What Shipsboy does

Shipsboy is a Warsaw-based private film production company founded in 2013 that produces fiction feature films, documentary series, and serialized content for both Polish and international audiences, while also providing production services to foreign filmmakers shooting in Poland. The company's core products include original feature films (Operation Hyacinth, Red Path, Adventures of a Mathematician, Dust, Nepela, The Time That Never Came), family adventure comedies (the Detective Bruno franchise and Mission Ulja Funk), and documentary series (Wartime Portraits and its Women spin-off). Shipsboy serves two primary customer segments: domestic and global film audiences via theatrical and streaming distribution (notably Netflix Original for Operation Hyacinth), and international film productions requiring Polish production infrastructure and tax incentive access (clients include Studio Ruba, Perspective Films, Kakadua Filmproduktion).

The company's business model combines three revenue streams: one-time license revenue from its own co-financed productions (typically 3-5 country co-productions funded by Polish Film Institute, Creative Europe MEDIA, and bilateral national/regional film funds), professional services fees for foreign productions shooting in Poland, and ancillary revenue from Polish theatrical distribution deals with Next Film and Young Horizons. Shipsboy accesses the Polish audio-visual tax incentive system both for its own productions and as a service to foreign clients. Pricing is negotiated per-project based on scope, duration, and requirements, with no public pricing disclosed.

The core team consists of four people: CEO Joanna Szymanska (also deputy chair of the European Film Academy Board since January 2024), COO Krystyna Kantor, Development Executive Kaja Jałocha-Kozak, and Office Manager Marta Czerlonko. The company holds no external institutional investment and operates independently as a member of the Polish Producers Alliance. Recent productions span geographies including Tunisia (Red Path), Slovakia/Czech Republic (Nepela), Belgium (The Time That Never Came), and Luxembourg (Mission Ulja Funk), demonstrating a deliberate international co-production strategy leveraging public funding sources across European jurisdictions.

Name

Shipsboy

Legal name

Shipsboy

Website

https://shipsboy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shipsboy is a Warsaw-based independent film production company founded in 2013 that produces original fiction features, documentaries, and family content, and provides production services to international filmmakers shooting in Poland using Polish tax incentives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Original Film Production: Producing fiction feature films and serialized content with co-production financing from multiple sources including Polish Film Institute, international co-producers, and regional film funds. Recent credits include Netflix Original Operation Hyacinth and Detective Bruno family films.
2. Production Services: Providing full production services for international projects shooting in Poland. Services include short and feature-length films, both fiction and documentaries. Successfully accesses Polish tax incentive system for foreign productions. Recent service productions include KIDDO (premiered at Berlinale 2023) and CRAPS.
3. Polish Film Incentive Access: The company successfully leverages Polish government incentives for audio-visual production, providing financial support for both their own productions and services for foreign filmmakers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shipsboy is a Warsaw-based film production company that produces fiction feature films, documentaries, and serialized screen content targeting national and international audiences. The company also provides full production services for international filmmakers shooting in Poland, including tax incentive applications and crew coordination.

Product overview

Shipsboy is a Warsaw-based film production company founded in 2013, producing fiction feature films and serialized content. The company focuses on original stories with potential for wide national and global audiences. Their portfolio includes original feature films (Operation Hyacinth, Red Path, The Time That Never Came, Dust, Nepela, Adventures of a Mathematician), family adventure comedies (Detective Bruno series, Mission Ulja Funk), documentary series (Wartime Portraits, Wartime Portraits. Women, Walking Spark), and short films (Camouflage). Additionally, Shipsboy offers production services for international filmmakers shooting in Poland, including tax incentive applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Operation Hyacinth Critically acclaimed crime drama set in communist Warsaw 1985, released as Netflix Original. Co-financed by Polish Film Institute.
• Detective Bruno Family adventure comedy about an 8-year-old orphan who teams up with his TV hero detective to solve a mystery.
• Detective Bruno. Baltic Gold Family adventure comedy sequel where Oskar and Patsy discover a secret map leading to legendary Baltic Sea treasure.
• Red Path Drama about a 13-year-old boy forced to deliver his cousin's severed head in rural Tunisia, a journey into trauma and coming of age. Co-produced with APA, La Luna Productions, and Versus Production.
• The Time That Never Came Feature film about a couple divided by choices about aging - Sara ages naturally while Oskar takes anti-aging treatment.
• Dust Drama about two entrepreneurs facing revelations of financial fraud behind their successful business.
• Nepela Drama about Olympic figure skater Ondrej Nepela returning from 1972 Winter Olympics with gold medal, facing communist regime reality.
• Mission Ulja Funk Family comedy adventure about a 12-year-old astronomy enthusiast who journeys across Eastern Europe to track an approaching asteroid.
• Adventures of a Mathematician Biographical drama about Polish Jewish mathematician Stanislaw Ulam and his work on the Manhattan Project.
• Wartime Portraits Documentary series featuring World War II heroes through expert interviews, archival footage, and fictionalized reenactments.
• Wartime Portraits. Women Documentary series continuation focusing on five Polish women heroes of World War II, using animadoc format.
• Walking Spark Documentary about a former mafia member trying to start a new life with the help of an artist creating a stop-motion animation.
• Camouflage Short psychological drama about a mother and daughter dealing differently with grief six months after the father's disappearance.
• Production Services for International Filmmakers Full production services for international projects shooting in Poland, including tax incentive applications, production management, and crew coordination. Recent service productions include KIDDO (premiered at Berlinale 2023) and CRAPS.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

37 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• APA: Artistes Producteurs AssociéscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-producer on Red Path (2024). French production company involved in international co-productions with Shipsboy.
• La Luna ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Red Path (2024). International co-production partner.
• Versus ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Red Path (2024). Belgian production company.
• Fixa FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Red Path. Also involved in other Shipsboy productions including Baltic Gold and Walking Spark.
• Aeroplan StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrequent co-producer on multiple Shipsboy projects including Detective Bruno, Detective Bruno. Baltic Gold, The Time That Never Came, and Mission Ulja Funk.
• A Private ViewcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on The Time That Never Came and Dust (2026).
• Mazovia Warsaw Film FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer and regional film fund supporter for The Time That Never Came.
• Mazowiecki i Warszawski Fundusz FilmowyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional film fund co-producer for Detective Bruno films.
• Wytwórnia Filmów Fabularnych we WrocławiucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Polish film studio and co-producer for Detective Bruno. Baltic Gold.
• Instytut Kultury Miejskiej / Gdański Fundusz FilmowyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional film fund operator for Detective Bruno. Baltic Gold production.
• DiFactoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on The Time That Never Came.
• Next FilmcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPolish theatrical distributor for The Time That Never Came.
• Young Horizons (Młode Horyzonty)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPolish theatrical distributor for Detective Bruno. Baltic Gold.
• Dragonfly FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer on Adventures of a Mathematician (2020) alongside Mirror Production and Shipsboy.
• Mirror ProductioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer on Adventures of a Mathematician (2020).
• TVP (Telewizja Polska)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Polish public broadcaster and frequent co-producer on Shipsboy productions including Adventures of a Mathematician, Wartime Portraits, and Walking Spark.
• EC1 Łódź - Miasto KulturyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer and cultural institution support for Adventures of a Mathematician.
• In Good CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer on Mission Ulja Funk (2021) alongside Samsa Film and Shipsboy.
• Samsa FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxembourg-based producer on Mission Ulja Funk (2021).
• Filmoteka NarodowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational film archive and co-producer on Wartime Portraits documentary series.
• Mazowiecki Instytut KulturyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cultural institute and co-producer on Walking Spark documentary.
• East StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Walking Spark documentary.
• Stowarzyszenie Film KrakówminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish film association and co-producer on Camouflage short film.
• CinelightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Camouflage short film.
• Punkchart filmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSlovak production company and producer on Nepela (about Olympic figure skater Ondrej Nepela).
• CINETIM FILMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Nepela.
• IN Film PrahacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCzech production company and co-producer on Nepela.
• escadraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Nepela.
• AZYL ProductionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Nepela.
• HereticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Dust (2026), upcoming feature film.
• Betes SauvagesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Dust (2026).
• Timeless StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Dust (2026).
• Studio produkcyjne OrkaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction studio and co-producer on Wartime Portraits. Women documentary series.
• Studio Cafe OleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction studio and co-producer on Wartime Portraits. Women.
• Wojciech Stuchlik Film ProductionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer on Detective Bruno (2022).
• Polish Producers AlliancecoreOthersShipsboy is a member of the Polish Producers Alliance, the main industry association for Polish film producers.
• European Film AcademycoreOthersCEO Joanna Szymanska represents Central-Eastern Europe on the European Film Academy Board (since 2017) and became deputy chair in January 2024.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Film i Väst: Swedish regional film fund and co-production entity that frequently co-finances European films including productions shooting in Scandinavia. Comparable international co-production and tax-incentive aggregator role, though operating in a different geography.
• New Europe Film Sales: Warsaw-based international sales and distribution company specializing in Polish and Central/Eastern European art-house films. Adjacent regional player handling the sales/distribution step downstream of Shipsboy's production activity.

Direct peers

• Memento Films Production: French independent producer and international sales company focused on arthouse and festival-circuit films. Comparable because it pursues the same international co-production financing strategy and distributes through festival/SVoD channels.
• Zentropa: Danish independent production company founded by Lars von Trier. Broader European independent producer with strong festival pedigree and international co-production networks - directly comparable production model at larger scale.
• Pyramide Films: French independent distribution and production company specializing in arthouse cinema. Comparable international festival-circuit positioning and producer/distributor hybrid model.
• Akson Studio: Long-established Polish independent production company producing both arthouse features and commercial films. Compares directly to Shipsboy in scope (fiction features, festival strategy) and Polish-Film-Institute funding model.
• Opus TV: Polish independent film and television production company based in Łódź/Warsaw. Comparable as a like-sized Polish producer pursuing European co-productions and festival-circuit releases.
• Agat Films: Polish independent production company (Lodz) producing fiction and documentary films with international co-production financing. Direct peer in scale and business model.
• Aeroplan Studios: Polish independent production company that is a frequent repeat co-producer with Shipsboy (Detective Bruno, Mission Ulja Funk, The Time That Never Came). Closest collaborative comparator in the Polish children's/family film segment.

Broad incumbents

• Wild Bunch: Major European sales, production, and distribution company based in Paris. Comparable business model at much larger scale - international co-productions, festival strategy, and platform sales. Less specialized in the Polish/regional niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Shipsboy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shipsboy
• Instagraminstagram.com/shipsboy_pl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Shipsboy