What Confluential Films does

Confluential Films (legal entity The Confluential Company, LLC) is a privately held, Black-owned and Black-founded film, television, and documentary production company and financier headquartered in Philadelphia, with operations anchored in Los Angeles and an employee base estimated at 11–50. Founded by Tommy Oliver, an AMPAS, DGA, PGA, WGA, and Television Academy member, the company develops, produces, and finances projects across feature films, television series, documentaries, docuseries, and audio. It operates a multi-brand portfolio architecture comprising the core Confluential Films label, Black Love (a docuseries and 360-degree content brand spanning television, FAST, podcasts, social, and experiential, co-founded with Codie Elaine Oliver), New Fear Unlocked (a horror genre label for creators of color), Confluential Productions (a production services arm offering pre-production, production, post-production, equipment, and sound stage services), and The Africas VS. America (a podcast distributed via CBC Listen, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Amazon Music).

The business model combines three revenue streams: (1) one-time licensing of internally financed and produced content to streaming platforms and studios such as Apple TV+, HBO Max, Netflix, BET+, Hulu, Focus Features, Lionsgate, and Sony Pictures; (2) professional production services sold to third-party clients on a project basis; and (3) subscription/recurring revenue through podcast and audio distribution. Confluential generates demand primarily through festival premieres (Sundance, SXSW, AFI Fest), earned media coverage, and CAA-led agency sales, and monetizes its theatrical slate through traditional theatrical release windows before transitioning titles to streaming. Pricing and deal terms are not publicly disclosed, and the company operates the production services arm exclusively by referral rather than unsolicited submissions. The upcoming slate includes Hamlet (Riz Ahmed, Focus Features international), Goons (Chloe Bailey, Michael Rainey Jr.), and Die Like A Man, signaling continued investment in feature-length IP across drama and genre.

Name

Confluential Films

Legal name

The Confluential Company, LLC

Website

https://confluentialfilms.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Confluential Films is a Black-owned film, television, and documentary production company and financier that develops, produces, and finances content for major streaming platforms and studios, while operating a multi-brand portfolio spanning docuseries, horror, podcast, and production services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Development & Packaging (IP Sourcing, Script, Attachments) (MPADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB), Unscripted/Reality TV Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAC), Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Documentary production
• Television production
• Production financing
• Content distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Film & Television Production & Financing: Confluential develops, produces, and finances feature films, television series, documentaries, and docuseries. Revenue is generated through production deals, financing arrangements, and distribution rights sales to streaming platforms and studios.
2. Production Services: Confluential Productions provides pre-production, production, post-production services, equipment rentals, and sound stage services for motion pictures, television, and digital content.
3. Audio Content: The company produces audio content including podcasts, generating revenue through podcast platforms and potential sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Confluential Films develops, produces, and finances feature films, television series, documentaries, and docuseries through a multi-brand portfolio that includes Black Love (docuseries), New Fear Unlocked (horror label), and Confluential Productions (production services including pre-production, post-production, equipment rentals, and sound stages). The company also produces audio content including podcasts distributed across major platforms.

Product overview

Confluential Films is an award-winning, Black-owned film, television, and documentary production company and financier operating under a multi-brand portfolio architecture. The core offering, Confluential Films, develops and produces projects across film, TV, audio, documentaries, and docuseries. Supporting this are sub-brands: Black Love (docuseries and multi-platform content celebrating Black love stories), New Fear Unlocked (horror genre label for creators of color), Confluential Productions (production services including equipment and sound stages), and The Africas VS. America (podcast series). The company also maintains an active catalog of produced films including Fancy Dance, Young Wild Free, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, The Perfect Find, Juice WRLD: Into the Abyss, and others distributed through major streaming platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Love: The premier Black-owned partner for celebrating 360 degrees of Black love across Television, FAST, Podcasts, Social Media, and Experiential. Founded by Tommy & Codie Elaine Oliver.
• New Fear Unlocked
• Confluential Productions

Products and services

• Confluential Films Award-winning, Black-owned film, television, and documentary production company and financier that develops, produces, and finances projects across film, TV, audio, documentaries, and docuseries for distribution through major streaming platforms and studios.
• Black Love Multi-platform docuseries and content brand celebrating Black love stories across television, FAST channels, podcasts, social media, and experiential formats, founded by Tommy and Codie Elaine Oliver.
• New Fear Unlocked Genre label dedicated to bold, elevated, culturally specific horror films from creators of color, operating as a production and financing label for horror content.
• Confluential Productions Full-service production arm providing pre-production, production, post-production services, equipment rentals, and sound stage services for motion pictures, television, and digital content, serving other production companies and filmmakers.
• The Africas VS. America Podcast series investigating the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, exploring the events that culminated in the bombing and the long afterlife of the tragedy, distributed across major podcast platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Audience Award for Documentary Feature at 2021 AFI Fest
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CAA (Creative Artists Agency)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerConfluential Films and its subsidiaries have signed with CAA for representation and management ahead of busy Sundance. CAA represents the company for content sales and distribution deals.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lionsgate: Major studio with indie and prestige arms that distributes Confluential's content (e.g., 1982). Comparable in feature film production and distribution but operates at much larger scale across broader genres.
• Sony Pictures Television: Major studio and distributor that has distributed Confluential's The Perfect Guy. Overlaps in film and television production/distribution but operates as a broad incumbent rather than a focused indie.
• Blumhouse Productions: Major genre-focused film and television production company with extensive streaming relationships. Operates at significantly larger scale but overlaps with Confluential in horror/thriller genre production and indie distribution model.
• Harpo Productions: Premium content production company founded by Oprah Winfrey producing film, television, and digital content with major platform relationships. Comparable in creator-led prestige positioning but at significantly larger scale and scope.

Direct peers

• Higher Ground Productions: Premium content production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, focused on film, television, and audio content with strong streaming distribution. Comparable creator-driven positioning and prestige platform relationships.
• Monkeypaw Productions: Creator-driven film and television production company founded by Jordan Peele. Similar boutique, talent-anchored model with premium distribution deals and genre specialization (horror/thriller), paralleling Confluential's New Fear Unlocked label.
• MACRO: Black-owned content studio developing film, television, and digital content focused on underrepresented voices. Operates production, financing, and distribution arms, closely matching Confluential's business model and mission.
• A24: Independent film and television production and distribution company with comparable prestige positioning, festival strategy, and relationships with major streamers. Differentiated by scale and genre breadth, but structurally similar in development-and-packaging approach.
• ARRAY (Ava DuVernay): Black-founded film production and distribution company with a similar indie distribution arm and focus on culturally specific storytelling. Directly comparable in mission, content positioning, and structural model.
• JuVee Productions: Black-led production company founded by Viola Davis and Julius Tennon, developing film, television, and documentary content. Directly comparable in founder-led model, content focus, and platform distribution strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-squirrel-films

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Confluential Films