heyen & friends

Name

heyen & friends

Legal name

Heyen & Kretschmer Filmproduktion GbR

Website

https://heyenandfriends.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Film Production Services: Project-based film production for documentary content, fictional films, and advertising/branded content. Revenue generated through direct client engagements for branded documentaries, commercials, social spots, recruitment films, and brand films.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

heyen & friends is an independent film production company based in Heidelberg that develops and produces commercials, corporate films, and documentary content for brands, organizations, and institutions. The company blends documentary, fictional, and advertising formats into a unified storytelling approach, with individual project teams assembled from a freelance creative network. In addition to production services, the company offers film equipment rental and branded merchandise.

Product overview

heyen & friends is an independent film production company from Heidelberg that develops and produces documentary content, fictional films, and advertising. Their service portfolio includes commercials (advertising films), branded documentaries, social spots, brand films, documentary films, and recruitment films. They work with brands and corporate clients, allowing different storytelling genres to blend together – bringing documentary authenticity to brands, fictional dramaturgy for emotional impact, and advertising precision for visual quality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Recharge Wilderness
• ECM – What is Mastery?
• Conscious Perception – A Leica Story
• Heute wegen gestern geschlossen
• University of Mannheim – Jura, Respekt oder Mitleid?
• Kortmann Beton Recruitment Film
• Factor Bikes x Rick Zabel Commercial
• VAMV Father's Day Social Spot
• Film Equipment Rental
• Branded Merchandise

Named customers11 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ford DeutschlandminorOthersAutomotive brand client for branded documentary projects including 'Recharge Wilderness' featuring Ford vehicles with Jack Wolfskin collaboration.
• Jack WolfskinminorOthersOutdoor apparel brand collaborating with Ford on 'Recharge Wilderness' branded documentary.
• Leica Store HeidelbergminorOthersPhotography equipment retailer, subject of 'Conscious Perception - A Leica Story' brand film.
• Universität MannheimminorOthersUniversity client for recruitment films including Faculty of Law promotional content.
• Green Shooting (Arbeitskreis Green Shooting)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary adherence to ecological production guidelines developed by Green Shooting working group for film and series productions. Tim Kretschmer undergoing Green Consultant training to internalize this expertise.
• TedX ParadeplatzminorOthersEvent organization client for video content production.
• Viva con AguaminorOthersNonprofit organization focused on water access, client for social impact content.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UFA: Major German production group producing film, TV, and branded content. Comparable as a broad German-language production incumbent, though significantly larger and more diversified than heyens.
• Studio Babelsberg: Germany's oldest and largest film studio with commercial and series production services. Comparable as a German production-services incumbent, though much broader in scope than heyens' boutique model.

Direct peers

• RSA Films: Long-established commercial and documentary production company with global brand clients. Comparable in spanning advertising, documentary, and branded content across multiple verticals.
• MJZ: Long-standing global commercial production company representing top directors for advertising and branded content. Comparable in delivering premium commercial production for major brand clients.
• Caviar: Independent global production company producing commercials, branded content, and documentary-style films for major brands. Closely comparable to heyens in its hybrid commercial/branded-content model and small-ensemble creative approach.
• Park Pictures: Independent production company producing commercials, branded content, and short films for global brands. Comparable in blending narrative storytelling with advertising delivery.
• Anonymous Content: Mixed-genre production company spanning film, TV, commercials, and branded content for major brands. Comparable to heyens in its cross-format storytelling approach and enterprise client focus.
• Somesuch: London- and Los Angeles-based production company known for documentary-style commercials and branded films. Directly comparable in mixing documentary substance with advertising craft for brand clients.
• Tool of North America: Independent commercial and branded-content production company working with major advertisers. Comparable boutique-scale production house serving enterprise brand clients.
• B-Reel: Creative production company producing commercials, branded content, and interactive campaigns for global brands. Comparable in combining narrative craft with advertising precision.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heyen-friends
• Instagraminstagram.com/heyenandfriends

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 heyen & friends