Thomas Benski, former CEO and co-founder of Gangs of London producer Pulse Movies, has introduced new London, New York, Paris and Los Angeles-based enterprise Lumina.
The brand new firm is billed as a “well-capitalized expertise & IP-led media group” backed by a primary spherical of funding in mid-eight figures, with traders together with Magnus Rausing’s BFK, Charles Dorfman’s Dorfman Media Holdings and SVS Holdings.
“The present media panorama is in flux, and we consider that is the best time to construct future going through firms. Drawing from our wealthy previous expertise, we’re constructing within the current to form the long run,” stated Benski.
“With content material on the coronary heart of every part in the present day, I strongly consider expertise, manufacturers and IP are the multipliers. Our thesis is that there’s a massive alternative to decouple the IP creation course of by constructing studios and manufacturing firms round main expertise,” he stated.
This can assist them personal extra of their work and construct lengthy lasting firms that take away pointless and costly layers within the course of of making IP. With capital and strategic enter we consider within the decentralized United Artist mannequin for in the present day,” he stated.
Lumina has already partnered with Oman Sy and Louis Leterrier for the brand new European studio, Carrousel Studios led by CEO Cecile Gaget, and Yann Demange’s Wayward Movies (’71, Prime Boy).
On the Youngsters and Household vertical, it has backed award-winning gaming studio Creators Corp (2023 WEBBY winner) in addition to Bafta-winning Youngsters IP enterprise – Strike.
It has additionally invested in client manufacturers like Metier, DAACI and simply closed on their largest funding so far on a globally acknowledged energetic put on model quickly to be introduced.
Lumina has additionally launched a brand new multi-disciplinary movie studio, Magna Studios, led by Marisa Clifford and Davud Karbassioun which has scaled in a short time with initiatives in manufacturing throughout Branded, Documentaries and Scripted.
Sy, co-founder of Carrousel, considered one of Lumina’s firms stated: “on the coronary heart of this partnership, Louis, Thomas and I noticed a giant alternative in constructing an formidable talent-led enterprise that may leverage the present market dynamics. Lumina & Thomas not solely deliver capital however a strategic and operational strategy that gives artists like us the sources and experience to exit and notice our ambitions at a time when expertise is just too typically not on the desk to learn from a initiatives’ long-term success.”
The Lumina launch stated the corporate’s strategy would mix monetary funding and the sources of a world studio, and be strategically organized in 4 verticals: expertise pushed studios, manufacturing, youngsters & household, and client.
It added that its funding technique would leverage an in depth investor community and inventive and storytelling experience, combining these strengths with sturdy monetary backing, operational self-discipline, and entrepreneurial observe report.
Moreover, by self-financing movie and TV initiatives, it stated Lumina and its companions would be capable of obtain higher inventive and monetary autonomy, enabling them to form ventures with daring, modern imaginative and prescient and precious IP.
Benski is drawing on his expertise constructing Pulse into a world main multi-disciplinary studio that garnered accolades throughout all of its output and realized vital scale.
Pulse had revenues of greater than $150m and greater than 150 workers by the point Benski and Clifford exited in 2021. Their earlier initiatives embody Gangs of London (Sky/AMC), Beastie Boys Story (Apple), PIG (Neon), The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann (Netflix) and Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now (Netflix).
In an formidable projection, the corporate stated it aimed be worthwhile in its first yr of operations, delivering greater than $55 million in income throughout the group, and that it had already began producing its first IP and long-form initiatives which can ship early subsequent yr and be introduced shortly.
Lumina has additionally secured funding for an IP battle chest that may allow the manufacturing of quite a few excessive worth movie and TV initiatives over the approaching years throughout its group firms.
Magnus Rausing of BFK, considered one of Lumina’s traders, stated: “Lumina’s collective information in investing and working companies makes them the best platform for pioneering a brand new strategy that each helps expertise to create and personal precious IP whereas driving innovation throughout its firms – creatively, strategically and technologically. I used to be on the lookout for a car to construct a media and leisure footprint and Lumina is totally the fitting platform given its ingenious mannequin so I’m excited to assist it turn into a defining participant within the ecosystem.”
Charles Dorfman, CEO, Dorfman Media Holdings, stated its funding was additionally primarily based on its perception in Benski, his staff and their observe report.
“We’ve identified Thomas and his staff for an extended whereas, noticed them construct an incredible enterprise at Pulse and have been naturally excited to again his new enterprise. I’ve complete confidence of their capability to establish thrilling alternatives throughout the media, leisure and client industries, particularly because the media trade as a complete strikes into a brand new part of growth,” he stated.
Marie Savare and P.J. van Sandwijk, co-founders of SVS Holding, added: “We firmly consider Lumina’s strategic mannequin, combining talent-driven content material creation with a venture-backed enterprise framework, represents the way forward for media and leisure.