Nova Terra Films Inc

What Nova Terra Films Inc does

Terra Nova Films Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1981 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company exclusively produces, distributes, and presents films and educational video content focused on aging, elderhood, dementia care, and related social and clinical topics. Its core product is a catalog of more than 300 films organized into specialized categories including Aging and Elderhood, Family Caregiving, Long Term Care/Staff Education, Death/Dying/Grief, Elder Abuse, Falls Prevention, Health & Wellness, and Intergenerational content. The catalog combines self-produced works with distributed films from third-party producers, supplemented by on-demand streaming options (24-hour, 2-week, and 5-year tiers) and physical DVD sales and rentals.

The organization operates with a lean staff of approximately three core personnel (Founder/Executive Director Jim Vanden Bosch, Office Manager Ginny Priestman, and Customer Service/Marketing lead Gloria Starling) supported by a seven-member Board of Directors. Its go-to-market is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via terranova.org, telemarketing and direct mail, conference exhibitions targeting aging-services professionals, and live in-person multimedia workshops delivered by the Executive Director at client sites across multiple U.S. states. Distribution also extends internationally to Canada and select overseas markets through partner relationships.

Revenue is generated through four streams: one-time DVD purchases (which include non-theatrical public performance rights), short-term DVD rentals (deductible from purchase within 30 days), on-demand streaming rentals, and tax-deductible donations. The organization also secures grant funding for specific co-production projects (e.g., from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime) and collaborates with major partners such as the American Journal of Nursing, NYU College of Nursing, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, and AGHE on series development. The customer base exceeds 10,000 institutions spanning hospitals, nursing homes, colleges and universities, schools of nursing, governmental agencies, and senior centers.

Name

Nova Terra Films Inc

Legal name

Terra Nova Films, Inc.

Website

https://terranova.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Terra Nova Films is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1981 that produces, distributes, and presents educational films exclusively focused on aging, elderhood, and dementia care. It serves over 10,000 institutional clients including hospitals, nursing homes, universities, and government agencies via DVD, streaming, and live workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Media Distribution

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (51212), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Theatrical Distribution (Educational, Airlines, Cruise, Community) (MPADAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Home Entertainment Distribution (Physical: DVD/Blu-ray) (MPADAJAD), Caregiving, Aging-in-Place & Home Safety Education (For seniors & family caregivers) (EDAAAMAL)

Keywords

• Educational film distribution
• Aging-related documentaries
• Elder care training videos
• Long-term care media
• Nonprofit media production

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. DVD Sales: Sale of DVDs with list prices for individual titles. Purchase price includes non-theatrical public performance rights.
2. DVD Rental: Seven-day rental period available for select titles. Rental charge can be deducted from purchase price if video is bought within 30 days.
3. On-Demand Streaming: 24-hour, 2-week, and 5-year streaming options available for select titles at various price points.
4. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting their mission to create visual media on aging and elderhood.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Terra Nova Films produces, distributes, and presents an aging-focused catalog of more than 300 educational films and videos covering topics such as dementia care, family caregiving, elder abuse, end-of-life care, falls prevention, and long-term care staff education. Beyond distribution, the company offers custom film production services and live interactive multimedia workshops delivered by Founder/Executive Director Jim Vanden Bosch, supported by on-demand streaming access and a non-profit donation model.

Product overview

Terra Nova Films is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1981 that produces, distributes, and presents educational films and videos exclusively focused on aging and elderhood. The company's core offerings include a catalog of over 300 films organized into categories such as Aging and Elderhood, Family Caregiving, Health & Wellness, Long Term Care/Staff Education, Death/Dying/Grief, Elder Abuse, Falls Prevention, and Intergenerational content. Beyond film distribution, the company offers custom film production services for organizations needing aging-related educational content, as well as live presentation workshops by Founder Jim Vanden Bosch on dementia care, person-centered approaches, and nursing home culture change. The company also provides on-demand streaming access to its films. Notable product series include the 28-video geriatric care series for the American Journal of Nursing/NYU College of Nursing, the five-part elder abuse series for NCALL, and several independently produced dementia care videos including the 'A Thousand Tomorrows' series on sexuality and intimacy in Alzheimer's. Terra Nova Films serves a diverse client base including colleges, universities, nursing homes, hospitals, government agencies, and community organizations, with a customer list exceeding 10,000.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aging-Focused Film Catalog A catalog of more than 300 educational films and videos on aging-related topics including elderhood, caregiving, dementia care, health and wellness, death and dying, elder abuse, falls prevention, and intergenerational issues. Sold as DVDs with non-theatrical public performance rights, serving colleges, universities, nursing homes, hospitals, government agencies, and community organizations.
• On-Demand Film Streaming Streaming access to select aging-related films available for 24-hour, 2-week, or 5-year rental periods, allowing organizations and individuals to view content without purchasing physical DVDs.
• Film Production Services Custom video production capabilities for organizations needing aging-related educational content, including full production, partial production support, and co-production partnerships.
• Live Presentations and Workshops Interactive multimedia workshops delivered by Jim Vanden Bosch, including 'More Than Words! Finding New Avenues of Expression for Persons Living with Dementia,' 'Thoughts and Reflections on the Time I Spent Living as a Resident in a Dementia Unit,' and 'Exploring the Nursing Home of the Future.'
• Geriatric Care Video Series A 28-video series on geriatric care issues produced for the American Journal of Nursing and New York University College of Nursing.
• Elder Abuse DVD Series A five-part DVD series on elder abuse produced for the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL), funded by the Office for Victims of Crime, US Department of Justice.
• Alzheimer's Foundation of America Videos Four videos produced for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America on various aspects of dementia care and awareness.
• A Thousand Tomorrows Documentary Series Documentary series on sexuality, intimacy, and Alzheimer's including 'A Thousand Tomorrows: Sexuality, Intimacy and Alzheimer's' and follow-up 'More than a Thousand Tomorrows.'
• Dementia Care Video Collection Collection of independently produced videos on dementia care including 'He's Doing This to Spite Me: Emotional Conflicts in Dementia Care,' 'Into the Other Lane: Driving and Dementia,' 'More than Words: Successful Ways to Care and Communicate with Persons Who Have Dementia,' and 'I'll Be There for You: Providing Person Centered Dementia Care.'
• Into the Other Lane: Driving and Dementia A two-part DVD presenting issues faced by persons with dementia and their caregivers when deciding about driving cessation, including five personal stories and professional insights on transportation options.
• Ten More Good Years Award-winning documentary about unique challenges facing gay and lesbian seniors, featuring personal stories and insights on national policies on aging.
• Last Will and Embezzlement Documentary exposing financial elder abuse, featuring stories of exploitation including Hollywood icon Mickey Rooney, identifying why older adults become vulnerable and tactics perpetrators use.
• My Father's House: A Journey of Love and Memory Film about dementia, death and dying, telling the story of Dr. Peter Reimann and his family's experience caring for him in the last three years of his life.
• Backseat Bingo Animated documentary featuring seniors sharing personal revelations on romance and intimacy in later life, challenging societal preconceptions about older adults and desire.
• No Age Limit: Creativity and Aging Compilation DVD exploring the life-enhancing impact of continued creativity and artistic expression in later years, demonstrating how creative expression can transcend dementia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 films and videos on aging-related topics
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Media One Pty Ltd., AustraliaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational film producer that has distributed content through Terra Nova Films. Provided testimonial praising Terra Nova as the only distribution company they have been 100% happy with in the U.S. and Canada.
• American Journal of NursingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on a 28-video series on geriatric care issues with New York University College of Nursing.
• New York University College of NursingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced 28-video series on geriatric care issues with the American Journal of Nursing.
• National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced a five-part DVD series on Elder Abuse, funded by the Office for Victims of Crime, US Department of Justice.
• Alzheimer's Foundation of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced four videos for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America on dementia-related topics.
• American Psychiatric Nurses AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced a video program on dementia care specifically for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
• National Committee for the Prevention of Elder AbuseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced a video program on self-neglect for the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.
• Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated three compilation DVDs in cooperation with AGHE for educational use in gerontology programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Kartemquin Films: Kartemquin is a Chicago-based nonprofit documentary production house with overlapping geography and a similar mission-driven, educational-media orientation. Comparable on operational profile (small Chicago nonprofit, social-issue focus, institutional distribution), though Kartemquin is primarily a producer rather than distributor.

Broad incumbents

• PBS Distribution: PBS Distribution licenses educational and documentary programming to schools, libraries, and consumers at scale. While much broader, it competes for the same institutional training and continuing-education budgets that Terra Nova targets with its aging-focused catalog.
• Kanopy: Kanopy is a major educational streaming platform licensed to public libraries and universities, hosting thousands of documentaries including dementia, aging, and healthcare titles. It competes directly for Terra Nova's institutional streaming budget, particularly among academic buyers.

Direct peers

• Fanlight Productions: Fanlight Productions is a small, mission-driven distributor of educational films on healthcare, mental health, aging, and social work — a near-identical business model to Terra Nova's, including institutional sales to nursing schools, hospitals, and social service agencies. It is the most direct comparable in the non-theatrical educational film distribution space.
• Aquarius Health Care Videos: Aquarius produces and distributes healthcare and patient-education videos used by hospitals, nursing schools, and home care providers. Overlap with Terra Nova is strongest in dementia care, elder care training, and institutional DVD/streaming licensing.
• Bullfrog Films: Bullfrog Films distributes educational documentaries on social, environmental, and health issues to schools, libraries, and community organizations via DVD and streaming. Closely comparable on the non-theatrical, institution-targeted distribution model even though thematic focus differs.
• Icarus Films: Icarus Films is an independent distributor of documentary and educational films sold to universities, libraries, and community groups via DVD and educational streaming. Comparable institutional GTM and rights/licensing structure, though broader topic coverage.

Emerging players

• The Cinema Guild: The Cinema Guild distributes independent and documentary films to educational and theatrical channels, including streaming rights to platforms serving libraries and universities. Overlaps with Terra Nova on educational licensing and DVD distribution mechanics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TerraNovaFilmsInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Terra-Nova-Films/95959819701
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terra-nova-films-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Nova Terra Films Inc