Lord of the Rings Deal
Lord of the Rings Deal
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CREDIT: THE SAUL ZAENTZ COMPANY

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Thomas Dey

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Syco
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Paddington
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Shamrock Capital - Boardwalk Pictures credit
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CREDIT: PILGRIM STUDIOS

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Leftfield
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Online Video Content Specialist, Barcroft Media group, raises investment from Channel 4

Above: Bear Grylls Adventure from Barcroft Media

ACF Investment Bank is pleased to announce that it has successfully advised Barcroft Media on raising growth investment from Channel 4.

This investment will fund Barcroft Media’s continued strong growth plan and maximise opportunities in the fragmented online content market to further establish the business as the global brand leader in shareable popular factual content.


Barcroft Media is led by Sam Barcroft (CEO) who founded the business in 2003, Caspar Norman (MD) and Alex Morris (Creative Director) and has offices in London, New York and Delhi.

The company creates, produces and distributes the world’s most shareable popular factual content. It is an integrated media group comprising online video channel Barcroft TV, linear TV production business, Barcroft Productions, Barcroft Media, an agency distributing factual content to leading publishers and broadcasters worldwide and branded content arm, Barcroft Plus, the fastest growing business within the group offering production, creative and distribution services to advertising, PR and media agencies and consumer brands.

Barcroft TV is one of the world’s most watched factual online video channels and is available on multiple global online platforms including YouTube, YouKu, Yahoo Screen, MSN video, Facebook, AOL On, GyaO, Amazon, and Onet. It has achieved over 1.8 billion video views to date and was the most watched factual vertical on YouTube globally in 2015. It regularly receives over 10m views for each of its most popular short form videos with a young skewing audience demographic.

Barcroft Media is also one of the UK’s leading independent editorial content agencies, creating, licensing and distributing popular short form and long form content to some of the worlds most prestigious news and entertainment brands in over 50 countries including the Mail Online, The New York Post, the Guardian and the Telegraph.

Barcroft Plus is the fastest growing business within the group and offers production, creative and distribution services to advertising, PR and media agencies and consumer brands direct. Recent work has included projects for PlayStation, Ogilvy and EE.

Barcroft Productions produces next generation popular factual programming for mainstream TV broadcasters including the Discovery family of channels, Nat Geo, Channel 4 and five, often leveraging the proven online popularity of different themes in order to drive audiences to linear TV.


This deal is Channel 4’s first Growth Fund investment in a British multi-media content company specialising in content creation and digital distribution, as part of the corporation’s wider digital innovation strategy. The new investment extends the Fund’s current portfolio of ten UK based companies, beyond traditional UK independent production support, in a bid to help develop the UK’s influence in the global digital market.


Programming

Above: Bear Grylls Adventure from Barcroft Media
Above: Bear Grylls Adventure from Barcroft Media
Above: Showcasing 'The Amazing Side Of Life'
Above: Showcasing 'The Amazing Side Of Life'

“We are delighted to have advised Sam and the team on raising investment from Channel 4. Barcroft is truly an impressive company with an incredible client list that spans the media and online worlds and a global audience reach that is highly desirable in a world of increasingly fragmented viewing. We very much look forward to watching them continue their growth story and assisting them on their further strategic options.”

ACF Investment Bank


5/5

What People Are Saying

“Since this was our first time working with an investment bank and raising capital for any of our businesses, I wasn’t sure what to expect. ACF has a great reputation and came highly recommended from several people that I hold in high regard. Overall, the experience working with Richard, Milos and Thomas was pure joy. They were the perfect partner for us, as they educated us as we were working through the process, they challenged us to think bigger about the scope and scale of our business, and they aggressively represented our business in the marketplace bringing multiple opportunities to us in a very challenging economic time. The partnership and guidance they provided was essential and they were extremely easy to work with. I only hope this is the first of many deals that we are able to execute together.”

Shawn Gee
Two One Five Entertainment

"ACF’s certainly got talent. Their team, led by the ever-tenacious Thomas Dey, delivered on their promises and introduced the perfect partners to achieve our goals."

Ian Rosenblatt OBE, Director
Syco Entertainment

"Given the complexities and importance of the rights at stake in our transaction, we interviewed several investment bank candidates at length before retaining ACF to guide our process.  We could not have chosen better!  ACF personnel were dedicated, creative, practical, responsive and deeply knowledgeable about the intricacies of the sales process. Over the months involved, Thomas, Richard, Tatiana and the rest of the ACF staff met with and worked skillfully and credibly with scores of potential buyers and with our own employees leading ultimately to a high value and very fair outcome benefitting both our company and the buyer. They have our deep respect and gratitude for a job so well accomplished"

Marty Glick, COO
The Saul Zaentz Company

“At this stage of 72’s development, there are great advantages and opportunities of joining forces with Fremantle. Their extensive international infrastructure and expertise will provide 72 Films with the platform to have our work seen across the world. We know and like their excellent team. And they offer us not only fantastic support but complete creative freedom so we can continue to work in the same way.

It’s been a real pleasure working with Thomas Dey and the whole team at ACF. They are brilliant at what they do. And alongside Matisse it’s been an incredible team behind this deal.”

Mark Raphael, David Glover, Founders and Chief Executive Officers
72 Films

“This exciting new deal between Broke and Bones and Netflix marks an exciting period of content creation, demonstrating the strong relationship between market leading creatives and the streaming platforms. ACF brokered the deal using our strong track record, experience and access in the UK and USA scripted markets. Premium content continues to lead the market with strong deals that ACF have closed including advising Mammoth Screen on sale to ITV, Neal Street to All3Media, Left Bank Pictures to Sony, Thinkfactory to ITV, Paddington Bear to Studio Canal, New Pictures to All3Media, and Carnival Pictures to NBC Universal.”

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"It has been an incredible journey for Delbert and I to get to the stage where we can build out our adventure shows under our own Studio. We stand on the shoulders of many giants, the ACF team have been incredible guides through the process - at its heart this is about building the ultimate home of adventure programming worldwide."

Bear Grylls & Delbert Shoopman
The Natural Studios

"Critical Content has been a leading player in the unscripted space for the last decade, led by a first class team. Media continues to dominate the deal landscape, with content leading the pack. What a great start to 2022! Congratulations to the whole team."

Thomas Dey, CEO
ACF Investment Bank

"Boardwalk Pictures are one of the preeminent producers of premium content and this partnership with Shamrock secures Boardwalks positioning as a leading player in this market. Shamrock’s deep understanding and experience in the content space makes them great partners for Andrew and the team at Boardwalk. I look forward to seeing the growth and future success of this partnership."

RIchard Gray, Managing Director
ACF Investment Bank