Secret Compass
Secret Compass is a Bristol, UK-based risk management consultancy for TV and film productions. It delivers bespoke safety planning, specialist consultants, medical support, and training, plus a 2025-launched AI risk assessment tool, serving major broadcasters and streamers across 133 countries and 359+ productions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersBristol, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Secret Compass does
Secret Compass Ltd is a Bristol-headquartered (United Kingdom) private company, founded in 2010, that delivers risk management services to television and film productions. Its functional core is the design and execution of safety plans, risk assessments, medical support, specialist environment enablement (jungle, mountain, water, polar, desert), security consulting, and bespoke training for shoots operating in remote or hostile environments. The firm's customer base comprises production companies and broadcasters commissioning premium factual, natural history, reality, and high-stakes drama formats; named engagements include Skyscraper Live (Netflix), Welcome to Earth and Pole to Pole (National Geographic/Disney+), Limitless (Disney+), SAS: Who Dares Wins (Channel 4), The Reluctant Traveller (Apple TV+), and Road to a Million (Amazon Prime).
The product surface extends beyond classical consultancy. In 2025 the company launched Secret Compass AI, a generative-AI tool that produces shoot-specific risk assessment drafts in minutes from user-provided shoot context, with outputs exportable to Word or PDF. The product is offered with freemium entry, pay-as-you-go (£49 per risk assessment, normally £99), and a £199/month subscription tier, supported by a secure API, a no-customer-data-for-training policy, and a carbon-neutral compute claim. Underlying expertise is evidenced by ISO 31000, ISO 31030, BS8848, IOSH, and NEBOSH credentials, BAFTA Albert supplier-directory listing, and B Corp certification (88.7 on the B Impact Assessment).
Commercially, Secret Compass operates a hybrid model: bespoke professional services quoted on a project basis for tier-1 broadcasters, complemented by ScreenSkills-accredited Production Safety Management training delivered on request, and the AI-driven self-serve product targeting production managers and Safety Advisors. The company is founder-led (Tom Bodkin and Ben Major, both ex-military), privately capitalized with no disclosed external funding, has a Bristol office at 14 Whitehouse Street, dual UK/US contact lines, and reports a 359+ production track record across 133 countries.
Secret Compass firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Secret Compass
- Legal name
- Secret Compass Ltd
- Website
- https://secretcompass.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Secret Compass is a Bristol, UK-based risk management consultancy for TV and film productions. It delivers bespoke safety planning, specialist consultants, medical support, and training, plus a 2025-launched AI risk assessment tool, serving major broadcasters and streamers across 133 countries and 359+ productions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Secret Compass industry classification
Industry- Product category
- TV and Film Production Risk Management
- NAICS
- Investigation and Security Services (5616), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Security Guards and Patrol Services (561612)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Security Consulting, Risk Assessment & Security Program Design (BPABAMAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Security Risk Assessment, Auditing & Security Consulting Training (BPAKAOAH)
Keywords
Where Secret Compass is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bristol
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Secret Compass business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Risk Management Consultancy Services: Bespoke professional services including risk assessments, safety plans, expert consultants, medical support, specialist environments (jungle, mountain, water, arctic), security, and training. Sold directly to production companies on a project basis.
- Secret Compass AI Tool: SaaS tool with pay-as-you-go (£49 per risk assessment) and subscription options (£99 first month, then £199/month). First assessment free. Targets production managers and safety advisors who need fast, structured risk assessment drafts.
- Training Courses: Bespoke Production Safety Management Course accredited under the Production Safety Passport Scheme (ScreenSkills). Run on request basis for production teams.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Pay as you go - £49 per risk assessment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Unlimited - £99 first month, then £199/month |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | First AI risk assessment free |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Secret Compass product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Secret Compass provides risk management services for TV and film productions operating in remote and hostile environments worldwide. Core offerings include risk assessments, safety plans, expert consultant deployment, medical support, specialist environment support (jungle, mountain, water, arctic), and accredited training. The company also sells Secret Compass AI, an AI-powered tool that generates tailored risk assessment drafts for production shoots in minutes.
Product overview
Secret Compass operates as a risk management services company for TV and film productions, offering a unified platform of specialist services rather than a traditional software product. The core offering is anchored by Secret Compass AI, an AI-powered risk assessment tool that generates tailored first drafts in minutes for production shoots. This AI tool is supported by a suite of service modules including risk assessments, safety plans and protocols, a global consultant network (safety advisors, environment specialists, medical personnel), and the Production Safety Management Course (accredited under ScreenSkills). Specialist Support covers rope access, water safety, boat operations, dive safety, and helicopter operations. Medical Services provide holistic support from screening to emergency response. Environment Services enable shoots across jungle, mountains, polar, desert, and river environments, with security operations for hostile environments. The company has delivered 359+ productions across 111+ countries for major broadcasters including Netflix, BBC, Nat Geo, Disney+, and Channel 4.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Secret Compass AI AI-powered risk assessment tool for TV and film productions that generates tailored first drafts of risk assessments in minutes. Built on real production expertise, it identifies hazards, analyzes risk, and suggests control measures specific to the shoot's location, activities, and context. Users can export documents as Word or PDF.
- Risk Management Services Comprehensive risk management services for TV and film productions, including risk assessments, safety plans and protocols, expert consultant deployment, and bespoke training for production teams operating in remote and extreme environments.
- Specialist Support Services
- Medical Support Services
- Environment Support Services
- Production Safety Management Course
Quantifiable outcome
- 359+ productions delivered safely worldwide
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Secret Compass
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Secret Compass technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
Secret Compass partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Simple Risk ManagementcorePartnership for helicopter operations due diligence. Secret Compass partners with Simple Risk Management to conduct safety and due diligence reviews on aviation operations (fixed wing and rotary), giving productions confidence to fly.
- Plimsoll ProductionscoreLong-standing production partner for multiple projects including Skyscraper Live (Alex Honnold Taipei 101 climb), Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, and Celebrity Bear Hunt.
- NutopiacoreProduction partner for high-profile global series including Pole to Pole with Will Smith (Nat Geo/Disney+) and Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.
- Worker BeeminorProduction company partner for Celebrity Bear Hunt, with Secret Compass providing risk management support.
- Madison Square Gardens Entertainment (MSG)corePartner for Postcard from Earth production, providing risk management and safety support for the MSG Sphere production.
- MinnowcoreProduction company for SAS: Who Dares Wins series, with Secret Compass providing extensive safety and risk management across multiple seasons.
- 72 FilmsminorProduction partner for Road to a Million (Amazon Prime) where Secret Compass provided safety and rigging for contestants running across moving trains.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Secret Compass competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Control Risks: Global risk consultancy with deep corporate and government client base. Comparable in providing security and travel risk advisory, including for media clients, but at a different scale and breadth.
- International SOS: Global medical and security services firm with media sector clients. Overlaps with Secret Compass on medical support and travel risk management for production crews, but as part of a much broader corporate/NGO offering.
- Healix International: International medical, security, and travel risk services provider. Comparable to Secret Compass' medical and risk management service lines, but serving a broader cross-industry client base.
Direct peers
- Pilgrims Group: Provides hostile environment training, security, and risk management services to media, NGOs, and corporates. Comparable in delivering field-based risk support for productions and journalists operating in challenging environments.
- Invennt (formerly The Risk Advisory Group - Media): Risk and resilience consultancy with media and broadcast clients, offering production risk advisory alongside broader enterprise services. Overlaps with Secret Compass on production safety and operational risk work.
- Solace Global (formerly Drum Cussac): Travel risk management and security consultancy serving media, corporate, and NGO clients. Overlaps with Secret Compass on hostile-environment and travel risk services for productions.
- Panoptic Group: Provides risk management, safety, and security services for film, television, and corporate productions. Closest direct competitor to Secret Compass in production-specific risk consulting, with similar clientele in entertainment and media.
Emerging players
- Riskline: Travel risk intelligence platform providing country and city risk assessments. Adjacent to Secret Compass AI in digital risk assessment delivery, but focused on data subscriptions rather than production-specific consulting.
- Centurion Risk: Hostile environment and travel risk management training provider for media, NGOs, and corporate clients. Overlaps with Secret Compass' training and field-risk offering on a smaller, more training-focused scale.
- SBR Travel Risk Management: Specialist travel risk management consultancy supporting expedition, adventure, and education travel operators. Comparable to Secret Compass in niche travel/field risk advisory, but a smaller player.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Secret Compass social profiles
Digital presenceSecret Compass compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Secret Compass financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Secret Compass leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Secret Compass funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Secret Compass 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 Secret Compass
What does Secret Compass do?
Secret Compass provides risk management services for TV and film productions operating in remote and hostile environments worldwide. Core offerings include risk assessments, safety plans, expert consultant deployment, medical support, specialist environment support (jungle, mountain, water, arctic), and accredited training. The company also sells Secret Compass AI, an AI-powered tool that generates tailored risk assessment drafts for production shoots in minutes.
Is Secret Compass a public or private company?
Secret Compass is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Secret Compass founded?
Secret Compass was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Secret Compass based?
Secret Compass is headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Secret Compass make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Risk Management Consultancy Services are the primary driver. The others are secret Compass AI Tool and training Courses.
Who are Secret Compass's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Control Risks, International SOS and Healix International. Direct peers are Pilgrims Group, Invennt (formerly The Risk Advisory Group - Media), Solace Global (formerly Drum Cussac) and Panoptic Group. Emerging players are Riskline, Centurion Risk and SBR Travel Risk Management.
Does Secret Compass have an API?
No public API is recorded for Secret Compass.
What industry is Secret Compass in?
Secret Compass's product category is TV and Film Production Risk Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPABAMAE, Security Consulting, Risk Assessment & Security Program Design, with a secondary code of BPAKAOAH, Security Risk Assessment, Auditing & Security Consulting Training. Its NAICS code is 5616.