Rope Ladder Fiction

What Rope Ladder Fiction does

Rope Ladder Fiction is a Manchester-based independent film and television production house founded in September 2021 by Cameron Roach, formerly Sky's Director of Drama from 2013 through 2021. The company's primary output is Waterloo Road, a returning BBC One continuing drama that Rope Ladder Fiction revived in 2023 after a six-year absence; the company has since been commissioned for seven series (Series 11-17), comprising 30-plus new-era episodes by Series 14. Beyond Waterloo Road, the company develops and co-produces short films including Osoro, Surprise, Baby!, and FLINT — the latter premiering at the London Short Film Festival in January 2026 — and operates structured talent development programmes for emerging writers and crew.

The company generates revenue through content licensing and co-production fees, with BBC as its primary commissioning broadcaster and BBC Film as a co-production partner on short film projects. Additional co-production partners include Wall to Wall Media (Waterloo Road co-producer), Intermission Film, and Northern Fortress Films. The company supplements production revenue with structured programmes — the Production Development Trainee Scheme has placed over 35 trainees since inception in partnership with Screen Manchester, Warner Brothers Discovery, BBC Writers Room, Salford University, and HOME — and an Innovative Development Program providing paid bespoke development with selected writers. Revenue is exclusively enterprise/B2B (broadcasters and streamers); the company does not accept unsolicited material and has no direct-to-consumer pricing.

Rope Ladder Fiction operates from The Sharp Project in Manchester with a named core team of six executives and producers. The company employs a deliberate production model on Waterloo Road emphasising fiscal efficiency — approximately 80% studio filming, fixed five-day weeks, all-year-round production, and no night shoots — which underpins both commissioning renewal with BBC and the talent development thesis. In 2024 the company was recognised as a PACT Future 30 Company and received Broadcast Award and RTS Award nominations. As a founder-owned private company with no disclosed external investors, parent entities, or M&A activity, Rope Ladder Fiction is highly dependent on continued BBC commissioning.

Name

Rope Ladder Fiction

Legal name

Rope Ladder Fiction

Website

https://ropeladderfiction.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rope Ladder Fiction is a Manchester-based independent film and television production company founded in 2021 that produces the returning BBC One drama Waterloo Road and co-produces short films, alongside structured next-generation talent development programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television Production

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Financing & Investment (Equity, Debt, Gap, Slate) (MPADAAAB)

Keywords

• Scripted television drama
• Independent film production
• Broadcast content commissioning
• Talent development training
• Short film production

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TV Series Production: Production of television drama series commissioned by UK broadcasters (primarily BBC) and international streamers. Waterloo Road is the flagship ongoing series, with multiple series commissioned since 2023.
2. Short Film Production: Production of short films with funding partners. Recent shorts include Osoro and Surprise, Baby!. The company seeks funding partners and opportunities to expand their short film portfolio.
3. Feature Film Development: Development of feature film projects in partnership with broadcasters and streamers, with some projects in funded development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rope Ladder Fiction is an independent film and television production house that develops and produces scripted drama for UK broadcasters and international streamers. Its core offering is long-running serialized drama production, anchored by Waterloo Road (Series 11–17 commissioned by BBC), alongside short films and structured talent development programmes. The company earns revenue through content licensing and co-production arrangements rather than selling directly to end consumers.

Product overview

Rope Ladder Fiction is a Manchester-based independent Film and TV Production House founded in 2021 by Cameron Roach. The company produces long-running BBC drama Waterloo Road (Series 11-17), short films (FLINT, Osoro, Surprise Baby!), and operates development programmes for next-generation talent. The core product is Waterloo Road, a continuing drama series produced in partnership with Wall to Wall Media and BBC. Supporting offerings include the Innovative Development Program for TV and film projects, the Production Development Trainee Scheme for emerging screen talent, and an Outreach Programme with educational partners. The company focuses on truthful lived emotions with an inherent entertainment quotient, avoiding sci-fi in favour of grounded drama.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waterloo Road Long-running BBC continuing drama series produced by Rope Ladder Fiction in partnership with Wall to Wall Media for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The show follows school life, contemporary social issues, and character-driven storylines, with commissioned series running since 2023 and a total of 30 episodes in the new era broadcast by Series 14.
• Osoro Short film produced by Rope Ladder Fiction presenting a fresh perspective on love, grief and African mythology set against the backdrop of earlier noughties Black Britain. Executively produced by Cameron Roach and Sheila Nortley.
• Surprise, Baby! Short film from director Zane Igbe, co-produced with Northern Fortress Films and released in 2024, following protagonist Taye navigating a baby shower gender reveal.
• FLINT Short film co-produced by Rope Ladder Fiction with BBC Film and Intermission Film, directed by Naqqash Khalid, exploring themes of healing, familiar routines, and violence through vivid imagery and colour. Premiered at London Short Film Festival in January 2026.
• Innovative Development Program Development programme for TV series, feature film, and short film projects, working with writers in a bespoke way and involving directors and actors in development projects. Includes short film development with emerging writers and playwriting initiatives such as the Box of Tricks Box Fresh partnership.
• Production Development Trainee Scheme Six-month paid training programme for individuals new to the screen sector, developed in partnership with Wall to Wall Media, BBC, and Screen Manchester. Enables individuals to develop skills in specific craft areas, with over 35 trainees completing the programme to date.
• Outreach Programme Community outreach and development programme delivered with partners including Screen Manchester, Salford University, BBC Bitesize, BBC Education, Sharpfutures, and Reform Radio. Includes workshops, creative writing programmes, audio drama production, and curriculum-linked engagement through the BBC Bitesize Schools Tour.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 35 trainees have completed the Production Development Trainee Scheme and gone on to secure further work in the sector
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wall to Wall MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWall to Wall Media is the co-producer of Waterloo Road alongside Rope Ladder Fiction. Managing Director Leanne Klein serves as co-executive producer on Waterloo Road. Wall to Wall North, led by Sian Palfrey, aims to grow writing in the North of England.
• BBCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBC is the primary broadcaster commissioning Waterloo Road. The BBC's continued investment enables sustainable drama production and talent development. BBC Writers Room also partners with Rope Ladder Fiction for writer workshops and shadow script programmes.
• Screen ManchestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScreen Manchester is a key training partner, collaborating on the Production Development Trainee Scheme. Crew and Facilities Manager Elli Metcalfe oversees trainee placements. The partnership aims to supply the talent pipeline in the North.
• Warner Brothers DiscoverycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWarner Brothers Discovery partners on emerging director schemes. Dina Slater, People Partner at Warner Brothers Discovery, supports the training programme providing structured mentoring and entry points for new talent.
• BBC BitesizeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRope Ladder Fiction and Waterloo Road cast and crew contribute to the BBC Bitesize Schools Tour, enabling pupils first-hand experience of navigating careers in the screen industry.
• BBC EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBBC Education collaborates with Rope Ladder Fiction on outreach programmes supporting educational access to creative industries.
• Salford UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRope Ladder Fiction team delivers workshops to creative producing students and supports them in shooting short films on the Waterloo Road set. This academic year partnership provides practical industry experience.
• Sharp FuturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSharp Futures is a Manchester-based social enterprise partner delivering creative workshops to schools and colleges in Greater Manchester as part of outreach programme.
• Sharp FeaturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSharp Features is a social enterprise that ran Flip The Script, a training program providing 12 paid placements for aspiring script editors in the UK Northwest. This was Cameron Roach's first solo project preceding Rope Ladder Fiction.
• Box of Tricks Theatre CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2023, Rope Ladder Fiction partnered with Box of Tricks on their Box Fresh initiative, bringing together playwriting and screenwriting worlds and celebrating next generation talent and underrepresented local voices.
• Flapjack PressminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlapjack Press partnered with Rope Ladder Fiction to publish the First Rung anthology, carrying writers through an editing process with compassion. Paul Neads from Flapjack leads independent publishing representing performance poets.
• Reform RadiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReform Radio collaborated on audio drama production with Rope Ladder Fiction and We Are Survivors Manchester, resulting in four short audio dramas being recorded by actor Neil Bell.
• We Are Survivors ManchesterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerService users at We Are Survivors Manchester worked with Reform Radio and Rope Ladder Fiction in Autumn 2023, creating short form audio dramas as part of the outreach programme.
• HOME (arts centre)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHOME arts centre in Manchester partnered with Wall to Wall Media and Rope Ladder Fiction for the Production Development Trainee Scheme.
• Intermission FilmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntermission Film co-produced the short film FLINT with Rope Ladder Fiction and BBC Film. FLINT premieres at the London Short Film Festival in January 2026.
• Northern Fortress FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Fortress Films co-produced the short film Surprise, Baby! with Rope Ladder Fiction.
• Eleven FilmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRope Ladder Fiction partnered with Eleven Film (SONY) to host the Script Editor Forum in Manchester, continuing an initiative Cameron Roach led at Sky, supporting script editors building careers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bad Wolf: Bad Wolf is a Cardiff-based scripted drama indie (His Dark Materials, Industry, The Nevers) producing premium UK drama for HBO and BBC. Directly comparable to Rope Ladder Fiction as a regional UK drama house with strong public broadcaster relationships and talent development programmes.
• World Productions: World Productions is a UK indie specialising in returning scripted drama and thrillers (Line of Duty, Bodyguard, The Capture). Comparable to Rope Ladder Fiction as a producer of returning BBC drama series with similar commissioning dynamics and audience positioning.
• Sister Pictures: Sister Pictures is a premium UK scripted drama indie (Chernobyl, The Split) backed by ITV Studios. It is a direct comparable as a UK scripted drama producer with similar targeted demographics and broadcaster-focused commissioning strategy, though at a larger scale and with institutional backing.
• Hat Trick Productions: Hat Trick Productions is a long-established UK indie producing scripted comedy and drama (e.g., Derry Girls, Outnumbered) for UK broadcasters and streamers. Comparable to Rope Ladder Fiction as a similarly sized privately held UK drama indie reliant on BBC and Channel 4 commissions.
• Studio Lambert: Studio Lambert is a UK production company producing scripted and unscripted content (The Circle, Gogglebox, Three Pines). Comparable to Rope Ladder Fiction as a privately held UK indie producing premium returning formats for UK and international buyers.
• Baby Cow Productions: Baby Cow Productions is a UK scripted comedy-drama indie producing returning series for broadcasters. It is a direct peer in size and operating model to Rope Ladder Fiction, similarly founder-led and focused on BBC-style scripted commissions.
• Red Production Company: Red Production Company is a Manchester-based UK drama indie (Russell T Davies' Cucumber, It's a Sin, Years and Years). It is a direct geographic and operational peer to Rope Ladder Fiction, focused on returning BBC scripted drama and based in the North of England.
• Wall to Wall Media: Wall to Wall Media is the co-producer of Waterloo Road alongside Rope Ladder Fiction and a leading UK scripted and factual drama indie. As the most direct operational peer, it shares production economics, training partnerships, and broadcaster relationships that mirror Rope Ladder Fiction's model.

Emerging players

• Fable Pictures: Fable Pictures is a UK scripted indie focused on female-driven drama (the BBC's upcoming adaptation slate). It is an emerging player with partial overlap to Rope Ladder Fiction's genre and commissioning focus, but at an earlier stage of commercial scale.

Broad incumbents

• Tiger Aspect Productions: Tiger Aspect Productions is a long-standing UK scripted and comedy indie within the Endemol Shine Group. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Rope Ladder Fiction in genre and broadcaster focus, but operates at significantly larger scale and with corporate parent resources.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ropeladderfiction
• Facebookfacebook.com/RopeLadderFiction
• Xx.com/RopeLadderFict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rope-ladder-fiction

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 Rope Ladder Fiction