Imagine Docs, and Moxie Film produced the film directed by Rory Kennedy.
• Imagine DocscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration on Netflix documentary The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari.
• Moxie FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration on Netflix documentary The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari.
• Escapade MediacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2020Handles international rights sales for Back to Nature series.
• Beyond RightscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Distribution partner for Frozen Lies and other productions.
• TVF InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018International distribution for China Love.
• ABC TVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2017Australian broadcaster commissioning Power Meri documentary.
• National GeographiccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014International broadcaster for The Surgery Ship documentary series.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goalpost Pictures: Australian documentary and factual production company working with broadcasters including SBS and ABC. Comparable indie Australian documentary model targeting both local and international broadcasters.
• Artemis Media: Australian independent production company producing feature documentaries and factual series for Australian and international broadcasters. Directly comparable scale, genre focus, and broadcaster relationships.
• Mint Pictures: Australian independent production company producing premium documentaries and factual series for global streamers. Comparable in scale, genre mix (documentary/features), and international broadcaster relationships.
• Final Cut for Real: Danish independent documentary production company producing award-winning feature docs for international broadcasters. Comparable premium indie documentary model with global festival and broadcaster reach.
• Grain Media: Australia and UK-based documentary production company producing feature documentaries and series for international broadcasters. Comparable indie documentary model with similar broadcaster and festival credentials.
• Wildbear Entertainment: Australian factual and natural history production company producing series for Discovery, National Geographic, and Australian broadcasters. Directly comparable nature/wildlife documentary focus and similar international broadcaster customer mix.
• Genepool Productions: Australian independent documentary and factual production company behind series such as Australia's Marine World and Employable Me. Closely comparable as a Sydney-based indie producing premium factual content for Australian and international broadcasters.

Regional players

• Submarine Entertainment: US-based documentary sales, distribution, and production company representing documentary content for international sales. Comparable documentary commercial model with rights sales expertise, but operating from the US market.

Broad incumbents

• CJZ: Major Australian production company with a deep factual and entertainment slate for broadcasters and streamers. Larger incumbent producing both documentary and scripted content; overlapping customer base but broader scale.
• Hoodlum Entertainment: Australian production company with a broader scripted/factual slate producing drama and documentary for international platforms. Comparable production services for streamers like Netflix, but with wider portfolio than Media Stockade's documentary focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mediastockade
• Instagraminstagram.com/maddymiau
• Xx.com/MediaStockade
• Facebookfacebook.com/MediaStockade

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 Media Stockade