Lord of the Rings Deal
Lord of the Rings Deal
LOTR

CREDIT: THE SAUL ZAENTZ COMPANY

EXCELLENCE
"One Deal to rule them all"
Thomas Dey

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Syco

CREDIT: SYCO ENTERTAINMENT

EXCELLENCE
"ACF's certainly got talent"
Ian Rosenblatt OBE

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Bear Grylls
INTEGRITY
“You only get one chance
at life and you have to
grab it boldly”
Bear Grylls

CREDIT: BEAR GRYLLS VENTURES

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Paddington
INSIGHT
“Success doesn't come
to you, you go to it.”
Marva Collins

CREDIT: PADDINGTON AND COMPANY

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Shamrock Capital - Boardwalk Pictures credit
INSIGHT
“Stay true to yourself, never let
what somebody says distract
you from your goals.”
Michelle Obama

CREDIT: BOARDWALK PICTURES

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Pilgrim

CREDIT: PILGRIM STUDIOS

INSIGHT
“Success comes to
those who act!”
Henry David Thoreau

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Pilgrim

CREDIT: PILGRIM STUDIOS

INSIGHT
“Success comes to
those who act!”
Henry David Thoreau

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Leftfield
INSIGHT
“The key to success is to
focus on goals not obstacles”
Unknown

CREDIT: LEFTFIELD ENTERTAINMENT

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Plimsoll Productions

CREDIT: PLIMSOLL PRODUCTIONS

INSIGHT
“Success is not final,
failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to
continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Love Productions

CREDIT: LOVE PRODUCTIONS

INTEGRITY
“ When something
is important enough,
you do it even if the odds
are not in your favour”
Elon Musk

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

Top Gear
EXCELLENCE
“Success comes to
those who act”
Henry David Thoreau

CREDIT: TOP GEAR

INTEGRITY

EXCELLENCE

INSIGHT

previous arrow
next arrow

Pilgrim Studios joins the Lionsgate Family

Above: Ghost Hunters (Syfy)

ACF Investment Bank is pleased to announce its latest TV Production deal advising Pilgrim Studios on joining Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation.

The ACF team was led by CEO Thomas Dey and Managing Director Richard Gray. The legal team was led by Matt Thompson from Sidley Austin.

ACF is the leading investment bank with an unrivaled track record in scripted and un-scripted TV production across the globe. Led by CEO and President Thomas Dey, ACF has offices in London, and Los Angeles. Our team has a market leading track record of advising unscripted and scripted TV production businesses, which ensures we can offer unrivaled advice and secure attractive transactions for our clients.

We assist individuals and businesses wishing to maximize the value of people and intellectual property-based businesses, advising  on over 80 deals in the sector, including more than 40 TV production deals since ACF inception with a total value of over $4 billion.

If you are considering selling your company, buying a company or raising capital, we have the expertise and track record to help you find the right solution.


Pilgrim Studios was founded in 1997 by Executive Producer, Craig Piligian. It is a leading US based production company that develops and produces contemporary, unscripted and scripted television programming for a global market. Its shows include; Ghost Hunters (SyFy), Wicked Tuna (National Geographic Channel), Fast N’ Loud (Discovery), Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s (OWN), The Ultimate Fighter (FOX Sports 1) and talk show series, Kocktails with Khloe hosted by Khloe Kardashian.

Craig will remain as CEO of the group and will continue to expand the business with his new partners.

The management team incudes: Gretchen Stockdale, COO and General Counsel; Johnny Gould, Chief Creative Officer; Nicholas Caprio, Chief Content Officer and Brian Hunt, Chief Financial Officer.

Together Lionsgate and Pilgrim will have over 80 television shows on more than 40 different networks, creating a leading market position in unscripted programming.


The Lionsgate Television Group  is a premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms, video games and international distribution and sales.

Lionsgate’s primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses include the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, the multiple Emmy Award-winning drama Mad Men, the hit broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the acclaimed drama Manhattan, and the breakout series The Royals.

Its feature film business has been fueled by such successes as the blockbuster first three installments of The Hunger Games franchise, the first two installments of the Divergent franchise, Sicario, The Age of Adaline, CBS/Lionsgate’s The DUFF, John Wick, Now You See Me, Roadside Attractions’ Love & Mercy and Mr. Holmes, Lionsgate/Codeblack Films’ Addicted and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

This deal marks a key alliance for Lionsgate as it continues to grow and diversify its television operations through a combination of organic growth and strategic transactions.


Programming

Ghost Hunters
Above: Ghost Hunters (Syfy)
Fast N Loud
Above: Fast N' Loud (Discovery)

“We could not have found a more perfect partner in this endeavor than ACF and Thomas Dey. Over more than five years, Thomas and his team have been patient and vigilant, ensuring that Pilgrim Studios secured not just a financial partner, but the right partner that saw the value in allowing Pilgrim to retain its freedom, flexibility and independence – the very qualities that have defined our company and propelled us to take risks and break new ground. We thank ACF for a tremendous job and look forward to continuing to thrive in collaboration with our new partners at Lionsgate. “

Craig Piligian, Founder Pilgrim Studios

“Thomas Dey and his ACF team offered unprecedented support, guidance and expertise throughout this complex process. They showed true understanding of Pilgrim’s distinct personality, the value of our intellectual property, our vast experience and, most importantly, our people. It is extremely gratifying to have worked in concert with ACF, and Lionsgate, and to see these efforts culminate in the right deal done exactly the right way.”

Gretchen Stockdale, COO and General Counsel Pilgrim Studios

“We have worked with Craig, Gretchen and the team for over 5 years considering various approaches and helping them evaluate options. We have grown to respect and admire this fantastic company and are very happy to have found it such a great strategic home for it to continue its impressive growth. We will miss being in their offices every day, but at least they can get back to their primary focus of making high quality programming.”

Thomas Dey, Chief Executive Officer, 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