Try Hard Films
Try Hard Films is a London-based independent production company founded by Sorcha Bacon that produces short fiction films and documentaries at the documentary-fiction intersection, financing projects with UK public film partners and distributing via festivals and streaming platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Try Hard Films does
Try Hard Films is a London-based independent film production company founded by BAFTA, BIFA, and Grierson-nominated producer Sorcha Bacon. It specializes in short fiction films and short documentaries, often working at the intersection of documentary and fiction, with a thematic focus on character-driven stories that amplify marginalized voices. The production slate spans UK and international subjects (UK, Brazil, Sierra Leone, Italy, Morocco) and includes commissioned music videos and editorial documentary work, alongside a developing feature film slate backed by Film4, BBC Films, and BFI Doc Society.
The company finances and produces work through a project-based model: each title is developed and produced with funding and co-production partners, then distributed via the international film festival circuit (Cannes Critics' Week, Sundance, SXSW, BFI London, Sheffield Doc/Fest) and licensed to streaming and short-form platforms (MUBI, Disney+, Vimeo Staff Pick). Marketing and validation are festival-led, with awards (BAFTA nomination, BIFA longlists, Grierson nomination, Cannes Lions Silver) functioning as both recognition and demand-generation for downstream distribution and new commissions. Additional marketing channels include crowdfunding campaigns (Kickstarter) for specific projects.
The customer base is concentrated in a small set of UK public broadcasters and film foundations (BFI Network, Film4, BBC Films, BFI Doc Society, Film London, Lush Film Fund) plus a handful of editorial and brand commissioners (The New Yorker, Prettybird, Mumbo Jumbo). Revenue is project-based, not publicly disclosed, and the company operates as a privately held, founder-led entity with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or subsidiaries.
Try Hard Films firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Try Hard Films
- Legal name
- Try Hard Films
- Website
- https://try-hard.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Try Hard Films is a London-based independent production company founded by Sorcha Bacon that produces short fiction films and documentaries at the documentary-fiction intersection, financing projects with UK public film partners and distributing via festivals and streaming platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Try Hard Films industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film Production
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Short-Form Documentaries (MPADADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA)
Keywords
Where Try Hard Films is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Try Hard Films business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Short Film Production & Licensing: Production of short films (documentary and fiction) with licensing to streaming platforms (MUBI, Disney+), film festival distribution, and crowdfunding for development.
- Feature Film Development: Developing slate of feature films with partners including Film4, BBC Films and BFI Doc Society.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Try Hard Films product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Try Hard Films is a London-based independent film production company that produces short fiction films, short documentaries, and music videos at the intersection of documentary and fiction genres. The company licenses content to streaming platforms (MUBI, Disney+, Vimeo) and the international film festival circuit, while developing a slate of feature films with institutional partners including Film4, BBC Films, and BFI Doc Society.
Product overview
Try Hard Films is a film production company founded by BAFTA-nominated producer Sorcha Bacon that produces short films and documentaries. The company specializes in character-driven stories amplifying marginalized voices, operating in the space where documentary and fiction overlap. Their portfolio includes award-winning short films such as Wren Boys (BAFTA nominated), Good Thanks, You? (Cannes Critics' Week), Mother (Grierson nominated), and Pram Snatcher, along with music videos for artists like Gengahr and short documentaries for The New Yorker. The company is currently developing a slate of feature films with partners including Film4, BBC Films, and BFI Doc Society.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wren Boys A short fiction film about a Catholic priest from Cork driving his nephew to prison the day after Christmas. BAFTA-nominated, Oscar-qualifying winner at Galway Film Fleadh. Distributed on Disney+.
- Good Thanks, You? A short fiction film following Amy who must find her voice after an attack. Premiered at Cannes Critics' Week and licensed to MUBI streaming platform.
- Pompeii A short fiction film following Tam on his journey home on the tube. A Film4 co-production with Try Hard Films; BIFA Longlisted.
- Mother A short documentary following a young dancer from a Rio de Janeiro favela navigating Brazil's vibrant ballroom scene under their vogueing mother. Grierson-nominated.
- If You Knew A short film about two teenage twin brothers reuniting on Canvey Island. A Prettybird production in association with Try Hard Films.
- Sparrow A short fiction film about a young queer couple at a caravan park in Skegness, starring Simone Ashley and Catriona Stirling.
- Zero Zero An ethnographic documentary meditating on one family's relationship to identity and belonging. A BFI Doc Society presentation.
- Sunday Morning Coming Down
Companies that use Try Hard Films
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Try Hard Films technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Try Hard Films partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PrettybirdcorePrettybird is a production company that co-produced If You Knew with Try Hard Films. The film was produced in association with Try Hard Films.
- Lush Film FundcoreLush Film Fund presented Mother, a Try Hard Film in association with Naga Productora. Lush Film Fund supports meaningful storytelling.
- Naga ProductoraminorNaga Productora is a production company that co-produced Mother with Try Hard Films. The film was set in Brazil's voguing scene.
- BFI Doc SocietycoreBFI Doc Society presented Zero Zero, a Try Hard Film. BFI Doc Society supports documentary filmmaking in the UK.
- The New YorkercoreThe New Yorker commissioned Fratelli Carbonai, a short documentary by Try Hard Films directors Felix Bazalgette and Joshua Hughes.
- Film 4coreFilm 4 co-produced Pompeii with Try Hard Films. Film 4 is Channel 4's film division supporting independent British filmmaking.
- BBC FilmscoreDeveloping feature film slate with BBC Films as a partner. BBC Films is the British Broadcasting Corporation's film financing arm.
- BFI Doc SocietycoreDeveloping feature documentary slate with BFI Doc Society. BFI Doc Society is the UK's lead documentary foundation.
- Film4coreDeveloping feature film slate with Film4 as a partner. Film4 is Channel 4's film financing division.
- Mumbo JumbominorMumbo Jumbo co-produced Pram Snatcher with Try Hard Films. BFI Network Presents a Try Hard & Mumbo Jumbo Film.
- KickstarterminorCrowdfunding platform used for Pram Snatcher project funding. Kickstarter campaign hosted by Try Hard Films.
- VerominorVero presented Good Thanks, You?, a DMC and Try Hard Film production. Vero appears to be a presenting partner for the film.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Try Hard Films competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sister Pictures: London-based independent production company producing prestige scripted and documentary content (Chernobyl, The Split). Comparable as a UK indie with strong broadcaster relationships and a focus on character-driven, culturally distinctive work.
- DMC Film: Production company that co-produced Good Thanks, You? with Try Hard Films. Operates in similar UK indie short-form documentary/fiction space with festival circuit distribution.
- Number 9 Films: London-based independent producer of prestige British film and television (The King's Speech, Philomena, Belfast). Comparable as a UK indie production house working with Film4/BBC Films and developing a slate of culturally significant projects.
- Pulse Films: London-based independent film and media production company producing feature films, documentaries, and music videos. Highly comparable as a UK indie producer working across documentary and fiction with festival and streaming distribution, including high-profile feature work (American Honey, Beast).
- Warp Films: Sheffield-based independent film and television production company producing bold, character-driven features and shorts with public broadcaster backing (Film4, Channel 4). Direct comparable on creative profile and UK indie funding model.
- Prettybird: Creative production company that co-produced If You Knew with Try Hard Films. Operates across short-form documentary, branded content, and feature-adjacent projects with comparable indie sensibility and cross-genre output.
Broad incumbents
- MUBI: Global streaming platform and film distributor with curated short film and indie feature programming. Comparable as the distribution counterparty for Try Hard's premium short-form releases and as an incumbent in the same indie film ecosystem.
- Film4: Channel 4's film division and a major UK indie film funder/producer. Comparable as the institutional counterparty in Try Hard's feature development slate; represents the broader UK indie film financing ecosystem.
- A24: US-based independent entertainment company producing and distributing prestige film and television. Comparable as an indie production-distribution model pursuing festival-circuit credibility and awards recognition, though at substantially larger scale.
Others
- BFI Doc Society: UK documentary foundation and Try Hard's feature documentary development partner. Comparable as the institutional funder enabling Try Hard's documentary slate and as the gatekeeper to that funding pipeline.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Try Hard Films social profiles
Digital presenceTry Hard Films financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Try Hard Films leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Try Hard Films funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Try Hard Films 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 Try Hard Films
What does Try Hard Films do?
Try Hard Films is a London-based independent film production company that produces short fiction films, short documentaries, and music videos at the intersection of documentary and fiction genres. The company licenses content to streaming platforms (MUBI, Disney+, Vimeo) and the international film festival circuit, while developing a slate of feature films with institutional partners including Film4, BBC Films, and BFI Doc Society.
Is Try Hard Films a public or private company?
Try Hard Films is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Try Hard Films founded?
Try Hard Films was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Try Hard Films based?
Try Hard Films is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Try Hard Films make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Short Film Production & Licensing is the primary driver. The others are feature Film Development.
Who are Try Hard Films's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sister Pictures, DMC Film, Number 9 Films, Pulse Films, Warp Films and Prettybird. Broad incumbents are MUBI, Film4 and A24. BFI Doc Society is listed as an others.
Does Try Hard Films have an API?
No public API is recorded for Try Hard Films.
What industry is Try Hard Films in?
Try Hard Films's product category is Film Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADADAC, Short-Form Documentaries, with a secondary code of MPADADAA, Feature-Length Documentaries. Its NAICS code is 512 and its SIC code is 7812.