Filmhub

Overview

Filmhub is a Los Angeles-based digital film and TV distribution company founded in 2016 by composer Klaus Badelt and entrepreneur Alan d'Escragnolle. The company handles more than 30,000 titles and releases between 500 and 1,000 films per month on a non-exclusive basis. Filmhub operates as a full-service distributor, not just a self-service aggregator: its sales team actively pitches titles to streaming platforms, broadcasters, and buyers, while its technology platform handles asset delivery, quality control, captioning, transcoding, and royalty payments in-house. The company has 55 employees and reported $4.9 million in annual revenue as of 2025.

Filmhub has raised $21.2 million in total funding, including a $6.8 million seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz in 2022 and a $7 million Series A in 2025. The company was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Media Companies of 2025, and CEO d'Escragnolle was featured in Media Play News' Top Indie Power Players list in 2026.

For independent filmmakers, Filmhub's core offering is straightforward: upload a completed film, and Filmhub distributes it to streaming channels worldwide on an 80/20 revenue-share basis. The filmmaker receives 80% of what Filmhub receives from channels. No upfront fee is required on the standard plan. If a film earns nothing, the filmmaker pays nothing.

How Filmhub Works

Filmhub operates a technology-driven distribution model. Filmmakers upload their film, technical specs, and metadata to the Filmhub platform. Filmhub's system handles quality control, asset conversion, caption file creation, and key art generation in-house rather than outsourcing to a post house. Once a title is ingested, Filmhub's sales team receives automatic notifications and can begin pitching it to channel partners.

Channel partners include Tubi (100 million monthly active users), Amazon Prime Video, Plex, Hoopla, Stash TV, and hundreds of other platforms spanning AVOD (ad-supported), SVOD (subscription), TVOD (transactional rental/purchase), and FAST (free ad-supported television). Filmhub works with over 300 sales agents, distributors, catalog owners, and studios to source content. The company operates in 10 countries including the UK, Spain, China, and India.

The filmmaker retains all rights under standard non-exclusive deals and can set exclusivity terms. Films listed on Filmhub can be simultaneously available through other distribution channels, provided the filmmaker has not granted exclusivity to a Filmhub channel partner for a given territory or platform type.

Revenue Model and Payment Structure

Filmhub's standard split is 80/20: the filmmaker receives 80% of what Filmhub receives from channels, and Filmhub keeps 20%. On the free plan, quality control, asset delivery, account management, conversion costs, and pitch fees are all covered by Filmhub. The company also offers Plus and Pro plans for power users with higher volume needs.

Revenue calculation varies by license type:

• Ad-Supported (AVOD/FAST): Revenue is calculated based on CPM (cost per thousand impressions). Channels may pay individually (impressions multiplied by CPM) or collectively (pooled revenue allocated by viewership share).
• Subscription (SVOD): Revenue is allocated by time watched (negotiated hourly rate), pooled (subscription fees divided by viewership share), or flat license fee (fixed amount for a defined period).
• Transactional (TVOD): Revenue from rentals or purchases is split between the channel and rights holder at rates negotiated by Filmhub.

Filmhub provides channel-level reporting on views, minutes streamed, rentals, purchases, ad impressions, and CPM. Reporting schedules vary by channel: some report daily or weekly, while others have 60 to 90-day reporting periods. Filmhub makes earnings available for transfer with no holdback period once received from channels.

As of 2026, Filmhub introduced a $500 quality control fee. While currently optional, not paying this fee may limit the channels available to a title. Filmmakers should factor this into their distribution budget planning.

Custom Acquisition Deals

In 2025, Filmhub formally announced Custom Acquisition Deals, establishing itself as a full-service global sales and distribution company beyond its standard self-service model. These deals are invite-only and reserved for titles with high production value and known cast that can generate six to seven figures in revenue.

Two types of custom deals are available:

Exclusive Distribution Deals: Filmhub grants exclusive sales and distribution rights for 10 years, provides an MG and/or P&A funds, and actively leads marketing efforts. The split is 70/30 due to Filmhub's upfront expenses. Sample title: Dog Patrol: Operation Santa Paws starring Cuba Gooding Jr.

Shopping and Sales Agreements: Filmhub acts as a sales agent pitching the film to buyers who purchase content for an upfront fixed fee. The split is 70/30 if Filmhub pays an MG, or 80/20 with no MG. Sample title: Trap City (SVOD sold exclusively to Starz).

Strategic Expansion: Black Cinema and Creator-Led Content

In February 2025, Filmhub launched a Black Cinema Vertical to expand distribution opportunities for Black filmmakers. The initiative targets content by and about Black creators, addressing a gap in mainstream distribution channels.

Filmhub is also expanding into creator-led content. In September 2025, the company partnered with producer Evan Shapiro (former TV exec) to distribute SKIT, a creator-led comedy made for $65,000 under SAG-AFTRA's Ultra Low Budget Agreement. SKIT received a 30-day exclusive window on Tubi before opening to worldwide sales. Filmhub featured the title in its slate at MIPCOM 2025, where the creator economy was a focal point.

CEO d'Escragnolle has stated that Black cinema and creator-led content are two of the company's biggest priorities for expansion. The company is scaling its exclusive acquisitions from 5 per month to 20 per month, with new key hires supporting this growth.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Filmhub is best suited to filmmakers who:

• Have completed films with no upfront distribution budget
• Want broad platform presence across AVOD, FAST, and mid-tier SVOD
• Are comfortable with a revenue-share model where earnings depend on actual viewership
• Need transparent, channel-level revenue reporting
• Have titles with known cast or high production value that may qualify for custom acquisition deals

The trade-off for the free entry model is that standard (non-exclusive) Filmhub distribution generates modest per-title revenue unless a film gains significant volume across multiple platforms. Filmmakers should not expect standard Filmhub distribution alone to replace income from a traditional distribution deal or major SVOD placement.

For titles with higher commercial potential, the Custom Acquisition Deals pathway offers MG and P&A funding, but requires Filmhub to evaluate the title as a fit. Filmmakers can flag titles nearing completion with high production value and known cast through Filmhub's contact form.

Filmhub's transparency on revenue reporting is a meaningful advantage over traditional distribution models where reporting is often limited. Filmmakers can track views, minutes streamed, and earnings at the channel level through the Filmhub dashboard.

Filmhub vs. Traditional Aggregators

The core difference between Filmhub and traditional aggregators like Quiver Digital is the fee structure and service scope. Filmhub charges no upfront fee on its standard plan and handles QC, captioning, and transcoding in-house. Traditional aggregators charge upfront fees per platform delivery but may offer more direct access to major SVOD platforms like Netflix and Apple TV+.

For a comprehensive digital distribution strategy, filmmakers often use both: Filmhub for AVOD, FAST, and broad platform coverage, and a traditional aggregator for targeted major SVOD placement. Filmhub's custom deals now also compete with traditional aggregators on exclusive SVOD placements, as demonstrated by the Trap City exclusive Starz deal.

Watch: Platform Overview

See Also

For a full overview of digital self-distribution strategy, see Self-Distribution Guide. To model revenue projections across AVOD, SVOD, and TVOD platforms for an independent release, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For how distribution fees and P&A recoupment affect filmmaker receipts, see What Does a Distributor Keep?.