Deadpan Pictures

What Deadpan Pictures does

Deadpan Pictures is an Ireland-based television and film production company specializing in drama with humour — character-driven stories with comedic elements. The company is co-founded and led by Paul Donovan (International Emmy award-winner) and Ailish McElmeel, with offices in Dublin (headquarters) and Middletown, Northern Ireland (Deadpan Pictures North). It is a private limited company incorporated in Ireland (registered number 527841) with 1–10 employees, operating in a project-based production model rather than a technology platform. The technology stack is standard industry production equipment and workflows; no proprietary technology or AI/ML capabilities are evidenced.

The company produces drama series, family programming, and feature films for sale to broadcasters and streaming platforms. The current slate (2024/25) totals 18 hours of drama, including Irish Blood (AMC's Acorn TV's best performing series ever, co-produced with Shaftesbury Canada), Video Nasty (BBC, Virgin Media Television, WDR, BoatRocker), Showkids (RTE, Madgic), and This is not a Murder Mystery (Studio Canal, Panenka Belgium). Revenue is generated through production fees, co-production financing, and distribution/licensing rights sold to international buyers. Historical productions include Moone Boy (Sky), Can't Cope Won't Cope (RTE, BBC, Netflix), Northern Lights (Lionsgate, ZDF), Dead Still (RTE, Acorn, ZDF), and feature films including Four Kids and It and The Last Right.

The business model is a commissions-based co-production architecture. Deadpan originates or develops IP, assembles co-production financing from public funding bodies (Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Eurimages) and international partners (Shaftesbury, Panenka, Studio Canal, ZDF), and licenses distribution rights to broadcasters and streaming platforms across Ireland, UK, Germany, Canada, the US, and other territories. The go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct relationships with broadcasters and attendance at industry trade markets. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; budgets and licensing fees are negotiated on a project-by-project basis.

Name

Deadpan Pictures

Legal name

Deadpan Pictures Limited

Website

https://deadpanpictures.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Deadpan Pictures is an Ireland-based TV and film production company specializing in drama with humour, co-producing premium series and films for international broadcasters and streaming platforms including BBC, RTE, Netflix, and AMC's Acorn TV.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television and Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Scripted TV Series Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scripted Feature Film Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAA), Live-Action TV Movies, Miniseries & Specials Production (MPADABAD), Sketch Comedy Shows (MPAGACAC)

Keywords

• Television production
• Drama series
• Film production
• Co-production services
• Scripted content

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

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. Television Drama Production: Deadpan produces television drama series for Irish and international broadcasters. Revenue is generated through production fees, co-production financing, and distribution rights. Productions include Irish Blood, Video Nasty, Showkids, and This is not a Murder Mystery for 2024/25.
2. Film Production: Feature film production including Four Kids and It, The Last Right, Halal Daddy. Films are co-produced with international partners and distributed through theatrical, streaming, and broadcast channels.
3. International Co-productions: Co-production arrangements with international partners including Canadian (Shaftesbury), Belgian (Panenka), German (ZDF, WDR) companies, providing financing and distribution across multiple territories.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Deadpan Pictures is an Irish television and film production company that develops and produces scripted drama series, feature films, and select web content with a signature "drama with humour" creative voice. Productions are typically structured as international co-productions with broadcasters and studios (e.g., BBC, RTE, Netflix, AMC's Acorn TV, Peacock, Lionsgate, ZDF, Studio Canal) and delivered as commissioned content for broadcast and streaming platforms. In 2024/25 the company produced 18 hours of drama including Irish Blood, Video Nasty, Showkids, and This is not a Murder Mystery.

Product overview

Deadpan Pictures is an award-winning television and film production company specializing in drama with humour. The company operates as a traditional media production house offering a portfolio of distinct TV series and films. Television productions include comedy-dramas (Can't Cope Won't Cope, Nowhere Fast, Moone Boy), period dramas (This is not a Murder Mystery, Northern Lights), horror-comedies (Video Nasty, Dead Still), and family series (Showkids). Film productions span family adventures (Four Kids and It), comedy-dramas (The Last Right, Halal Daddy), and short films (Seanie & Flo). The company also produces web content (Burning Wishes). Productions are distributed through international platforms including BBC, RTE, Netflix, AMC's Acorn TV, Peacock, Lionsgate, and ZDF.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Irish Blood A 6 x 1-hour drama series following L.A. lawyer Fiona Sharpe (Alicia Silverstone) whose world is upended by a letter from her estranged father, leading her to Ireland to unravel family secrets. Co-produced with Shaftesbury (Canada) for AMC's Acorn TV, where it became the platform's best-performing series ever. Greenlit for Season 2.
• Video Nasty A 6 x 30-minute coming-of-age darkly comic horror series set in 1985 during the home video revolution, following three teenagers who get mixed up in a murder investigation while collecting cult VHS tapes. Co-produced for BBC, Virgin Media Television, WDR, and BoatRocker. Written by Hugh Travers. Scripting Season 2.
• Showkids A 6 x 30-minute family series set in an after-school drama class for talented kids, encouraged to their limits by their brilliant but complicated teacher Miss Bethany Jessop. Co-produced for RTE and Madgic. Created by Hugh O'Conor.
• This is not a Murder Mystery

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shaftesbury (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner on Irish Blood and Departure 2. Shaftesbury is a major Canadian production company. Irish Blood is described as AMC's Acorn TV best performing series ever.
• AMC's Acorn TVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for Irish Blood and Deadpan's Dead Still and The South Westerlies. Irish Blood became Acorn TV's best performing series ever.
• Studio CanalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of This is not a Murder Mystery, a high-end period drama.
• Panenka (Belgium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of This is not a Murder Mystery alongside Studio Canal.
• BBCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK broadcaster co-producer and distributor of Video Nasty, Can't Cope Won't Cope, Women on the Verge, Nowhere Fast, and Moone Boy.
• RTEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIrish national broadcaster and co-producer of multiple Deadpan productions including Irish Blood, Showkids, Can't Cope Won't Cope, Dead Still, The South Westerlies, Nowhere Fast, and Burning Wishes.
• Virgin Media TelevisioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIrish broadcaster co-producer of Video Nasty.
• WDRminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman broadcaster co-producer of Video Nasty.
• BoatRockerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProduction partner for Video Nasty.
• LionsgatecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStudio partner for Northern Lights production alongside TG4 and ZDF Neo.
• ZDFcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman broadcaster co-producer of Northern Lights, Dead Still, and The South Westerlies.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStreaming distributor for Can't Cope Won't Cope.
• PeacockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNBCUniversal's streaming platform co-producer of Departure 2 with Shaftesbury Films.
• UKTVcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK broadcaster distributor of Women on the Verge.
• Northern Ireland ScreenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body supporting Northern Irish film and TV industry, co-producer of Can't Cope Won't Cope.
• Baby CowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction company (Steve Coogan's) co-producer of Moone Boy for Sky.
• MermanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction company co-producer of Women on the Verge with UKTV.
• SkycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK satellite broadcaster and co-producer of Moone Boy.
• Dan FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm production partner for Four Kids and It.
• Kindle EntertainmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm production partner for Four Kids and It.
• EOne EntertainmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEntertainment One co-producer of The Last Right film.
• Florin Film GermanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman co-producer of Halal Daddy film.
• Screen IrelandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrish film council providing support for Halal Daddy production.
• EurimagesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean film funding body supporting Halal Daddy production.
• Element PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIrish production company co-producer of Halal Daddy.
• Global ScreenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational film and TV sales agent for Halal Daddy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Merman: UK production company co-producer of Women on the Verge with Deadpan; produces character-driven comedy-drama for UK and international broadcasters, making it a near-comparable independent.
• Subotica Entertainment: Irish independent production company producing feature films and TV dramas with international co-financing; comparable in size, geography and co-production-led model to Deadpan.
• Element Pictures: Leading Irish independent production company (Normal People, The Lobster, Room) producing film and TV drama with global distribution; directly comparable to Deadpan as an Irish drama producer with international co-production relationships.
• Parallel Films: Irish production company producing high-end drama and film with international broadcasters; direct peer in Irish indie production space with similar co-production financing approach.
• Fastnet Films: Irish-Czech production company producing international drama and film; comparable as a small independent co-producer of premium content with European broadcaster partnerships.
• Baby Cow Productions: Steve Coogan's UK production company and co-production partner of Deadpan on Moone Boy; a directly comparable independent producer of comedy-drama with established broadcaster relationships.
• Shaftesbury: Canadian production company and direct co-production partner of Deadpan on Irish Blood and Departure 2; produces internationally distributed drama and is a useful like-for-like benchmark for a similarly-sized drama producer.
• Treasure Entertainment: Irish film and TV producer of titles such as The Siege of Jadotville; comparable Irish indie operating in the same international co-production ecosystem as Deadpan.
• Panenka: Belgian production company and co-production partner of Deadpan on This is not a Murder Mystery; a like-sized European indie producing premium drama with international partners.

Broad incumbents

• Banijay: Global content production and distribution group encompassing dozens of indie drama producers across Europe; competes for the same international broadcaster commissions as Deadpan from a much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/deadpanpictures
• Facebookfacebook.com/deadpanpictures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deadpan-picture

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 Deadpan Pictures