What Firecrest Films does

Firecrest Films is an independent television production company founded in 2012 (legal entity Firecrest Films Limited, company number SC345633) and headquartered in the Fairfield building in Govan, Glasgow. It produces premium observational documentaries, true-crime series, consumer-affairs investigations, and current-affairs programming for major UK broadcasters and global streamers. Commissioning relationships span BBC Scotland (Murder Case, Murder Trial), BBC One and Two (Panorama, This World strand), Channel 4 (Dispatches investigations, Supershoppers, UNTOLD strand), and Amazon Prime Video - including a six-film deal announced June 2025 following the BAFTA-winning Three Mothers, Two Babies and a Scandal. In 2024 the company extended its IP into audio with the BBC podcast Inside Murder Trial.

The company's revenue model is grounded in broadcaster commissions and production fees (professional services), supplemented by content licensing and distribution through broadcaster iPlayer/streaming platforms. Productions are developed through direct pitches to commissioner desks; no consumer-facing pricing exists. Output metrics include 16 BAFTA awards, 60+ industry nominations in the past five years, 3 million iPlayer streaming requests for Murder Case and Murder Trial, and seven consecutive years as one of Broadcast Magazine's Best Places to Work in TV.

The core technology is traditional documentary production craft - editorial access relationships with Police Scotland and the Scottish High Court, on-the-ground investigative field production, and post-production workflows. No proprietary technology platform, AI systems, or patents are disclosed. The company invests in its talent pipeline via the award-winning Firecrest Talent Development Scheme (40+ alumni; inaugural Royal Television Society Impact Award, June 2024) and a 2025 iteration targeting Black and Asian talent in Scotland.

Name

Firecrest Films

Legal name

Firecrest Films Limited

Website

https://firecrestfilms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Firecrest Films is a Glasgow-based independent television production company producing premium documentaries and true-crime series for the BBC, Channel 4, and Amazon Prime Video, including a 2025 six-film Prime Video deal and a 2024 podcast expansion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Documentary Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

True Crime Documentaries (MPADADAN), Investigative & Journalism Documentaries (MPADADAD), Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG), Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE)

Keywords

• Documentary production
• Television production
• Factual programming
• Broadcast commissions
• True crime series

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broadcast Commissions: Firecrest Films produces commissioned documentary and factual programming for UK broadcasters including BBC, Channel 4, and streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video. Revenue comes from securing commissions and production fees from broadcasters for original content.
2. Content Licensing and Distribution: Productions are distributed through broadcaster platforms (BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 streaming) and international streaming services. The company expanded into podcasts in 2024 with BBC series Inside Murder Trial.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Firecrest Films is an independent television production company that develops, produces, and delivers premium documentary and factual programming under commission from UK broadcasters and streamers. Its core output includes observational true-crime series, court-access documentaries, consumer-affairs investigations, current-affairs strands (Panorama, Dispatches), and Amazon Originals, with a growing podcast line. The company earns revenue primarily through production fees and broadcaster commissions.

Product overview

Firecrest Films is an independent television production company based in Glasgow that produces premium documentaries for UK broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4) and streaming platforms (Amazon Prime Video). The company operates multiple documentary series and stand-alone documentary films as its core products. Key series include Murder Case and Murder Trial (courtroom/access documentaries), Supershoppers (consumer affairs), and various Dispatches and Panorama investigations. The company has expanded into podcast production with Inside Murder Trial in 2024, and holds a six-film deal with Prime Video. Firecrest Films has received 16 BAFTA awards and over 60 award nominations in five years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Murder Case: Award-winning true crime documentary series for BBC Scotland examining complex murder investigations
• Murder Trial
• Supershoppers
• Firecrest Talent Development Scheme

Products and services

• Murder Case Award-winning observational documentary series providing unparalleled access to Police Scotland's Major Investigations Team, following complex murder investigations from disappearance to resolution. Commissioned by BBC Scotland and extended across multiple seasons.
• Murder Trial Multi-award winning documentary series with unprecedented access to Scottish High Court proceedings, documenting real murder trials and the pursuit of justice. Aired on BBC Scotland and re-launched as a BBC podcast, Inside Murder Trial, in 2024.
• London's Greatest Bridges Documentary series exploring the extraordinary stories and history of London's most iconic bridges, produced for broadcast television.
• Lifers: Behind Bars Two-part documentary series documenting what it is like to serve a long-term prison sentence in Scottish courts and prisons, for broadcast on BBC Scotland.
• The Hunt for Bible John Two-part documentary series exploring Scotland's largest unsolved murder hunt from the late 1960s, produced for broadcast television.
• Fish Town Six-part observational documentary series following extraordinary people working in Peterhead, Britain's biggest fishing port, to put fish on British plates.
• Michael Palin: Travels of a Lifetime Four-part documentary series where Michael Palin revisits his famous documentary series using personal archive footage, produced for the BBC.
• Liar: The Fake Grooming Scandal Feature documentary examining the Ellie Williams case and the impact of false allegations on a community. Broadcast on BBC Scotland in 2024 and won BAFTA Scotland Single Documentary award.
• Three Mothers, Two Babies and a Scandal Three-part Amazon Original documentary series telling the story of the 'internet twins' adoption scandal, produced for Amazon Prime Video. Achieved Amazon's first ever BAFTA win.
• Supershoppers Multi-award winning consumer affairs show for Channel 4 (including Season 3) revealing retail tricks and money-saving tips for viewers.
• The Truth About Amazon Three-part documentary series investigating Amazon's practices, hidden bargains, and questionable operations for Channel 4.
• Secrets of Amazon Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into Amazon's seemingly unstoppable growth, achieving the highest ratings of any Dispatches film in 2019.
• Coca-Cola's Dirty Secret Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into Coca-Cola's environmental impact regarding plastic pollution.
• Murder Case: The Vanishing Cyclist Two-part documentary about the 2017 disappearance and murder of Tony Parsons during a charity cycle ride in the Scottish Highlands, broadcast on BBC Scotland.
• Dispatches: Where to Save Your Money Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into savings options during historically low interest rates.
• The Hunt for Peter Tobin Two-part documentary examining the disappearances of three young women and the fight to bring serial killer Peter Tobin to justice.
• The Orkney Assassin - Murder in the Isles Feature-length documentary examining the 1994 murder of Shamsuddin Mahmood in Orkney for BBC Scotland.
• Murder Trial: The Killing of Dr Brenda Page Two-part documentary focusing on the 1978 murder of Dr Brenda Page and the 2024 trial of her ex-husband, broadcast on BBC Scotland.
• Murder Trial: Girl in the River Documentary following the murder trial of Caroline Glachan, a schoolgirl found dead in 1996, broadcast on BBC Scotland as part of the Murder Trial franchise.
• Catching the Tinder Predator Feature documentary exposing Christopher Harkins who preyed on women through dating apps for over a decade.
• The Secrets of TikTok Shop Channel 4 documentary/UNTOLD series exploring TikTok Shop's impact on online shopping, broadcast on Channel 4.
• Bargain Holiday Secrets Channel 4 documentary series featuring Jasmine Harman revealing holiday-industry tricks for saving money.
• Did You Kill Emma? True crime documentary series for Amazon Prime Video examining the murder of Emma Caldwell and the failures in the police investigation.
• Inside Murder Trial (Podcast) BBC podcast adaptation of the Murder Trial franchise, expanded Firecrest's output into audio content for BBC podcasts.
• Six Film Deal with Prime Video Multi-film Amazon Originals production deal between Firecrest Films and Prime Video for original documentary content, announced in June 2025.
• Dispatches: Secrets of Poundland Channel 4 Dispatches investigation that marked Firecrest Films' debut production, smashing Dispatches audience records with 3.1 million consolidated viewers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 million streaming requests on BBC iPlayer for Murder Case and Murder Trial documentaries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Typer ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced The Spy Who Died Twice (Channel 4) with Typer Productions. This was a single co-production project for a Channel 4 documentary about John Stonehouse.
• Broadcasters and StreamerscoreOthersFirecrest partners with major UK broadcasters and streamers including BBC, Channel 4, and Amazon Prime Video to commission and produce documentary content. These partnerships form the core business model of the company.
• Industry BodiescoreOthersPartners with broadcasters, streamers and other industry bodies to offer significant roles, placements and mentoring. The company works with industry organisations to develop talent and provide career opportunities in the TV sector.
• The Talent ManagerminorOthersUses The Talent Manager platform to post jobs and store CVs. Job applications are submitted through the talent management platform.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studio Lambert: Lionsgate-owned UK indie producing premium factual and observational documentaries (Gogglebox, The Circle, true crime formats) for UK broadcasters and global streamers. Closest direct competitor to Firecrest in genre, scale and commissioning relationships.
• KEO Films: Independent UK factual producer behind Stacey Dooley documentaries, true crime and observational formats for BBC and Channel 4. Direct competitor for the same premium documentary slots Firecrest targets.
• Dragonfly Film and Television: Award-winning UK factual indie (BBC, Channel 4, Netflix) producing true crime, factual series and documentaries with similar BAFTA-track-record profile to Firecrest.
• Hassel Free Productions: True crime and factual indie producing for Channel 4 and UK broadcasters (Killer in My Family, Murder in Successville). Closely comparable in scale and genre focus.
• Pulse Films: Vice Media-aligned UK production company producing premium documentaries and features for Netflix, Amazon and broadcasters (American Honey, Beastie Boys Story). Comparable premium-streamer positioning.
• Wall to Wall Media: Warner Bros Television Group-owned UK indie producing high-end factual, documentaries and reality formats (One Child, Who Do You Think You Are?). Comparable scale and BBC/Channel 4 relationships.
• Wonder (Studio): London-based premium factual indie producing documentaries and features for streamers and UK broadcasters (Apple TV+, Netflix, BBC). Comparable in genre mix (true crime, social issue, investigative) and BAFTA-winning pedigree.
• Raw TV: Belfast/London factual indie renowned for true crime (Don't F**k With Cats, Three Days of Terror, Making a Murderer UK). Direct genre competitor with similar streamer relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Twenty Twenty Productions: Warner Bros Discovery-owned UK indie producing factual, documentary and reality (First Dates, The Voice). Larger parent-backed competitor with deeper production infrastructure.
• BBC Studios Documentary Unit: In-house BBC factual/documentary production arm competing for the same commission slots and premium documentary commissions, particularly on Panorama and This World strands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/firecrestfilms

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Firecrest Films