Look at Sciences

What Look at Sciences does

Look at Sciences (legally SAS Look at Sciences) is an independent French documentary production company headquartered in Paris at 50-52 rue Pailleron (19th arrondissement). Founded circa 2012 per the company's own website copyright notice, the firm specializes in science communication across multiple formats including 52–90 minute broadcast documentary films, interactive web documentaries, photo essays, and a stock photo agency. Its catalog spans astronomy (Rosetta mission films, "Searching for Planet 9"), climate and environmental science ("L'aventure météo," polar expeditions via the Photographic Observatory of the Poles), biology and medicine, physics, and science-and-society topics including artificial intelligence and genetics.

The company monetizes through a diversified but small-scale mix: broadcast licensing to French public-service channels (Arte, France 5, RMC Découverte, LCP, France Télévisions) representing the primary enterprise revenue stream; consumer transactions via Vimeo on Demand rentals at €4–5, physical DVD sales at €20–35 through distributors (L'Harmattan, Arte Editions, Glénat); companion book publishing with Larousse and Glénat at €29–35; and festival distribution generating visibility and prestige. Co-production partnerships with CNRS Images, Universcience, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, and Collège de France provide both scientific access and partial project funding. The company operates with approximately 6 employees, has no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A history, and is privately held as a SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) under French law.

Name

Look at Sciences

Legal name

SAS Look at Sciences

Website

https://lookatsciences.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Look at Sciences is an independent Paris-based documentary production company that creates science communication content — broadcast films, web documentaries, photo essays, and books — primarily licensed to French broadcasters (Arte, France 5) and co-produced with French research institutions (CNRS, Universcience, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Nature, Science & Wildlife Documentaries (MPADADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB), Popular Science, Technology & Nature Trade Publishing (MPAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Science documentary production
• Documentary film production
• Science media content
• Interactive web documentaries
• Photo essay production

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broadcasting Rights: Look at Sciences produces documentaries that are broadcast on television channels including Arte, France 5, RMC Découverte, Universcience.tv, and other outlets. Revenue is generated through licensing fees for broadcast rights.
2. VOD Sales: Documentaries are available for rental and purchase on VOD platforms (primarily Vimeo on Demand) at prices ranging from €4-5 per rental. Films can be rented for 72 hours after initial viewing.
3. DVD Sales: Physical DVDs are sold through the company's store and distributors like L'Harmattan, Arte Editions, and Glénat, with prices typically between €20-35 per DVD.
4. Book Publishing: Look at Sciences produces companion books to documentaries in partnership with publishers like Larousse and Glénat, with books priced at €29-35.
5. Festival Distribution: Films are entered in international science and documentary film festivals, generating revenue through screenings and awards while building reputation and visibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Look at Sciences produces and distributes science-focused documentary content across multiple formats, including 52–90 minute television documentary films, interactive web documentaries, photo essays, and companion print publications. Content covers topics such as space exploration (Rosetta mission), climate, biology, genetics, AI, and social issues. The company monetizes primarily via broadcast licensing to French public TV channels and direct sales of DVDs, VOD access, and books to consumers.

Product overview

Look at Sciences is a documentary film production company specializing in science communication through multiple formats. The core offering consists of documentary films (52-90 minutes covering topics from space exploration to social issues), web documentaries (interactive multi-episode series), and photo essays. Supporting products include publications (co-produced books with publishers like Larousse and Glénat), the Polar Photographic Observatory program, physical and digital distribution via DVD/VOD sales, and traveling exhibitions. The company operates primarily as a content producer and distributor rather than a technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Science Documentary Films 52–90 minute science documentary films covering topics such as the Rosetta space mission, climate negotiations, genetics, AI, and social issues; produced for broadcast on French public TV channels (Arte, France 5, RMC Découverte) and for distribution via VOD, DVD, and film festivals.
• Web Documentaries Interactive web documentary series combining video, photography, and written content; multi-episode formats such as 'Chacun cherche son Son' (sound science, 20 episodes), 'Correspondances' (art and science), and 'Herbier 2.0' (botanical documentation); distributed via the Look at Sciences website and Universcience.tv.
• Photo Essays Photographic essays and reportage covering scientific expeditions, environmental topics, and social stories, including Arctic and Antarctic documentation from the Polar Photographic Observatory; published online and as exhibitions.
• Photo Agency Stock photography service specializing in scientific, environmental, and documentary imagery; accessible through the online photo agency portal for licensing and purchase.
• Print Publications Books and print publications co-produced with publishers (Larousse, Glénat, Belin, Arte Editions) covering scientific topics and serving as companions to documentaries, including titles such as 'L'aventure des pôles', 'L'aventure Rosetta', and 'La civilisation du Phoque'; priced €29–35.
• DVD and VOD Sales Direct sales of physical DVDs (€20–35) and digital VOD rentals/purchases (€4–5) of documentary films via the company online store and partner platforms (Vimeo on Demand, Universcience.tv).
• Traveling Exhibitions Physical and traveling exhibitions built from documentary photographic and video content, including polar photography exhibitions and science-art collaborations, staged at museums and cultural venues.

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arte FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Arte France is the primary coproduction partner for many Look at Sciences documentaries, including the Rosetta mission films and other major science documentaries. This long-standing partnership provides production funding and broadcast rights.
• CNRS ImagescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015CNRS Images (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) coproduces science documentaries with Look at Sciences, providing scientific expertise and institutional access to research facilities and scientists.
• UniversciencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Universcience (parent organization of Palais de la découverte and Cité des sciences) is a key coproduction partner, providing access to science venues and audience reach through universcience.tv platform.
• L'HarmattanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorL'Harmattan is a distributor for physical DVDs of Look at Sciences documentaries, making them available through bookstores and educational distribution channels.
• Collège de FranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoproduction partnership for documentary series featuring interviews with Collège de France researchers, produced between 2012-2015.
• Muséum national d'Histoire naturelleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for natural history documentaries including Herbier 2.0, providing scientific collaboration and access to research collections.
• GlénatminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublisher for companion books to documentaries, including the Rosetta mission book published with Arte Editions.
• Fédération Léo LagrangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for media literacy educational content 'Décodons les médias' produced for the Léo Lagrange Foundation's digital media education program.
• Revue médecine/sciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the scientific journal médecine/sciences to produce video interviews with women scientists in the publication's network.
• Observatoire Photographique des PôlesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative for photographic documentation of polar regions, producing Portraits d'Arctique documentary and related photographic exhibitions.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ZED: ZED is a French independent documentary production company producing high-end nature, science, and history documentaries for international broadcasters. It is the closest direct peer to Look at Sciences in terms of business model, science/nature documentary focus, and French production base.
• Terra Mater Studios: Terra Mater Studios is an Austrian science and nature documentary production company known for wildlife and natural history productions. It is a direct peer in the science/nature documentary category serving international broadcasters and streaming platforms.
• Windfall Films: Windfall Films is a British science and factual documentary producer with extensive international broadcast relationships. Highly comparable to Look at Sciences in science documentary specialization, although larger in scale and English-language.
• CNRS Images: CNRS Images is the audiovisual arm of France's Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, producing science documentaries and short-form content. It is both a Look at Sciences partner and a direct comparable in French science documentary production.
• Universcience: Universcience operates the Palais de la découverte and Cité des sciences et de l'industrie and produces science media including the universcience.tv platform. Like Look at Sciences, it produces science content for French audiences with strong institutional backing.
• Bonne Pioche: Bonne Pioche is a leading French independent documentary production company producing science, wildlife, and society documentaries for Arte, France Télévisions, and international broadcasters. Highly comparable to Look at Sciences in format, customer base, and editorial scope.

Regional players

• Docdays Productions: Docdays Productions is a German independent documentary producer producing international science, history, and culture documentaries. It serves the same broadcaster ecosystem as Look at Sciences (ARTE, ZDF, public broadcasters) but operates from the German-speaking market.

Emerging players

• Sandbox Films: Sandbox Films is a US-based science documentary production company focused on feature-length science films for theatrical and streaming release. It is an emerging player in premium science documentary production targeting younger digital audiences.
• Curiosity Stream: Curiosity Stream is a US-based subscription streaming service dedicated to factual and science documentary content. It is an emerging buyer/competitor in the science documentary distribution space and represents both a potential customer and a long-term competitive threat to traditional producers like Look at Sciences.

Broad incumbents

• BBC Studios (Science Unit): BBC Studios' Science Unit produces landmark science documentaries (Horizon, Brian Cox franchise) for global distribution. As a broad incumbent, it competes for top-tier science talent, broadcast commissions, and international distribution slots that Look at Sciences also targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lookatsciences
• YouTubevimeo.com/channels/lookatsciences
• Facebookfacebook.com/Look-at-Sciences-480569235316174
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/look-at-sciences

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Look at Sciences