Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH

Name

Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH

Legal name

Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH

Website

https://zeitsprung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Licensing (Film/TV, Clips, Stills) (MPADALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Sales & Licensing (Territory Pre-Sales) (MPADAJAC)

Keywords

• Film production
• Television production
• Documentary production
• Tv series production
• Transmedia production

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TV Production and Broadcasting Rights: Production of TV movies, series, and documentaries for German broadcasters with associated broadcasting rights revenue
2. Original Series for Streaming Platforms: Co-production of original series for Netflix (KLEO) and RTL+ with streaming rights and revenue sharing
3. Feature Film Production: Theatrical feature film production with cinema distribution and subsequent TV/streaming rights
4. Documentary Production: Documentary productions commissioned by broadcasters (WDR, ARTE) with production fees

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH is a German film and television production company that develops and produces feature films, TV movies, TV series, documentaries, magazine and infotainment programmes, and transmedia productions. The company produces content on behalf of German public broadcasters (ZDF, ARD and its regional members), private broadcasters (RTL, RTL+), international streaming platforms (Netflix), and theatrical distributors, retaining content rights for licensing across multiple windows.

Product overview

Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH is a German film and television production company founded in 1985, producing feature films, TV movies, TV series, documentaries, magazine and infotainment programmes, and transmedia productions. The company operates from Cologne with a branch office in Munich. Notable productions include the Netflix series KLEO, the Dortmund Crime series, Louise Boni crime series, Oktoberfest 1900 event series, and various feature films including Cranko, Dear Thomas, and Themba. The portfolio spans drama series, crime procedurals, historical dramas, documentaries, and docudramas across German and international co-productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Feature Films Cinematic theatrical releases produced for cinema audiences, including historical dramas and biographical films distributed through Wild Bunch Germany in Germany and via Beta Cinema and The Match Factory internationally.
• TV Movies Television movies and single-episode dramatic productions covering crime dramas, biographical stories, and historical events for German public broadcasters such as ZDF and ARD.
• TV Series Multi-episode television series including crime series (Dortmund Crime, Louise Boni), event series (Oktoberfest 1900), and drama series (Euphorie, Darktown) commissioned by broadcasters and streaming platforms.
• Documentaries Documentary productions commissioned by broadcasters (WDR, ARTE) covering historical events, biographical subjects, sports, social issues, and cultural topics.
• Magazine and Infotainment Programmes Entertainment programming combining informative and engaging content for television audiences.
• Transmedia Productions Cross-platform narrative productions that extend across multiple media formats, such as Alpha 0.7 which spans TV, web, and radio.

Quantifiable outcome

• KLEO won German Television Award for Best Drama Series 2023
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-production partner for original Netflix series including KLEO (Season 1 and 2), distributing globally on the Netflix platform
• RTL+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming platform partner for exclusive releases including Shit Show and Birth of a Champion
• WDRcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic broadcaster commissioning documentaries including The Invention of Racism in Color, multiple co-productions
• ARTEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEuropean channel co-commissioning documentaries and factual programming
• ZDFcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman public broadcaster for TV movies, series, and documentaries including Einstein, Landauer, Birth of a Champion
• ARD DegetocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman broadcaster consortium for multi-part productions including Louise Boni series and Oktoberfest 1900
• BRcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBayerischer Rundfunk co-productions including Dear Thomas, Landauer series, and Oktoberfest 1900
• SWRcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSüdwestrundfunk commissioning documentaries and TV movies including Thalidomide and Alpha 0.7
• NDRcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorddeutscher Rundfunk co-productions including In the Trap and Golden Boys
• Wild Bunch GermanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman theatrical distribution for feature films including Dear Thomas and Mackie Messer
• Beta CinemacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational world sales for feature films including Dear Thomas and Erik & Erika
• The Match FactorycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorld sales agent for feature films including Dear Thomas
• Les Films du FleuvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian co-production company (Dardenne Brothers) for Black Box feature film
• Violet PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction partner for Oktoberfest 1900 event series and other co-productions
• Maya ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCzech production partner for Oktoberfest 1900
• Film- und Medienstiftung NRWminorOthersState film funding body providing financial support for productions in North Rhine-Westphalia
• Medienboard Berlin-BrandenburgminorOthersRegional film funding for Berlin-Brandenburg productions
• FFF BayernminorOthersBavarian Film Funding providing production support
• Universal Pictures International GermanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman distribution for The Diary of Anne Frank feature film

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Studio Babelsberg: Germany's oldest large-scale film studio and production group producing German and international theatrical and TV projects. Comparable to Zeitsprung on German theatrical film production and high-end series for streamers and broadcasters.
• Constantin Film: Major German production and distribution company producing feature films and TV series including Resident Evil, Das Boot, and German theatrical titles. Closely comparable to Zeitsprung on the feature film and high-end series side, with theatrical distribution capabilities.
• Bavaria Film: Major Munich-based German film and TV production company and studio operator supplying content to all major German broadcasters and international partners. Comparable as a long-established, award-winning German production company serving the same broadcaster customers.
• UFA GmbH: Germany's largest TV production company producing scripted series, entertainment, and factual content for RTL, ARD, and global streamers. Directly comparable to Zeitsprung as a German-language scripted production house working with the same core broadcasters.
• Studio Hamburg: German film and TV production studio based in Hamburg producing series, films, and entertainment for NDR/ARD and other broadcasters. Comparable to Zeitsprung as a long-established German production company with a strong public broadcaster relationship and multi-format output.
• Nordisk Film Production Germany: German arm of Scandinavian Nordisk Film producing German-language series and films including hit titles for ARD and ZDF. Comparable to Zeitsprung in producing premium German scripted content for the same broadcasters.

Direct peers

• Wiedemann & Berg Film: German production company producing both theatrical films (Welcome to Germany, Who Am I) and high-end TV series including Dark for Netflix. Direct peer to Zeitsprung as a mid-sized German producer with strong streamer relationships and feature film output.
• Beta Film: German-based international distribution and production company that already handles world sales for Zeitsprung titles like Dear Thomas. Functionally a partner but also a direct comparable peer as a German company packaging and licensing premium scripted content worldwide.
• Bavaria Entertainment / good friends Filmproduktion: Cologne/Munich-based German production outfit producing event TV series and feature films in collaboration with ARD and ZDF. Closely comparable to Zeitsprung in scale, geography, and broadcaster mix.
• Wüste Film / Wüste Medien GmbH: Hamburg-based German production company producing high-end TV series and feature films for public broadcasters and streaming platforms. Comparable in size and positioning to Zeitsprung as a mid-sized, award-winning German scripted producer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zeitsprung-pictures-gmbh

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 Zeitsprung Pictures GmbH