The Stephen Low Company

What The Stephen Low Company does

The Stephen Low Company is a privately held Canadian film production company headquartered in Dorval/Montreal, Quebec, that creates and distributes giant screen documentary films for exhibition in IMAX and other large-format theaters. Founded by filmmaker Stephen Low, the company has produced more than 18 giant screen experiences over a 30+ year span, spanning themes including deep-sea exploration (Titanica, Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, Submarine Adventure), aviation (Fighter Pilot, Legends of Flight 3D, Aircraft Carrier 3D, Skyward), rail and transport (Rocky Mountain Express, The Trolley, Train Time), natural history (Beavers, The Last Buffalo 3D), motorsports (Super Speedway), science (Secrets of the Universe), and history (Mark Twain's America 3D, Across the Sea of Time 3D).

The company's core technology is physical large-format cinematography rather than software: it employs the 15/70mm IMAX film format (the largest motion picture film gauge), IMAX 3D dual-camera systems, Spacecam gyro-stabilized helicopter mounts (AeroStar Squirrel) for aerial 65mm capture, and proprietary custom camera mounting systems engineered for placement on locomotive components (cowcatcher, driving wheels, boiler, cab, tender), aircraft carriers, and other unique environments. Recent and upcoming releases also leverage ultra-high-definition digital capture and IMAX with Laser format editions.

The business model is B2B institutional licensing as its primary revenue stream: films are licensed per-territory to IMAX theaters and giant screen screens operated by museums and science centers worldwide. Secondary revenue streams include Blu-ray/DVD retail (via Amazon, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Netflix), broadcast television distribution (with international 4K reach via MGM Television), and technology showcase licensing to display/projection manufacturers. Distribution is executed through channel partners K2 Studios and Giant Screen Films Inc., with content reaching 40+ countries. Customer segments are vertically oriented around museums and science centers, with secondary horizontal exposure to consumer home entertainment audiences and a niche use-case segment of consumer electronics manufacturers using films as demonstration content for laser projection, 3D, and 8K display systems.

Name

The Stephen Low Company

Legal name

The Stephen Low Company

Website

https://stephenlow.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Stephen Low Company is a private Canadian film production company that creates and distributes IMAX and giant screen documentary films to museums, science centers, broadcast television, and home entertainment markets across more than 40 countries, with a 30-year catalog of 18+ titles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Giant Screen Documentary Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Feature-Length Documentaries (MPADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Theatrical Distribution (Educational, Airlines, Cruise, Community) (MPADAJAJ), Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE)

Keywords

• Giant screen documentaries
• IMAX film production
• Large-format cinematography
• Educational documentary films
• Museum exhibition content

Headquarters

HQ city

Dorval

HQ country

Canada

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. Theatrical Distribution (Museums & Science Centers): Films are licensed to giant screen exhibitors — primarily museums and science centers — for theatrical exhibition on IMAX and giant screens worldwide. This is the primary revenue stream and core business model.
2. Home Media (Blu-ray / DVD): Classic productions are made available on Blu-ray and DVD through leading retailers (Amazon, Walmart, Barnes & Noble) and online platforms, providing secondary revenue from catalog titles.
3. Broadcast Television Distribution: Films are broadcast on ultra-high-definition specialty channels and via international television outlets. A partnership with MGM Television provides extended international 4K television distribution for premium documentary content.
4. Technology Showcase Licensing: Premium image quality and screen impact projects are used by leading manufacturers to showcase state-of-the-art motion picture technologies, from laser projectors to 3D systems and ultra-high-definition displays.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Stephen Low Company produces and distributes giant screen (IMAX and other large-format) documentary films captured in 15/70mm and ultra-high-definition digital technologies for theatrical exhibition in museums and science centers worldwide. The company has produced more than 18 giant screen documentaries spanning deep-sea exploration, aviation, natural history, science, history, motorsports, and disaster response, and licenses these productions to institutional exhibitors in 40+ countries while also distributing select titles via Blu-ray, DVD, broadcast, and 4K Ultra HD television channels.

Product overview

The Stephen Low Company is a film production company that creates and distributes giant screen documentary experiences for IMAX and other giant screen theaters worldwide. Their portfolio includes over 18 giant screen films spanning themes of deep-sea exploration (Titanica, Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, Flight of the Aquanaut, Submarine Adventure), competitive racing (Super Speedway), natural history (Beavers, The Last Buffalo 3D), aviation (Fighter Pilot, Legends of Flight 3D, Aircraft Carrier 3D, Skyward), science (Secrets of the Universe), history (Mark Twain's America 3D, Rocky Mountain Express, Across the Sea of Time 3D), rail travel (Train Time, The Trolley), and disaster response (Rescue 3D). Films are captured in 15/70mm film format and ultra-high-definition digital technologies, with select titles available in 3D. The company distributes directly to museums, science centers, and theaters across more than 40 countries, with secondary distribution through Blu-ray, broadcast, and 4K Ultra HD channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Submarine Adventure Giant screen documentary about submarine exploration, released August 2024 for exhibition in IMAX and giant screen theaters.
• Train Time Giant screen railway documentary released September 2022, opening progressively in IMAX and giant screen theaters across North America and internationally.
• Secrets of the Universe Particle physics documentary featuring CERN's Large Hadron Collider and Perimeter Institute collaboration, filmed in ultra-high-definition for giant screens.
• Beavers (Director's Cut) Nature documentary about beavers, originally released in 1988 and inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame; Director's Cut re-release in December 2019.
• The Trolley Documentary about streetcars/trams, premiered at Hot Docs 2018; available on DirecTV Channel 104 (4K) and in theaters.
• Aircraft Carrier 3D Naval aviation documentary featuring USS Ronald Reagan and RIMPAC exercises, showcasing carrier flight operations; available in 43-minute and 24-minute versions in IMAX Laser and digital 2D/3D formats.
• Rocky Mountain Express Steam train documentary following CPR 2816 Empress locomotive through the Canadian Rockies, telling the story of the transcontinental railway; 45-minute runtime in 15/70, Digital 2K/4K formats, also available as IMAX with Laser edition.
• Rescue 3D Disaster response documentary featuring 2010 Haiti earthquake coverage, filmed in IMAX 3D and 2D with military and civilian responders including Royal Canadian Navy humanitarian operations.
• The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D Surfing documentary featuring Tahitian waves, filmed in 3D; available on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D.
• Legends of Flight 3D Aviation documentary about aircraft development history, filmed in 3D and exhibited at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
• Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag Military aviation documentary following elite fighter pilots during Operation Red Flag training exercises at Nellis Air Force Base.
• Volcanoes of the Deep Sea Oceanography documentary about hydrothermal vents and deep-sea exploration filmed with the submersible Alvin, produced with Rutgers University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the National Science Foundation.
• Super Speedway IndyCar racing documentary from 1997, the first large-format film to capture auto racing at actual speeds; features Mario Andretti, Newman Haas Racing, and narration by Paul Newman.
• Mark Twain's America 3D Historical documentary about Mark Twain-era America, filmed in 3D for Sony.
• Titanica Deep-sea documentary about the Titanic wreck, filmed using Russian Mir submersibles.
• The Last Buffalo 3D Nature documentary about American bison, filmed in 3D.
• Across the Sea of Time 3D Historical documentary about immigration to New York, filmed in 3D.
• Skyward Aviation documentary by Stephen Low.
• Flight of the Aquanaut Underwater exploration documentary.
• IMAX with Laser Editions Laser projection versions of films for IMAX with Laser installations, offering 60% brighter output, larger color gamut, and 1.43:1 aspect ratio; available for Rocky Mountain Express and other catalog titles.
• Film Distribution Services Worldwide licensing and distribution of giant screen productions to IMAX theaters and science centers in more than 40 countries, plus Blu-ray, broadcast, and 4K Ultra HD channels, managed via K2 Studios and Giant Screen Films Inc. with international 4K television handled by MGM Television.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rocky Mountain Express won Best Film, Best Cinematography (GSCA, 2012), and Best Sound Editing (MPSE Golden Reel Awards, 2012).
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• K2 Studios / K2 CommunicationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorK2 Studios (K2 Communications Inc.) serves as the U.S. distributor for The Stephen Low Company's films and co-produces several productions (e.g., Aircraft Carrier 3D). The partnership handles theatrical bookings, international television distribution, and broader marketing for the giant screen film catalog.
• Giant Screen Films Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGiant Screen Films Inc. co-produced and co-distributes The Stephen Low Company's films, serving as a key distribution partner for the giant screen cinema market.
• MGM TelevisionflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Stephen Low Company's U.S. distributor K2 Studios partnered with MGM Television to provide an extended international 4K television outlet for the company's premium documentary content, significantly expanding global reach beyond theatrical distribution.
• Canadian Pacific RailwayflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian Pacific Railway provided unprecedented cooperation for Rocky Mountain Express, providing access to the restored steam locomotive CPR 2816 'The Empress' and facilitating mainline track operations for filming. This collaboration was described as unprecedented in the history of film production.
• CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe European Organization for Nuclear Research provided unique access to the Large Hadron Collider and particle physics research facilities for Secrets of the Universe, enabling unprecedented giant screen footage of the world's largest scientific instrument.
• Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with the Perimeter Institute enabled unique scientific access and content for Secrets of the Universe, supplementing the CERN collaboration.
• US Navy (USS Ronald Reagan / RIMPAC Exercise)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe production obtained unique access to film active naval operations aboard the USS Ronald Reagan during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, the world's largest international maritime exercise, for Aircraft Carrier 3D. This provided unprecedented footage of flight deck operations, night operations, and F-35/F-18 aircraft.
• Canadian Navy (Royal Canadian Navy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Royal Canadian Navy provided cooperation and access for filming Rescue 3D, including scenes filmed aboard HMCS Athabaskan and HMCS Halifax. The Navy's humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake became a central element of the film.
• CART / Championship Auto Racing TeamscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCART provided track and event access for Super Speedway (1997), enabling the first giant format filming of IndyCar racing at actual racing speeds.
• Newman Haas RacingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewman Haas Racing provided unique access to its drivers and operations for Super Speedway, including the use of the camera car. Paul Newman narrated the film.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHOI operated the research vessel Atlantis and the deep-sea submersible Alvin used for filming Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, enabling the record 20 deep-sea dives for the documentary.
• National Science Foundation (NSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funding collaborator for Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, providing critical financial support that enabled the groundbreaking deep-sea documentary project.
• Rutgers UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific collaborator for Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, contributing scientific expertise and research access for the documentary on hydrothermal vents and deep-sea ecosystems.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IMAX Corporation: Owner and licensor of the IMAX format and a major financier/distributor of IMAX documentary content, including its own original productions such as A Beautiful Planet; sets commercial terms and technology standards for the channel in which Stephen Low operates.
• Smithsonian Channel / Smithsonian Studios: Premium documentary content producer affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, which is also one of Stephen Low's key exhibition and premiere venues; competes for science, history, and aviation-themed documentary audiences and partnerships.
• National Geographic Partners: Major documentary content producer with both theatrical giant-screen titles (e.g., Jane, Apollo: Missions to the Moon) and a global television/streaming footprint that overlaps with Stephen Low's premium documentary positioning for science and natural history.
• BBC Studios (Documentary Unit): World-leading producer of natural history and science documentaries (Planet Earth, Blue Planet) that frequently serves as upstream supplier for giant-screen adaptations via co-production or licensing deals with IMAX-format producers.
• Discovery Documentary Studios: Produces high-budget science and nature documentaries across Discovery Channel and streaming platforms (Discovery+); competes for the same science and natural-history subject access (CERN, deep-sea, aerospace) that fuels premium giant-screen productions.

Direct peers

• Cosmic Pictures: Independent producer of giant-screen and IMAX-format documentaries including Asteroid Mission Extreme and The Last Frontier, competing for the same museum and science center exhibition slots and distributor relationships.
• MacGillivray Freeman Films: Long-established U.S. producer of IMAX and giant screen documentary films, including travel, nature, and science titles such as Everest, To the Arctic, and Dolphins. Operates in the same giant-screen institutional exhibition channel with comparable 15/70 production capabilities and museum distribution.
• Daylight Productions: Producer of large-format and giant-screen documentary films such as D-Day: Normandy 1944 and Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag (a Stephen Low co-credit), competing directly for the institutional giant-screen exhibition channel.

Emerging players

• K2 Studios / K2 Communications: U.S. distributor for Stephen Low's catalog and co-producer on several titles; if it expands production capacity, it could compete directly in the giant-screen production space while controlling distribution channels.
• Giant Screen Films Inc. Specialty distribution and co-production partner in the giant-screen market; partners with Stephen Low on co-productions and could evolve into a fuller production competitor with deeper relationships across the global museum theater network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thestephenlowcompany

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 The Stephen Low Company