Acme Graphics
Acme Graphics is a UK-based, founder-owned graphic prop design and fabrication firm founded in 1998, creating bespoke signs, posters, packaging, screen graphics, and period artwork for film, television, and commercial production clients including Netflix, Apple TV+, BBC, and major UK brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersCity Of London, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Acme Graphics does
Acme Graphics Limited is a UK-based, founder-owned graphic prop design and fabrication company established in 1998 and headquartered in Teddington, Middlesex. The firm designs and manufactures bespoke graphic props, signage, posters, packaging, screen graphics, and related visual assets for film, television, and commercial advertising productions, serving art departments and production companies across the UK and on international streamer commissions. Its client roster includes global streaming platforms (Netflix's Bridgerton Season 3, Apple TV+'s Silo), major UK broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky Arts), and large consumer brands (McDonald's, Waitrose, Tesco, Morrisons, Iceland, Ford, Vodafone, H&M), spanning every historical period from ancient manuscripts through Georgian, Victorian, 20th Century, and futuristic sci-fi.
The company's product surface covers over 20 categories including publications, packaging, posters, signage, documents, prop money, fine art, illustration, prop websites, on-screen graphics, vehicle graphics, wall and floor graphics (notably mosaic floor artwork scaled up to 10m x 5m), exhibition graphics, costume graphics, logo design, royalty-free period graphic decades (1940s-1990s), leaflets, 3D prop construction, and animation services. Technical capability blends digital design tools such as Adobe Illustrator with artisanal and physical fabrication; the firm also operates a proprietary library of clearance-friendly, royalty-free period artwork and supplies Bank-of-England-compliant prop money and broadcast-cleared graphics.
Acme runs a project-based, quote-priced revenue model that bills for bespoke commissions, library usage, and licensing royalties, engaging clients as a remote extension of in-house art departments. Its sole producer is founder Nick Hellman, who is the resident designer and animator and reportedly created animations for the League of Gentlemen computer sequences. The firm has no external investors, no parent company, no formal strategic partnerships, and no recorded funding activity; marketing is conducted through website portfolio, blog content, and word-of-mouth referrals within the production industry.
Acme Graphics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Acme Graphics
- Legal name
- Acme Graphics Limited
- Website
- https://acmegraphics.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Acme Graphics is a UK-based, founder-owned graphic prop design and fabrication firm founded in 1998, creating bespoke signs, posters, packaging, screen graphics, and period artwork for film, television, and commercial production clients including Netflix, Apple TV+, BBC, and major UK brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Acme Graphics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film and Television Graphic Prop Design Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (54143), Graphic Design Services (541430), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Production Design & Art Department Services (Sets, Props, Scenic) (MPADAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Motion Graphics & Title Design (MPADACAD), Large-Format & Specialty Printing (Signage, Posters, Displays) (MPAJALAD), Event Signage, Props & Custom Installations (HSACAOAG), Graphic Design & Visual Content Production (BPAFAIAC)
Keywords
Where Acme Graphics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- City Of London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Acme Graphics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Graphic Prop Design and Fabrication: Project-based custom design and making of graphic props for film, TV, and commercial productions. Clients commission specific artwork and physical props based on creative briefs. Pricing varies by project complexity, with administrative and research time included in quotes. Additional fees may apply for extensive quote requests or prolonged communications.
- Library Prop Usage: Rental or one-off usage fees for artwork selected from the company's extensive library of previously designed props. Artwork remains the property of Acme Graphics until payment, with a usage fee attached for production inclusion.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Graphic Prop Commission |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Library Prop Rental/Usage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Acme Graphics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Acme Graphics designs, creates, prints, and fabricates graphic props—including signs, posters, packaging, publications, money, documents, screen graphics, vehicle wraps, and 3D prop constructions—for film, television, and commercial productions. The company operates as a remote creative arm of production art departments, delivering both bespoke commissioned props and selections from an extensive proprietary library of pre-designed, royalty-free period graphics spanning six decades (1940s–1990s).
Product overview
Acme Graphics is a specialist graphic prop design and manufacturing company serving the film, television, and commercial production industry. The company operates as a single unified service offering, designing and producing physical graphic props rather than a software platform. Their portfolio encompasses over 20 distinct product categories including Publications, Packaging, Posters, Signage, Documents (passports, certificates), Money & Credit Cards, Fine Art & Painting, Illustration, Websites, On-Screen Graphics, Vehicle Graphics, Wall & Floor Graphics (including mosaics), Exhibition Graphics, Costume Graphics, Visuals & Photos, Logo Design, Graphic Prop Decades (1940s-1990s royalty-free graphics), Leaflets, Prop Makes (3D construction and metal props), and Animation Services. Founded in 1998, the company serves as a remote creative arm for production art departments, providing bespoke design, artwork, printing, and prop construction services across all historical periods and genres.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Graphic Prop Design Services End-to-end bespoke design and fabrication of graphic props including signage, posters, packaging, publications, documents, fine art, illustrations, wall and floor graphics, exhibition graphics, vehicle graphics, costume graphics, and logo design, commissioned by production companies and art departments on a project basis.
- Royalty-Free Graphic Prop Library (1940s–1990s) Pre-designed, royalty-free graphic artwork spanning the 1940s through the 1990s available for selection and licensing in productions, with a usage fee attached for production inclusion. Artwork remains the property of Acme Graphics until payment.
- Animation and Motion Graphics Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Silo won the Production Design TV Craft BAFTA award 2024 with Acme Graphics providing extensive dressing and hero prop graphics throughout the series
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Acme Graphics
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Acme Graphics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Acme Graphics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Acme Graphics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PressOn: PressOn is a UK-based large-format and specialty printing group with dedicated film and events capabilities. It competes with Acme in printed graphics, signage and installation services for film/TV productions and major brand campaigns.
- Visual Impact UK: Visual Impact is a leading UK large-format printing company that serves film, TV, events and retail clients with high-quality print and installation services. It directly competes with Acme Graphics' wall/floor graphics, vehicle wraps and signage categories.
- Big Property UK: Big Property is a UK film and TV prop hire and dressing company supplying graphic props, set dressing and dressing items to productions. It directly competes with Acme in supplying graphic props and dressing to the same UK production customer base.
- Propshop Modelmakers: Propshop is a UK-based prop making and fabrication house serving film, TV and theatre productions. It overlaps with Acme in physical prop construction, signage and bespoke fabrication for camera-ready use.
Broad incumbents
- Framestore: Framestore is a globally recognised VFX, animation and motion graphics studio with a London HQ. It overlaps with Acme in animation and on-screen graphics for productions, but operates at significantly greater scale and across feature film VFX.
- Stage One Creative Services: Stage One is a major UK set construction and creative services provider for theatre, events and live productions. It is comparable to Acme as a production services partner for large entertainment projects, though its core offering is set build rather than graphic props.
- The Mill: The Mill is a major international VFX and post-production company with significant motion graphics and screen content production capabilities. It competes with Acme in on-screen graphics for commercials and branded content, though at much larger scale and scope.
Others
- NorthHouse Creative House: NorthHouse is a London creative agency producing content, design and branded campaigns. It is adjacent to Acme's commercial advertising segment — both serve brand campaigns needing bespoke visual content — but does not specialise in physical graphic props.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Acme Graphics social profiles
Digital presenceAcme Graphics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Acme Graphics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Acme Graphics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Acme Graphics 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 Acme Graphics
What does Acme Graphics do?
Acme Graphics designs, creates, prints, and fabricates graphic props—including signs, posters, packaging, publications, money, documents, screen graphics, vehicle wraps, and 3D prop constructions—for film, television, and commercial productions. The company operates as a remote creative arm of production art departments, delivering both bespoke commissioned props and selections from an extensive proprietary library of pre-designed, royalty-free period graphics spanning six decades (1940s–1990s).
Is Acme Graphics a public or private company?
Acme Graphics is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Acme Graphics founded?
Acme Graphics was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Acme Graphics based?
Acme Graphics is headquartered in City Of London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Acme Graphics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Graphic Prop Design and Fabrication is the primary driver. The others are library Prop Usage.
Who are Acme Graphics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PressOn, Visual Impact UK, Big Property UK and Propshop Modelmakers. Broad incumbents are Framestore, Stage One Creative Services and The Mill. NorthHouse Creative House is listed as an others.
Does Acme Graphics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Acme Graphics.
What industry is Acme Graphics in?
Acme Graphics's product category is Film and Television Graphic Prop Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAFAG, Production Design & Art Department Services (Sets, Props, Scenic), with a secondary code of MPADACAD, Motion Graphics & Title Design. Its NAICS code is 54143 and its SIC code is 7330.