Leader Films

What Leader Films does

Leader Films is a privately held Norwegian film and television production company founded in 1998 by David Leader in Aalgaard, Norway, operating with a 1–10 employee footprint across three service lines: Content Creation (original cinema, television, documentaries, commercials, and promotional films), Co-Production (strategic international partnerships producing series and features such as Vikingane for NRK, Quality Time with Pupkin Film, and Forbrydelsen III with DR), and Production & Location Services (Norway-based production support for international film and TV shoots across 13 countries and four continents).

Its monetization is project-based: one-time licensing and co-production revenue shares on owned and partner-led content, plus professional services fees for production and location facilitation (the latter earning a 17-star rating from WorldFixer.com). Customer segments span national broadcasters (NRK, DR), mid-market film production houses (Viafilm, Pupkin Film, Mer Film, Giant Film, Motlys, Tappeluft Pictures, Wark-Clement), and brand/advertising clients (FP Creative for Jaguar, North South Productions). The company is developing The Eriksen Sagas, an 8x40-minute adventure/drama series positioned as a multi-platform owned-IP franchise.

Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: David Leader personally cultivates relationships with regional financers, participates in industry events such as Berlinale 2014, and writes creative, distribution, and marketing strategies for other producers — generating pipeline through his network of 60+ consulted international projects and his chairmanship of Produsentforum Rogaland (Norway's first regional producer's forum, co-founded 2013). No external funding, M&A, or institutional ownership has been disclosed; operations remain founder-owned and bootstrap-financed.

Name

Leader Films

Legal name

Leader Films

Website

https://leaderfilms.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leader Films is a Norwegian film and television production company founded in 1998 by David Leader, producing original cinema/TV content, co-producing with international partners, and providing production and location services across 13 countries. Its customers are national broadcasters (NRK, DR) and film production companies seeking Norway-based execution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film and Television Production Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Live-Action International/Co-Production & Service Production (MPADABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Live-Action Production Management & Line Producing (MPADABAH)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Television content creation
• International co-production
• Location scouting services
• Production management

Headquarters

HQ city

Aalgaard

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Content Creation and Production: Creating and producing original, high-quality content for cinema and television, including award-winning short films, art documentaries, film events, commercials, promotional films, and long-format series such as The Eriksen Sagas.
2. Co-Production: Co-producing innovative productions with strategic, international partners including European broadcasters and production companies. Revenue generated through co-production agreements, typically with national broadcasters like NRK and DR.
3. Production & Location Services: Providing professional production and location services for national and intercontinental film and TV projects. Services include location scouting and facilitation in Norway, with a 17-star rating from WorldFixer.com.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Leader Films is a Norwegian production company that creates, co-produces, and delivers original film and television content, while also providing professional production and location services for national and international productions. Its three service lines are content creation (cinema, television, commercials, promotional films), international co-production with strategic partners, and on-the-ground production and location services in Norway. The company is also developing its flagship franchise The Eriksen Sagas (8x40 min adventure/drama series).

Product overview

Leader Films is a Norwegian-based film and television production company offering three core service areas: Content Creation (producing original films, documentaries, commercials, and promotional content), Co-Production (partnering with international producers on innovative projects), and Production & Location Services (providing professional production support for national and intercontinental film and TV projects). The company is developing The Eriksen Sagas as a flagship multi-platform adventure franchise, representing its primary original intellectual property alongside client-based production services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Eriksen Sagas: High-end adventure/drama series, 8 x 40 min. installments, following treasure-hunting mother Jennie-Rose and her twins as they travel the world unearthing ancient truths.

Products and services

• Content Creation Creating and producing original, high-quality content for cinema and television, including award-winning short films, art documentaries, film events, commercials, and promotional films. Targeted at broadcasters, streaming platforms, brands, and production partners seeking original IP.
• Co-Production Co-producing innovative film and television projects with strategic international partners, including European broadcasters and production companies (e.g., Forbrydelsen III with DR, Vikingane with Viafilm for NRK, Quality Time with Pupkin Film). Targeted at production houses and broadcasters seeking joint ventures with Norwegian co-production partners.
• Production & Location Services Professional production and location services for national and intercontinental film and TV projects, including location scouting and facilitation in Norway across fjords and Arctic landscapes. Holds a 17-star rating from WorldFixer.com and has worked with teams from 13 countries on four continents over 15+ years. Targeted at film and TV production companies seeking Norwegian-based production support.
• The Eriksen Sagas High-end adventure/drama series (8 x 40 min installments) in development as a multi-platform franchise, following treasure-hunting mother Jennie-Rose and her teenage twins on global adventures uncovering ancient truths. Planned as a flagship proprietary IP for Leader Films.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17-star rating from WorldFixer.com for production and location services

Named customers12 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Norwegian Film InstitutecoreOthers · 1 January 2014The Norwegian Film Institute selected David Leader to the five-member Norwegian team represented at the Berlinale 2014 Co-Production Market, providing access to international co-production opportunities.
• Produsentforum RogalandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013David Leader co-founded and chaired Norway's first regional producer's forum in 2013, establishing a valuable industry network and demonstrating thought leadership in the Norwegian production community.
• ViafilmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Leader Films co-produced Viafilm's dramedy series Vikingane (by Jonas Torgersen & Jon Iver Helgaker) for NRK. This represents one of Leader Films' key co-production partnerships for TV content.
• Pupkin FilmcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeader Films co-produced the Dutch/Norwegian feature film Quality Time (by Daan Bakker) with Pupkin Film, an absurd-comedy helmed by the Dutch production company.
• WorldFixer.comminorOthersWorldFixer.com is an international facilitating agency that rated Leader Films with 17 stars for production and location services. This is a rating/reputation partnership rather than a commercial partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pupkin Film: Dutch independent production company with which Leader Films co-produced Quality Time. Similar boutique production model focused on innovative feature films with international co-financing.
• Viafilm: Norwegian film and TV production company of comparable size that is already a direct co-production partner with Leader Films on Vikingane for NRK. Comparable business model of mid-sized Nordic production with international ambitions.
• Tappeluft Pictures: Norwegian film production company that hired Leader Films for production services on Hjelp vi er Russ. Directly comparable in size and genre focus (Norwegian feature films).
• Motlys: Norwegian production company and existing Leader Films client (Kompani Orheim). Similar-sized Norwegian producer serving domestic broadcasters and co-producing internationally.
• Mer Film: Norwegian independent film production company that engaged Leader Films for production services on The Quiet Roar (Idyll). Comparable mid-sized Nordic production entity with arthouse and drama focus.
• Maipo Film: Norwegian independent production company known for arthouse features and international co-productions, including Oscar-nominated The Worst Person in the World. Directly comparable in scale and co-production model.
• Storm Films: Norwegian production company producing films, TV series, and documentaries for Nordic and international markets. Comparable in size and genre mix with similar broadcaster relationships.

Broad incumbents

• SF Studios: Swedish film and TV production studio and distributor owned by Bonnier. Larger Nordic incumbent competing for the same Swedish and pan-Nordic co-production budgets that Leader Films accesses.
• Nordisk Film Production: Major Danish-owned Nordic production and distribution conglomerate operating across Scandinavia. Much larger scale but directly relevant because it competes for the same co-production and broadcaster commissions that Leader Films targets.

Regional players

• Film i Väst: Swedish regional film production hub and co-financing body based in Trollhättan. Comparable in providing regional production services and co-production financing, but operating in Sweden rather than Norway.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leader-films

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Leader Films