Docsville

Documentary Business

Peter Hamilton Consultants, Inc

Leftfield Entertainment: The Snapshot After the Acquisition, 2014 (1 of 2)

This week and next: the Leftfield Entertainment Snapshot, 2014:

  • How many hours?
  • What are the shows?
  • Which networks are buying?
  • And where is the growth?

Most of us were stunned when Leftfield Entertainment, the force behind the History hit Pawn Stars was recently acquired by ITV Studios at a valuation of $450 Mn.

The Rise and Rise of Leftfield Entertainment

We covered the rise and rise of Leftfield from garage-style launch to half-billion dollar sale. Read about our unique Leftfield Case Study here. From $20,000 to $450 Mn in 7 years: The big decisions. The Key Success Factors, Casting examined, 11 reasons why preferred producers have an advantage, and much more

Leftfield had smartly multiplied its earnings and therefore valuation by acquiring the Sirens, Loud and Outpost production companies.

These acquisitions:

  • Diversified Leftfield’s output beyond the Male demo’s targeted by Pawn Stars.
  • Brought solid relationships with new sets of buyers, particularly at channels like Discovery’s ID that are gaining viewers despite an overall stagnant market.
  • And provided Leftfield with significant scale in a rapidly consolidating industry where smaller producers are finding it harder to get access to buyers and to sell shows.

Here is our post-acquisition Leftfield Entertainment Snapshot, with special thanks to the LE team led by Ed Simpson.

———————


Contribution by Production Unit

LE-ProdcoCommsns_pie_0822

EpisodesHours
Leftfield347.0222.5
Sirens133.0105.0
Loud136.0105.0
Outpost62.040.5
Total678.0473.0

 

Hours Produced

LW_Hrs_bar0822

And here are the shows:

LEFTFIELD PICTURES

2014 ShowsChannelEpisodesLengthHours
Pawn StarsHistory1043052
American RestorationHistory363018
Counting CarsHistory393019.5
PawnographyHistory10305
UnannouncedHistory203010
WT (season 1)History3603
WT (season 1)History8608
Lachey’sA&E8608
Love PrisonA&E5605
WT (Pilot)A&E1601
United Stuff of AmericaH28608
Pawn Stars UKHistory UK16308
Pawn Stars AustraliaHistory-Foxtel12306
Celebrity Home RaidersLifetime8304
WT (season 1)Animal Planet4604
Clash of the OzarksDiscovery5605
Blood, Sweat and HeelsBravo106010
UnannouncedBravo106010
GuntuckyCMT6606
Tobacco WarsCMT5605
WT (season 1)E!3603
WTESPN1601
WT (Pilot)HGTV1601
WT (season 1)WeTV6303
WT (season 1)Unannounced263013
WT (season 1)WGN12306
Total347222.5

 

SIRENS
2014 ShowsChannelEpisodesLengthHours
Real Housewives NJBravo146014
Thicker than WaterBravo8608
Manzo’d with ChildrenBravo8304
UnannouncedTWC6606
NNDID206020
UnannouncedID136013
Southern Fried HomicideID6606
UnannouncedID12306
Evil KinID6606
UnannouncedID12306
UnannouncedID3603
AbductedID12306
UnannouncedID12306
UnannouncedLMN1601
Total133105.0
LOUD
2014 ShowsChannelEpisodesLengthHours
Ice HolesNat Geo8304
Tiny House NationFYI106010
Holy & HungryCooking4302
Flip Flop OK 100HGTV12306
Food ParadiseTravel6606
UnannouncedTravel7607
Passing the BuckSpike7607
Restoration WildSpike1601
Holy SmokersDestAm6606
UnannouncedUnannounced7607
UnannouncedUnannounced6606
UnannouncedUnannounced6606
UnannouncedUnannounced12306
UnannouncedUnannounced6606
UnannouncedUnannounced263013
UnannouncedUnannounced126012
Total136105.0
OUTPOST
2014 ShowsChannelEpisodesLengthHours
American IconsPBS2602
UnannouncedPBS4602
Biography SeriesPBS8608
UnannouncedHistory1601
UnannouncedH2106010
UnannouncedUnannounced1300.5
UnannouncedUnannounced6301.5
UnannouncedUnannounced1300.5
UnannouncedUnannounced6303
UnannouncedUnannounced10605
UnannouncedUnannounced1601
UnannouncedUnannounced12306
Total6240.5

My Upcoming Markets

  • TV France International’s Le Rendez-Vous celebrates its 20th edition in Biarritz, September 7-11, 2014
  • MIPCOM, Cannes, October 12-15.
  • And meetings in Joburg, September 28-30.